'Collections of travels through Turky into Persia, and the East Indies. Giving an account of the present state of those countries, as also a full relation of the five years wars, between Aureng-Zebe and his brothers in their father's life time, about the succession. And a voyage made by the Great Mogul (Aureng-Zebe) with his Army from Dehli to Lahor, from Lahor to Bember, and from thence to the Kingdom of Kachemire, by the Mogols, call'd, the Paradise of the Indies. Together with a relation of the Kingdom of Japan and Tunkin, and of their particular manners and trade. To which is added a new description of the Grand Seignior's Seraglio, and also of all the Kingdoms that encompass the Euxine and Caspian Seas, being the travels of Monsieur TavernierBernier, and other great men.' [‎108] (657/1024)

\
ia8 A Defcnption of the Comtreys which border
divers other’ Fifli, doth fo wonderfully abound with Sturgeon, that a man may hand
noon the Bank- fide with a Pole in hand arm’d at the end with an Iron Crook, make
choice of what Sturgeon beftplealethhim, which he (hall rarely failof taking though
never fo inexpert in Pifhing, if he have but ftrength or help to draw it on Land. Not
far from the Mouth of the in the Caftan Sea near the Shore, are many Coves
and Corners which they call Lapateens and Caltttkgf) which are always full of Swans
ufiiailv fwimming on the Sea, which are fo numerous, that it is impoiiible to make
any reafonable Computation thereof. Thefe Swans after Midfummer every Year caft
their Feathers, a little before which time there parts from Ajiracan many Boats which
are manned by and moft of them are their Youth 5 after a paffage of hve
hundred miles they arrive at thefe places which the Swans moftly haunt, and having
filled their Boats with Swans Skins and Feathers, they return unto AJitocan, where a
great Trade is driven with the Perfim who give ordinarily a Dollar apiece for
rhefe Skins.
The next Countrey unto the Great Nagoy towards the Eafl: is Caffachy Horda y which
hath as I faid, on «the Weft the Jaic^ by which it is divided from the Great
Nam- On the North the Kalmukes, North-Eaft the Turgeacb, or Jurgench- e tartars i
and to the South the Cajfim Sea and Csragans y who inhabit on the North-Eaft-fide
of the Cafpian Sea. Thefe Caff achy ‘Tartars march up and down the Country much
after the mariner of the Nagoys. They have frequent Wars with the Kalmuk^s and
Tumacbians i but feldome with either Nagoys ot Caragans. Only after the manner
of moft other Tartars, they will clandeftinely fteal even from thofe Neighbours
with whom they have the'nioft uninterrupted and profound Peace.
Caffachy UvJa is altogether Defart, excepting iome Woods Northward, bordering
upon the Kalmukss, where there are divers (mail Rivers which empty themfelyes
into the Jaick^-, which River is alfo in moft places bordered with Woods unto its
Entrance into the Cafpian Sea* And therefore the Inhabitants may well be named
Caffachy Her da, or wild People, as the Name imports : They fow no fort of Corn,
their chief Food being Horfe-fkfh and Mares milks which is alfo common to divers
other Nations of the Tartars.
On the North of Caffachy Her da dwell the Kalmuke Tartars, if fuch a life as they
lead may be called dwelling. The Country they inhabit deferves a better People,
the Land abounding with all things neceffary for a Comfortable fubfiftence. This
Country hath ftore of Sables, Marterns, Black Foxes, Squerrils, and feveral other
forts of Furs, which they Exchange with the Ruffes for Aqua-vitae, Mead,Tobacco,
and other Commodities* This Country hath fome Towns, as Siberia, the Head of
a Province of the fame Name, and Tmmm, both which the Ruffes have gained
from them 2 Ouffba, Wadie, Seftona, Lucomoria^which latter place, they fay, is fituated
upon a Cold Sea. But Onffha is a midland Town, 500 miles from Caffan wmch
is near the Volga. The Kalrmkes are accounted good Souldiers, being kegc in con
tinual Exercife by the Mufcovites on the one fide, the Nagoyans and Caffachy-Horda
on the other. 'Lheir unmarried Women do not only accompany the Men unto
the Wars, but are faid to be little inferiour unto the Men in Skill and Valour,
ihooring almoft as ftrongly and dexteroufly as the men, from whom they cannot
be diftinguifh’d by their Garb, being apparelled and riding much after the fame
manner : Both Men and Women in all their Expeditions feldome carry along
With them fewer than five or fix Horfes apiece. I cannot precifely determine
what their Religion is, but I do perceive by Converfe with them, that they have
a more favourable Opinion of the Chriftians than of the Mahumetans, or ofiome
of their fellqw Ethnic}^-, for if I miftakc not, they are Heathens, I not tog
able to difeern among them any Religious Worfhip, excepting fome kind of
ration which they pay unto the Sun and Moori. They have a very peculiar Kind
of Diet ; for behdes Horfe-ftefh, which is a great Dainty, they fcrnple not to eat
Shakes, Adders, Foxes, and indeed even Carrion of divers forts of Creatures, iuen
Food as to Europeans would be intollerable, even in the greateft Famine. They wear
a kind of Caps or Hats which are called by the Mufcovites, Coulpackes, open £
and behind, with broad Brims on each fide. And thereupon they are called by me
Other F a frW.ird