‘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’ [‎181] (232/470)

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C hap. XII. The Voyages of lohn jgi
tude , much refembling a ftieep having Head , Feet and Tail, and aw .
what is more worthy of Note, a skin of white fhining Hair and foft as
Silk. This Skin is held in great efteem by the Tartars and and
fold for a good price, as 1 have paid my fell fometimes 5 or 6
and doubled my money when I fold it again. One of thofe Skins is to
be feen at the Houfe of Mr. JobaShammer dam in , a
Gentleman famous for collection of the Rarities of Nature from
every place of the VV orld : but that of his he had from a Seaman that-
had been formerly a Slave in China where coming into a Wood y
found of this Fruit, and brought away as many Skins as made him a
Coat. The Defcription he gave of them, did very much agree with
what the Inhabitants of Aftrachan informed me of them, ' it grows
upon a low Stalk about 2 foot and a half high , fome higher ,
and is fupportcd juft at the Navel : the Head always hangs down as
if it paftured, or fed, of the Grafs , and when the Grafs decays it
periihes , but this I everlook'd upon as ridiculous , altho the Inha
bitants affeverated to me by many Oaths, that they have often out of
curiofity made experience ofthat, by cutting away the Grafs, upon
which it inftantly fades away. However what I might further add as
to what they lay of this Fruit, and what I my felf beleeve in the won-
derfull Operations of a fecret Sympathy in nature, I fhall rather keep
to my felf , than aver , or impofe upon the Reader , what, I am
fenfible will be univerfally exploded for a Fable. Certain it is there is
nothing which is more coveted by Wolves , than this , and the In
ward parts of it are more congruous with the Anatomy of that Animal,,
than Mandrakes are with Men.
The tiagajan and Crm-Tartars are thick and corpulent , broad-
fae'd , and litle-eied. The hies of the Men are wrinkled like old
Wives. Their Beard grows very flovenly , here and there a hair, and
lhave their Heads bare on the Crown; yet thefe are not altogether fa
ougly as the Cdmucs. Their Habit is altogether as gentile as their Per-
fons are comely , their upper veftment either of a very courfe ftufT
with every thredasfine as a Tobacco-pipe , or elfe of Sheepskins'
with the Wool-fide outward, their Caps and Hofeof the fame colonr r
where they wear any,for they ufe as litle Rigging as they can.The Wo
men like the Calmuccers wear a courfe linnen Coat and round Caos ,
bulging out like a Helmet. Their Firllborn Children are generally
Z. 3 dedi-