‘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’ [‎224] (283/470)

12.4 The Voyages of lohn Strays. V oy . HI.
w^had for that"time, but not much hopes were then given me of
1670* gaining my Freedomby alilfting them in a Trade to
^The Cafpun Sea may more properly be termed a Lake, were it not that
ST its Greatnefs and Saltnefs gave it the name of the latter, for it is cnvir
rZ"f roned on every fide with the Main Continent, and receives 85 great Ri-
>h \ C fx vers (as hasbeenfaid before) which neverthelefs do not make it fweil
pian any higher upon extraordinary Rains and Tempeft,. which the more
confirms what I have already mentioned about the two famous
Whirlpools. What concerns the Breadth and Greatnefs of the
Sea,as alio its' Scitnation. Bays,Rivers, Creeks, Iflands, Towns
and their diftance of Bearing, they are fufficiently noted in the Card
hereto annexed, which I havewith great diligence compofed, part-
ly by my own experience and partly by the help of fome Armeni-
wMarriners, w ho were well acquainted herewith. Its length which
is reckoned from Wolga to North and South is computed
to be 129 Leagues , and from, Tarku to the River JemU which is
accounted the Breadth , being Eaft and Weft , is about 60 Leagues
For 6 , 7 , 8 and 9, Leagues from the Coaft,the Water is, fomtime
frefh and fomtime brakkifh , and from 12 to 5 o fathom Anchor
ground, but the Sea is within frefh and out of founding. It is alfo
called the Hyum and the Salt Sea. It has many Boughts , In.
lets. Creeks and Angles: the Bay of (J/totends above 38 Leagues
inwards, taking its beginning: at the Cape of Scabamn and reaches
to Sengar Hafam. This Sea is environed moftly on the Eaft and .North
with a fandy and barren-ground, having alio many Quarries of Mar-
bk and Alabaftre. On the Eaft fide of this Sea is a Noble River, not
much inferior to the iVolga , which river parts the Cdmuc-kom the
Tartars but the Countrey on each fide being inhabited with a wild
People, ufing among themfelvs no kind of Traffic, and therefore un-
fafe for others to adventure themfelvs. My Matter
once failing paft the mouth of this River,I preffed him hard to fail up
to view the. Conveniency and take an account oftheQiiahty of the
Countrey . But he told me, he had a greater efteem fo r his Life, Ship
and Goods, than to-fat is fy my curiofity about a bufinefs of io meaa
\ importance. ' , . r ,
This Sea affoards great plenty of all kinds of Fifli, and is farmed.
of the King of Verfia from. ^j >nl to , for a vaft fum of Mo-