Also he
laid before them that Winter was at hand, and if they should put out with
their ship to the sea, they should bee constrained to take what hazards
might happen them by wintring in the parts of Media, or els where, for
backe againe to that place there was no hope for them to returne: whereupon
the said factors determined to stay there all Winter to learne farther of
the state of those countreis.
[Sidenote: Ice at Astracan for foure moneths.] The 19 of Nouember the winde
being Northerly, there was a great frost, and much ice in the riuer: the
next day being the 20 of Nouember the ice stood in the riuer, and so
continued vntill Easter day.
The 22 December departed this life Iohn Moore the gunner of the ship.
[Sidenote: Anno 1580.] Thursday the 7 of Ianuary betweene 8. and 9. of the
clocke at night there appeared a crosse proceeding from the moone, with two
galles at the South and North end thereof.
The 6. of Ianuary being Twelfe day (which they call Chreshenia) the Russes
of Astracan brake a hole in the ice vpon the riuer Volga, and hallowed the
water with great solemnity according to the maner of their countrey, at
which time all the souldiers of the towne shot off their smal pieces vpon
the ice, and likewise to gratifie the captaine of the castel being a Duke,
whose name is Pheodor Michalouich Troiocouria, who stood hard by the ship,
beholding them as they were on the riuer, was shot off all the ordinance of
our ship being 15.