‘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’ [‎119] (168/470)

^ C hap . I. The Voyages of lohn Struys.
' *" — —-—— —— —
C^Jr a week. This City as appears yet by tHe Ruins of it, has been for- octos.
fej : merly much greater than it is at tins day , but with all the Countrey ,668,
round about has been often depopulated by the and
j, t i ;• Armies. It is about 18 leagues from
L? ()n the 15 by break of Day 3 we fet forward on our Journey, palling
ctceL tllrou g h a Champain Countrey, and many fmall Towns and Ham-
lasi f ietS " ^ the Way We obferveci that tiie Boors had burn't up great
fw Woods , and converted them into Pafturage and arable Ground,
""nsd Afterwards we went through a large Wildernefs , where we could
rareibtt not fee the Sup, byreafonofthe denfity of the Trees', yet the way
Mi i Md was full of Mires, andplaftiy. About / in the Evening we came to
ourftage, where we were to ftay over night. The next mornino- we
mpi broke our faft,yoked the Horfes, and fet forward} paffing over a huge
•woft River which had only a Bridge there where we were to pafs ov er, aifd
iW,| no where elfe within 20 leagues above or below: but the Bridge being
old and feemingly rotten, we durft not go over all together, but one
by one. When we were got over. Evening came on, and the Sky began
to grow gloomy, after which followed a very great Tempell that
( „ rr _. the River fwell'd over the Banks and overflow'd'all the flat Lands,
mdlW which we feeing fo fuddenly happen , left the common Road j for
ttoreuB that our Land Pilot told us, that the High way was fubjeft to fuch
ettoofc Floods with an extraordinary Inundation. After two Hours Stor-
e Bruits,! ming, the Weather began to clear and the Pilot affured us we were
saootktli not far from the Town where we were to take our nights reft , andfo
it happened , for juft as he was fpeaking of it we faw Light, through
j found ii theTrees, which mightily revived us for we were extreme cold and
wear 7' The next morning we fet forward for Pttfora and had very
:?' good W eather , but came fliort of the Town that night, infomuch
vHirfu were 1:0 ly night in the Woods , where we gathered
? t I i ^ . e Windfalls wc coutd find and laid them on a heap ^ and with dry
1 d Sticks made a hu K e Flre > wh ich ferved not only to warm our felves at,
M but likewife to afFright the Bears and Wolves away, which are very
■Mr bold and cruel in thefe Parts , as alfo the Muskettos , which fwarm
Upp here by Millions, and annoy both Man and Beaft, after an incredible
ited^
CHAP.
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