‘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’ [‎62] (105/470)

i<> The Voyages of lohnStruys. V oy. I .
w^r. The TajiMeedes are feafoliaMe fair ofeomplcxiGn , btitalitlemore
1650 fwarthy than the Europeans. The ordinary Habit of the Man is not
IST much diftinguifhad from that of the Woman. They go all with
h M ' 'long Robes thrown carelefly about their body , and tied round the
jhfmeTof midle with a Surcingle. The Ladies of the beft: Quality , wear a ■
the ja. garment of cloth of Gold and Silver, and that very richly embroy-
1°"™' dered : Their Hair is neatly adorned With gems and precious
ftories. The men are robuft and very perforiable; their Heads feme-
thing bigger than is duly analogical with their Bodies. The
Women are but flender, yet let their Body grow as it will , by
wearing alwaies a loofe Garment, only their feet they fcrew and
pinch as much as they can to make them litle , which they think
handfom : So that whenthey are come to their full growth, have feet
like Children of 5 or 6 years old. The are in general a
very hardy people , and can endure any extremity of Heat or Cold
Hunger or Thirft to a miracle. This rhey feem to come to by
a hardy ufage when they are young 5 for they always bath their
Infants in cold weather in Rivers , and fometimes plunge them
over head and ears in Snow. They are excellent Warnous , and
are well acquainted with Fire-arms j as alfo with the Long-bow and
Javelin. They are grown famous in allthe.Eaft, for expert Armo
rers , and temper Steel betterthan the chinee^es , which far exceed the
Europeans. Their Swords are fo well tempered that I have ftruck with
one through an Iron pin 3 of half an inch thick, without the left token
of damage to [the edge. They follow Hunting much 3 which is the
principal Trade and Paftime there in ulc , and prefer Venifon
before any other dainty whatever. In their entertainments, they
•, annuar y are very open and liberal 5 and ufe Tea for a Carefs , wnich is
far better than that which is exported abroad , and prepared after
, * rh f i a different manner : but they refufe to impart it to Chriftians, which
£wcT I held fomewhat ftrange , in regard } that the more it is ufed in
hiows ^ ot i ier Ccunrreys the greater is their advantage , feeing that they
have better in this Iflknd than any where elfe in the World. |
tnuin When vsre had done bur Negotiation at laponjwe fet Sail for
7og£. direaing our Courfe firft for Formoft , andfet Sail the 3 o' h 'of Decm^r,
vvi th a hard Wind, and a Northerly * LMoufion j fo that we made
(on! 0 "' for mi fa in 10 days Sailing > andonthe9 th • of lamary following about