This
Yeraslaue standeth vpon the riuer of Volga, 180. versts I say distant from
Vologhda.
To the Caspian sea are 2700. versts from Yeraslaue.
So from S. Nicholas to the Caspian sea, are 3800. 80. versts.
The iourney from S. Nicholas to Yeraslaue is accomplished in foureteene
dayes by water, and two dayes by land. 16. dayes.
From thence to Astracan men trauell by water in 30. dayes and 30. nights.
So between S. Nicholas and the Caspian sea, are 46. dayes iourney.
There passe downe Volga euery Summer, 500. boats great and smal, from all
the vpper parts of the riuer, whereof some be of 500. tunne. They go for
Minerall salt and for Sturgeon.
The salt lieth in rocks (and is whitish red, and in fine sand) as it were
30. miles from Astracan toward the Caspian sea. They dig it themselues and
pay nothing for it, but to the prince a peny a pood, viz. 40. pound waight.
[Sidenote: Fishing for Sturgeon for 3 moneths.] The Sturgeon which they
call Ocetera is taken fiftie miles on this side Astracan. Along the riuer
the space of 20. miles, they make their booties in plaine grounds, and fish
for the space of three moneths, viz. from the end of May till, the end of
August, and hauing salt they vse to salt them.
The riuer is there 5. or 6. miles broad, but with some Islands. The riuer
below Yeraslaue, where it is most narrow, is a mile broad from side to
side.
The riuer runneth vpon red clay, all woods of birch and oke on the riuer
sides, saue about the townes of the fishing places.
Dwina from S. Nicholas to Vstiug runneth all on chalke and sand: the fish
are sweete and fat The Mene a fish with a great head a foot long breedeth
about Vologda, and is fat and delicate.
Between Vobsko and Nouogrod, the space of an 180. miles, groweth flax: the
whole soile in length is so imploied, and as much in breadth: this is vpon
a flat soile.
The hempe groweth about Smolensko vpon the Polish border, 300. miles in
compasse: much of the soile is so imploied.
[Sidenote: The Englishmen in making of cables set on worke 100 men in
Russia.] Of this hempe they bring in Winter to Vologda and Colmogro, and we
set in worke in making of cables aboue 100 men.
The Russians do spin and hachell it, and the English tarre it in threed and
lay the cable. And one cable of those is woorth two of Danzick, because the
Danzickers put in old cable and rotten stuffe, which in fowle weather is
found of no strength.
[Sidenote: Sosnoua tree excellent for the cure of the wolfe.] Sosnoua, a
tree that cureth the wolfe with the shauings of the wood, groweth in these
parts, and of the barks they make ropes as big as a mans arme for their
boats.
