‘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’ [‎376] (453/470)

[376]
they difputcJ what Countreyman I was, and fome of them {aid I was a ;
but others faid I was a Georgian, and to my Happincfs the latter Iway'd it. How
ever (not without wounding and killing oflome of our Company they let us go,
and themfelvs departed from us: W liich the Chirurgeon feeing went and after much
feeking found his Gold.
O N the 20 of September it was very good Weather; we therefore made ready
to fet (ail. About noon being under fail we {aw about 30 on the Strand who
called out to us that we {hould comeaihoar: This unwelcomfummons mainly ad
ded to our fear; infomuch that one of the Vxtnians ran afhoar and fell down upon
his Knees. The Boat was drawn aHioar, and after they had confulted a little together
what they (hould do with us they demanded Ranfom, which was agreed upon for
3 Rubbles each Man. They were Circas and Nagayan Tartars ^ and accepted of
one ofthe banians for a Pledge till the Ranfom was paid. Nv^e went about two Miles
with them and left our Veffel behind us. I had with me a little Coffer of Books which
I carried along with me; and wasfain to trudge afoot without either Shoes or Stoc
kings thro Thiftles and Brambles, infomuch that tny Feet were all bliftcred and
bloody. Towards the Evening we came in a Bay where their Shipping lay. Here
I met with an Armenian whom I had formerly known at who treated mc
very kindly , as alfo my Companion the Chirurgeon ; but we having in fo long
a time not eaten any thing which was fitting for human food, did Anatomize what
was fet before us at fuch that theobferving it, thought good to takeaway
before we had half fatiffied ourappetite for fear we ihouldfurfeit our felves.
HERE we tarried three Days > waiting for a good Wind to go forTdr^, but
that not falling out in this time are determined rather U) go by land than to flay there
Wind bound', it being not above a Days Journey, yet very perillous for the Tkr-
tars who continually lay in wait for diftreffed, and ftranded PafTengers, in thefe
unhappy Proceedings of the Cofacks* who made the Cafpian Sea very unfafe to
fail.
ON Tufeday being the 30 of September wefet forward, and after a very tedious
Days Travel thro Boggs and Madhes we got to a Village inhabited by Nagayan
Tartars : where we took up our nights reft in the Quarter. Here we met with
a Friend ofthe Chirurgeons, whom we offered 8 Ducats to condufl: us to Derbent,
which he undertook to do. Here I fpoke alfo with IvanTurken Agent to his Im
perial Majefty, who was a Twr^born, but a RufianPvoklyte, and had a Brother
at M fcdH who was of the Reformed Religion and an intimate Friend of mine. This
faid Gentleman intreated metoftay longerat7V^« , but I declined their kind offer
Yet was fain to accept # of it for z Days having fo charged and overloaden my ftomach
with eating that I fell fick upon it.
ON the 6ih. of Ottober we fet forward for D^^ in company with the
Now by the way you are to note that every day we fuffered fuch hunger, a Mans
ranfom was thrown into the water , which the fuperftitious Banians hold for a
fpecial ad of Piety and a Religious InjumSion. By the way we met fom Thoufand of
Tartars j for whom we were not a liule affraid, they being Nagajans and notca
P '' Ei>ritS - ■ AFTER