Europe - The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques And Discoveries Of The English Nation - Volume 4 - Collected By Richard Hakluyt
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The Countrey Northwards Towards The Parts
Of S. Nicholas And Cola, And Northeast Towards Siberia, Is All Very Barren,
And Full Of Desert Woods By Reason Of The Climate, And Extremitie Of The
Colde In Winter Time.
So likewise along the Riuer Volgha betwixt the
countreys of Cazan, and Astracan:
Where (notwithstanding the soyle is very
fruitfull) it is all vnhabited, sauing that vpon the riuer Volgha on the
Westside, the Emperour hath some fewe Castels with garisons in them. This
happeneth by meanes of the Crimme Tartar, that will neither himselfe plant
Townes to dwel there, (liuing a wild and vagrant life) nor suffer the Russe
(that is farre off with the strength of his Countrey) to people those
parts. From Vologda (whieh lieth almost 1700. verst from the port of S.
Nicholas) downe towards Mosco, and so towards the South part that bordereth
vpon the Crimme, (which conteineth the like space of 1700. verst or there
abouts) is a very fruitfull and pleasant countrey, yeelding pasture, and
corne, with woods and waters in very great plentie. The like is betwixt
Rezan (that lieth Southeast from Mosco) to Nouogrod and Vobsko, that reach
farthest towards the Northwest. So betwixt Mosco, and Smolensko (that lyeth
Southwest towards Lituania) is a very fruitfull and pleasant soile.
The whole countrey differeth very much from it selfe, by reason of the
yeere: so that a man would marueile to see the great, alteration and
difference betwixt the Winter, and the Summer Russia. The whole Countrey in
the Winter lieth vnder snow, which falleth continually, and is sometime of
a yard or two thicke, but greater towards the North. [Sidenote: The colde
of Russia.] The riuers and other waters are all frosen vp a yard or more
thicke, how swift or broade soeuer they bee. And this continueth commonly
fiue moneths, viz. from the beginning of Nouember till towardes the ende of
March, what time the snow beginneth to melt. So that it would breede a
frost in a man to looke abroad at that time, and see the Winter face of
that Countrey. The sharpenesse of the aire you may iudge of by this: for
that water dropped downe or cast vp into the air congealeth into yce before
it come to the ground. In the extremitie of Winter, if you holde a pewter
dish or pot in your hand, or any other metall (except in some chamber where
their warme stoaues bee) your fingers will friese fast vnto it, and drawe
off the skinne at the parting. When you passe out of a warme roome into a
colde, you shall sensibly feele your breath to waxe starke, and euen
stifeling with the colde, as you drawe it in and out. Diuers not onely that
trauell abroad, but in the very markets and streetes of their Townes, are
mortally pinched and killed withall: so that you shall see many drop downe
in the streetes; many trauellers brought into the Townes sitting dead and
stifle in their Sleds.
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