‘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’ [‎178] (229/470)

17 8 The Voyages of V o v. HI.
jttnb . Cafans were taken and demolilhed. Ajirachan at laft it felf was be-
l669, fieged and taken by ftorm by the faid Great Duke, the Tartarians dri-
ven out 3 and peopled with Rup and a ftrong Garrifon of that
N ation. Jjlrachm , when in poffeflion of the was but a Imall
town incomparifon of what it now is , for the Father of the then
Emperour when I was there had enlarged it by a 3 d part, and called
the Addition Strdii^a gerod , that is the Soldier-7oTvn> for it is moftly
inhabited by military perfons : and fince that time it has been con
tinually augmented with new buildings. The Cuftoms and Duties
befides the Bartering of Commodities in this Citie is a confiderable
Mr and profit for the Czaar. The Air about Ajirachan is very indifferent and
Aftra^ tollerable as to it's Temperature, neither rendred unwholfom by the
chan. fcorching heat of the Summer Solftice, nor in any cafe infufFerable
for the penetrating Frofts in the Winter , as if this place had the
benefit of two Climats. Hence is the Soil alfo very fertile and the
Counrrey fructiferous beyond (Ihadalmoftfaid ) any other Coun-
treyia eitherofthetemperate Zones, if the People and Inhabitants
had but two Advantages in cultivating it, which tend mainly to the
Improvement and maintenance of Agriculture , that is , an afTured
conftant Peace , and the Myfteries of Husbandry which we have in
theWeftermoftCountreys of E They have many and various
kinds of fcleft Fruits , as Water-Lemmons , Oranges , Apples,
Pears, Cherrys, Damzons, &c. The Vineyards are in a fhort time
very much improved, for before the year 1613 that Plantation was
not known among them , till certain Perfian Merchants beftcwed a
Vine upon a German , but a Profelyt and Monk of the Church,
which heplantedin aGarden belonging to the Monaftery : the fame
Vine thriving fo well, caufed divers great Merchants to do the like
whofeindeavourshadin the fpace of 3 years that fuccefs, that they
prefented the Emperour with 2 00 Pipes of Wine , and 50 Pipes of
Brandy, upon which the faid Emperour gave them all the Encou
ragement he could to propagate that laudable beginning.
The Nagayan-Tartars who for the moft part inhabit the Champan
land about and near Ajirachan , are not permitted to dwell in the City;
nor may they fortify their villages with Walls or Towers : only by
many Intreaties they have obtained a Grant of fencing in their I ents
with Stakes and Palizados, to fecure themfelves from the Affaults
and