This mountaine is extended
into the Ocean vnto the mouthes of the riuers of Dwina and Petzora.
But now hauing spoken thus much of the said iourney, I will returne to the
dominions of Moscouia, with other regions lying Eastward and South from the
same, toward the mighty Empire of Cathay. But I will first speake somewhat
briefly of the prouince of Rezan, and the famous riuer of Tanais.
[Sidenote: The fruitfull prouince of Rezan.] The prouince of Rezan, situate
betweene the riuers of Occa and Tanais, hath a citie builded of wood, not
far from the bank of Occa: there was in it a castle named Iaroslaue,
whereof there now remainethr nothing but tokens of the old ruine. Not farre
from that citie the riuer Occa maketh an Iland named Strub, which was
sometime a great Dukedome, whose prince was subiect to none other. This
prouince of Rezan is more fruitful then any other of the prouinces of
Moscouia: Insomuch that in this (as they say) euery graine of wheat
bringeth forth two, and sometimes more eares: whose stalkes or strawes grow
so thicke that horses can scarsely go through them, or Quayles flie out of
them. There is great plenty of hony, fishes, foules, hirdes, and wilde
beasts. The fruits also due farre exceede the fruits of Moscouia. The
people are bolde and warlike men.
A speciall note gathered by the excellent Venetian Cosmographer M. Iohn
Baptista Ramusius out of the Atabian Geographie of Abilfada Ismael,
concerning the trending of the Ocean sea from China Northward, along the
coast of Tartarie and other vnknowen lands, and then running Westwards
vpon the Northerne coasts of Russia, and so farther to the Northwest.
Descriuendo poi il predetto Abilfadai Ismael luoghi della terra habitabile,
che circuendo il mar Oceano tocca, dice cosi.
[Sidenote: La regione delle Cine. Contini delli vltimi Tartari. Alcune
Terre Incognite. Contini Settentrionali della Rosia.] Riuoltasi l'Oceano da
leuante verso la regione delle Cine, et va alla volta di Tramontana, et
passata finalmente la detta regione, se ne giunge a Gogi et Magogi, cio e
alli confini de gli Vltimi Tartari, et di quiui ad Alcune Terre che sono
Incognite: Et correndo sempre per Ponente, passa sopra li confini
Settentrionali della Rossia, et va alla volta di Maestro.
The same in English.
The aforesaid Abilfada Ismael describing afterward the habitable places of
the earth, which the Ocean sea in his circuit toucheth, sayth in this
manner following.
[Sidenote: The Countrey of China. The coasts of the vttermost Tartars.
Certaine vnknowne Countreys. The Northern coasts of Russia. The Northwest.]
The Ocean sea turneth from the East toward the Countrey of the Chinaes, and
stretcheth toward the North, and at length hauing passed the sayd Countrey,
it reacheth vnto the Gogi and Magogi, that is, to the confines of The
vttermost Tartars, and from thence vnto certaine vnknowen Countreys:
