‘The perillous and most unhappy voyages of John Struys, through Italy, Greece, Lifeland, Moscovia, Tartary, Media, Persia, East-India, Japan, and other places in Europe, Africa and Asia. Containing, I. Most accurate remarks and observations of the distinct qualities, religion, politie, customs, laws and properties of the inhabitants: II. A due description of the several cities, towns, forts and places of trust, as to their site and strength, fortifications by nature, or art, &c. with other things worthy of note: and III. An exact memorial of the most disastrous calamities which befell the author in those parts (viz) by ship-wrack, robberies, slavery, hunger, tortures, with other incommodities and hardships’ [‎135] (184/470)

S C hap. IV. The V oy ages of lohn Struys 13^
although it may feem ftrange , yet cannot that be avoided in feme ,,
places, unlefs they rub their Nofes and Ears, which are frozen 3 in ■669.'
Snow till they grow hot , which done they may come into a Houfe
Without danger, and this you lhall fee them continually a doing in
fucn beafons. It is alfo obfervable how that after a hard Winter the
very Earth chinks and opens when it once begins to thaw. But on the
contrary, it is there fo hot in the Summer that a ftranger cannot en
dure it, at what time alfo the Marfhes and Handing Pools do fo ttink
that one is ready €0 faint away ; befides tKte great annoyance of Gnats
Muskettos and other Vermin, againft which there is no way to de
fend ones Face. The Peftilence isfeldomever known there; but in
lieu thereof another Epidemy, which fo torments them in their Bow- Itmr
els that thole that are taken with it rarely recover 3 or live above 2 sic^nefi
days. Some 1 have heard fay that in times paft it was far more frequent
and rigorous than at this day^for before., they had not the ufe of Phvlic
nor would admitt of any that profeffed it to praftife, as of late, find^
mg the great benefit thereof, they have done.
Mofcoyiais a Countrey of a fat and fertile Soil, far beyond that of
Lt/eland. Their Wheat, Ry, Barley and Oats , they fow about St
loms day at Midfummer, which within 7 or 8 Weeks is fit for the
Sickle, orSithe ( for they ufe both ) and that by reafon ofthecon-
ftant heat. They have befides the beforementioned fruments , good
0 i e . 0 /i ' asPeare ' ® eansan( iLentils. Cucumbers. Pompons
and Melons are more common there than with us, of which laft I have
feen fome weighing above 40 pound. The Fruits they have are Pears
Apples, Qiunces, Medlars, Cherries Plumbs, and of thefe feveral
Sri J T g 77 10 r Coun " ey upon the River OT/.W
a kind of an Apple fo tranfparent that you maydifcern the Seeds , as
Grapes The Shell or Rind thereof is very thin and fubtile and the
Fruit it felf very delicate, but too juycy, and after a long Rain fo wa
tnlh that they grow mfipid. 'Tis generally known abroad that
^m.afFoardsFlaxand Hemp to that exuperancy, that they fuDnl v
dmoftall Europe with Rope-work The next Staple-Commoditic of
MoJcoyuisWzx and Honey, which the Ruftans take wild and mike a
vail profit thereof. In fhort there is no Vegetable of eener-il nf^
w f!t u ^" twl,a ;J ikes ? e *' riyeoni r heVi " e ^ which t^
of the Winter will notfufter Co likeoiiconle to pecfeftion : but dS
defi
:cct