‘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’ [‎365] (440/470)

[365]
A (Ss'again ft ca ch other, fo that Bogdanef thought gooi to dtzv/up and march for
ward to Chornojar * zCky about 50 But eh Miles from Aftrachan. He had alfofcnt
down a Captiv Cofiic to Aflrachan who was put upon the Rack, and in fuch manner
tormented that all had compaflion of him.
MEANWHILE all things are made ready atAJlrach/im and the Shipping defign\l
for iervice in this Expedition put inequippage. The iVtywood alio (ends a Perfon
of Quality with a Body of Soldiery to joyn with thofe under Boogdanof: thefe were
then to be commanded by a FoUi whofe name was Ivan RuJJlnjki and a Profelytc-
in the Rujfian Church, and next ta him one fames IVendrong , a Scotch Gentle
man , born in Rdenburgy aged about 3 3 years, and univerlally well fpokenof> for
his Piety and faithfull deportment. The Dutch Officers > were Paul Dolf Qap-
tain and Engineer x with his Son in Law Lewis Fthritius T bcfides Captain Robert
Hind an Englijhman , Nichols Schaak^ my Lieutenant was alio made Captain.
There were alio 2 Dutch Lieutenants fent upon this afhir who were baptized into
the Rupan Church. As alfo 2 or 3 Enfigns. The reft of the Officers, were moftly
Poles and Rujfes.
UPON the 25 of Maj being Monday in Whitfun-weefc the Captains departed
from Afirachan in about 40 Stroegs , all under the command of Knees Simeun Iva-
nowitx. Elboof. Each Stroe? had one Piece of Canon and all neceffary Ammuni
tion, the whole number of the Men that were aboard this ^leet (as appeared by the
Mufter-roll) did not exceed 26'oo Men , whereof 2 roc were of the Strelitz.ers
of Aflrtchan who have fome manner of Diftinftion among themfelvs.
THE' fame day the Coftc who had bin lo cruelly tortured was hanged upin fight
of the whole Army, In the mean time the Inhabitants of began to mur
mur and breath Rebellion, inciting one another againft the Governourand Magi-
flracy, which feemed to be a very bad Omen of feme ill Confequence, for from
that time forward they continued bolder and bolder till at length it burft out into
palpable Rebellion. About this time arrived a Dutch Chirurgeon at Aflr/tchan,
who had bin in the Retinue of the Mofcovim Amballadorat Jfpahan of whom I
bought fom Silk ftufts and 480 Hides of Turkj leather, for which I immediately
tendered the Money,
ABOUT the beginningfl think the 4th. day) off me came a Gentleman froxnChor-
nojar with very unwelcom News. His Me flag e was that the fame day that Knees
Simeun Ivanowit 'Z. with the Ruflian Army was arrived before that City , the Cofacks
appearing far more numerous and ftrong ? thofe in the City revolted ? declared
themfelvs Copicks , and furrendred'up the Town to Radz^in and the Rebells. He
added furiher, That all the loyal Officers who indcavored to diffwade them there
from, were moft inhumanly maftacred. This fad Exprefs r akho imothered as much
as was poffible by the IVajwod and Council of Ajlrachmi was neverthelefscome
to the knowledge of the Townsmen, who were very impatient to bear the yoke of
Obedience any longer. Upon this news I was fent for by the jVajwod, whQ afked
me if my Men v/ere able to manage the Cannon,, and gave order that in the firft
place all the Cannon ihould be viiited that lay upon the Walls 3 and to repair thofe
thai.wcre defcftlv which was forthwith done.