It Is Bounded On The East By A
Desert Towards Khorasmia; To The West Is The Great Sea, Or Euxine,
And the
sea of Tenue, Tanna, or Azof; to the north, is the empire of Kaffia or
Kiow; and to
The south it extends to the great river Etile or Wolga, which
passes the capital. This river is frozen over every year, and men and
beasts walk upon the ice as on dry land; along the banks of the river are
many small trees; and on the other side of the river, the country is
inhabited by a people, who, though not Kumanians, are subject to the Khan.
Some live towards the high mountains of Cocas or Caucasus, in which there
are white kites. This range of mountains extends between the Black Sea or
Euxine on the west, and the Caspian on the east; this latter has no
connection with the ocean, but is a vast lake called a sea, on account of
its extent, being the largest lake in the world, and contains a great
quantity of excellent fish. It divides Asia into two parts; that to the
east being called Lower Asia, and that to the west Greater Asia. In the
Caspian mountains, abundance of buffalos and many other wild beasts are
found. In this sea there are many islands, to which numerous birds resort
to breed; particularly the falcons called Pegrim[1], Esmetliones[2],
and Bousacei[3], and many other birds not to be found elsewhere. The
largest town of Kumania is Sara or Saray, which was large and of great
renown, but has been ravaged, and almost entirely destroyed by the Tartars,
who took it by storm.
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