‘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’ [‎364] (439/470)

[364]
The Copy of a
N A R R A T I V,
Sent from Capt. D. (Butler , dated at
March 6^- 1671.
Worthy Sir,
A FTER a tedious delay Wc finally received an Order from the Great Duke ta
imbark our felvs with the Ships Company , and com to Aiofcou. 'Which
being fhown us I infifted continually that according t© the (aid Order I might go up,
but it was thought good that the Ship fhould be firft put in Equippage, andfup-
plied with Ammunition, and in cafe ofneceffity be ufedagainft the , who
under the Con dud: of one Stenko Radziw aschief, had already depopulated many
fair Countreys upon the Cafpian Sea, and then reconciled to the Great Duke. But in
the Moneth of March came news how that the Cafacs were again revolted, upon
which Colonel Ltventi Bogdonof was difpatched by the Great Duke with a Band
of 800 Men ?s to wit, 400 Ruffian Cavalrie and 400 , to march to
Zaritia, a City lying about 80 Dutch Miles above A (i rack an ^ that being a City
which abutts upon the Frontiers of the Cofacksy and commands thepaflageofthe
River Don , or Tanais-, which River neverthelefs doth not fall into the Wolga,
as fom have bin of opinion , and as moftMapsdo make it, for the Cofacks docomc
almoft a days Journey with their Boats from the to the , which they bai-
lance with pieces of Timber, the better to endure the violence of the ftrcam, for
they are but of one entire piece, or Trunks ofT reeshollowed out, Ihcfepeople
have the Ruffian Speech and the fame Religion. They have alfo their Jfjla, or
Places of Refuge, granted them by the Great Duke , whither they have recourle
when they have perpetrated any villanous Fad, or Enormity.
ABOUT the 27 , or 28 of April came a Narrativ by a Courier from the abovc-
faid Bogdanof, importing how that the Cofacks had taken in T^aritzA y and that
about 1200 Moffcovians were killed and drowned : but to give a full account of
the Stratagems they had ufedto gain the Town would make me more prolix and
tedious than my prefent defign is to be, Thefei2oo Streht^ers or Soldiers, were
a part of thofe that were lent from Mofcou to enforce the refpeftiv Garrjfons upon
the IVolga , but efpecialiy this City, in which the Great Duke fepofed great T ruft»
being able to check fas I have faid before) the main Paffage ofthe Rebels, in their
March for the South-Eaft Countrey.
TH E- lame day came news howathat iiieField-were atdifebrdandracti-
ows among themfclvs 5 and being drawn into 2 Head- parties ufed all manner of hoftile