Mandeuille
speaketh hereof.] The people are taunie, and for that the men are not
bearded nor differ in complexion from women, they have certaine tokens of
iron, that is to say: the men weare the sunne round like a bosse vpon their
shoulders, and women on their priuie parts. Their feeding is raw flesh in
the same land, and in another called Titay: [Marginal Note: or Kitay.] the
Duke there is called Can. [Sidenote: Small people.] They worship the fire,
and it is 34 dayes iourney from great Cathay, and in the way lyeth the
beautifull people, eating with kniues of golde, and are called Comorom, and
the land of small people is neerer the Mosko then Cathay.
* * * * *
The instructions of one of Permia, who reporteth he had bene at Cathay the
way before written, and also another way neere the sea coast, as
foloweth, which note was sent out of Russia from Giles Holmes.
[Sidenote: Pechora but sixe days iourney by land or water from Ob.] First
from the prouince of Dwina is knowen the way to Pechora, and from Pechora
traueiling with Olens or harts, is sixe dayes iourney by land, and in the
Sommer as much by water to the riuer of Ob.
The Ob is a riuer full of flats, the mouth of it is 70. Russe miles ouer.
And from thence three dayes iourney on the right hand is a place called
Chorno-lese, to say in English, blacke woods, and from thence neere hand is
a people called Pechey-cony, wearing their haire by his description after
the Irish fashion.
From Pechey-cony to Ioult Calmachey three dayes iourney, and from thence to
Chorno Callachay three dayes tending to the Southeast.
These two people are of the Tartarian faith, and tributaries to the great
Can.
* * * * *
Here follow certaine countreys of the Samoeds which dwell vpon the riuer
Ob, and vpon the sea coasts beyond the same, taken outof the Russe tongue
word by word, and trauailed by a Russe born in Colmogro, whose name was
Pheodor Towtigin, who by report, was slaine in his second voyage in one
of the said countreys.
Vpon the East part beyond the countrey of Vgori, the riuer Ob is the most
Westernmost part thereof. Vpon the sea coast dwell Samoeds, and their
countrey is called Molgomsey, whose meate is flesh of Olens, or Harts, and
Fish, and doe eate one another sometimes among themselues. And if any
Marchants come vnto them, then they kill one of their children for their
sakes to feast them withall. And if a Marchant chance to die with them,
they burie him not, but eate him, and so doe they eate them of their owne
countrey likewise. [Sidenote: Travelling on dogs and harts.] They be euill
of sight, and haue small noses, but they be swift and shoote very well, and
they trauaile on Harts and on dogges, and their apparell is Sables and
Harts skinnes.