‘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’ [‎231] (290/470)

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^ C hap . XVIII. The V oyagcs of John Struys 13 r
ljis )fe live, I haye at prefent in my Cujtody a of feTvcls
at left, heftdes a fumof 10000 Ducats in Gold not lofe 16 7 0 »
this opportunity but aTvayTvith ouroivn j and Oee
% or 10 days be in Ruflla, from Tvhence Holland ,
and if your Tvife be not aim Tt>e shall ,
lations at Amiterdam ,fuppofing my ft ill To
this I replyed , Aloft gracious and trhat you
M# '^ eY df Ttelly andlehat I could freely "willingly
tkto tl * 0 manage , But Madam , are you not fenfible Aftrachan pre font
under hands ofthe Cofacs , and the Cafpian Sea full of Vyrats, hoiv
Tve promife our fehs a fafe uirrhalin Ruffia ? quoth fhe,
. r , think that Aftrachan T»iU be ft til in tenure r
Tve shall fpeedily hear that the Czar trdl come ivith a
and deflroj that Vermin. ike, Hereupon fhe fhowed mean incredi-
• 1 ble Treafure of Diamonds , Emera, Rubies and other Precious
M pi'i o .
. d Stones.
Thefe Propofals I muft confefs gave me work enough to ftudy
11 ^ upon day night , and certainly had not osifirachan then bin the
^ hand of the Cofacs I had taken it upon me , not doubting , but
.tielffl to haye good fuccefs, being able enough to pilot a Veffel from thence
bjfcji (- q ^ "ivolga, fori was very well acquainted with the Coafts,
iifirs but becaufe of the before mentioned difEculy was fain to refufe
bfefe her offer. I could obferve that the Lady was fom way difaffecVed
ijifli to her hufband, which I prefumed Was fom certain Jealoufy } for
ti'tf my Patron had bought not long before Girls for Slaves^
lisfaidit the one of 11, and the other of 12 years old, with whom he lay
Secret,f by Turns, which was no fmall trouble to his Wife,who washer
jujrtlc felf not above 26 years of Age, and therefore very unwilling to be
] pjoiS a Widdow with a living husband.
On the 22 came two of our Ships-company to , to wit,
j jJgjlK Cornelius de Vries , the Gunner, and of Thefe
j'/ hi P ^ ia< ^ been taken in Boynak , near the Scemhal , and had betaken them-
felvs to flight, being followed by fome to the Gate
yj bent -, where they were refcued by a Soldier, who fpoke the Ruftt-
an Tongue very well, which Soldier feeing them fo hotly purfued,
15 and the Tartars clofe at their heels , interpofed himfelf between
^iik them, and asked ours, Who they were ? whorepled, They were
m" 1 ' " " ^ " Dutch y