‘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’ [‎197] (250/470)

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C hap . XV. The Voyages of lohn strujs
we were taken on for the Ships ufe, we judged it beft to ftay v/here y vs ^
we were, the more for that we knew the Cofacks were more fevere l6 7 r ->-
againft Forreign Auxiliaries , than the Mofcoyims if once made
Captives.
In the mean while we heard continual News of the approaching of
the Cofucks , to attacque Jjlrachm , which had it's inward ftate been in
all things conformable to the iMuniments of that Town , they needed
not fear loooooundifciplin'dmen as are the , for to fay no
thing of the Ramparts and Fortifications of the Walls , there lay
about four hundred and fixty great brafs Guns in the Battlements, be-
fides,thofe of the Cittadel. Every day we expected new troubles,
and commotions, infomuch that we thought it not fit to ftay there
anylonger,left wefliould be maffacred in the Uproar , but no one
of us durft fpeak their minds, or be the firft mover of fuch means to
fave our lives, for that it might feem to ftink too much of Rebellion, -
nor could we know how it might be refented. However it came fo
far that Captain Butler began alfo to dread fome ill might befall us if
we did not confult onr Safety betimes • he therefore upon a time
called us all together , and uttered his mind in thefe , or the like
words. Gentlemen , I doubt not bu-t that you a: e allfenfihlt
ger Tvhich hangs oyer our Heads, and that
our Perfons any longer here, the Sum ojyvhat 1
and requefl of you all to pack upTvhat y-u ha , and
forthwith betake our fehes to the Perfian Coaf, yehat GOD
tn his hounttfull Proyidence ispleafed to allott He ordered us further to
get all in a readinefs to be aboard before the Gates were Ihut, for that
he was not refolved to wait one quarter of an hour for any Perfon :
in the mean while we made a quick difpatch, and in a moment had got
our beft Goods aboard, and all what we thought worth our while to '
bring along. Our Captain advifed us not to take of our Company
with us, Cr^and Trappen , beca ufe they had wives and children, and'
confequently would both be a cumber for us, and uneafinefs for them-
felves on fo dangerous a Voyage : but 1 having compallion with my
neighbour Brak , I made him come aboard with his Wife and
Child j but Trappen was not willing to leave Afirachan , imlefs he had
been better furnifiied with Money than he was , or fomething elfe in
lieu thereof. We were .15 Men, befides a Womananda Child in the
Bb 3 Shai-