- Forst.
[20] Otherwise Sherson and Schurschi; which was formerly called Cherson
Trachea, and was built 600 years before the Christian era, by the
inhabitants of Heraclea in Pontus. It was also called Chersonesus, or
the Peninsula; but that term properly signified the whole of the
peninsula between this harbour and Symbolon or Limen, which was
entirely occupied by the Greeks. The Russians took this place in the
reign of Wolodimer the great, and it is called Korsen in their annals.
By the Turks, it is named Karaje-burn. It must be carefully
distinguished from another Cherson on the Dnieper, at no great
distance, but not in the peninsula. - Forst.
[21] This seems a corruption of Klimata; as all the towns named by Barbaro
formerly belonged to [Greek: chastxa ton chlimata] of the Greeks, and
all belonged till lately to the Turks. - Forst.
[22] This is a place at the mouth of the Dniester called Ak-Kierman by the
Turks; Tshelatalba by the Walachians; Belgorod by the Russians; Aspro
Kastra by the Greeks; and Moncastro by the Genoese. It was the Alba
Julia, of the Romans. - Forst.
[23] This circumstance was before noticed by Rubruquis, and is likewise
mentioned by Busbeck. Father Mohndorf met with many slaves in the
gallies at Constantinople, who were descended from the Goths, and
spoke a dialect of German. Now that the Crimea belongs to Russia, it
is to be wished that the remaining traces of the Gothic language may
be inquired after; as this language might serve to explain and
illustrate the remains we still possess of Ulfila's translation of the
gospels into Gothic; while the names and customs of this people,
together with many of their phrases and turns of expression, might
throw light on the manners and customs of the ancient Germans. It is
even possible, that some families among them, of the higher rank, may
still possess some books in their ancient language, which would be a
very important discovery. - Forst.
[24] Otherwise called Erdir, Erdil, Atel, Athol, Etilia, and now the Volga
or Wolga. - Forst.
[25] Likewise named Citracan and Astrakhan, Astracan. - Forst.
[26] There is an obvious blunder here, for this account of the trade must
be understood as follows: "That the trade in silks and spices from the
East, which now come by way of Syria, came over land by way of
Astracan to Tanna, whence it was transported by sea to Venice." The
concluding sentence, "That no other nation but the Venetians then
traded with Syria," is quite inexplicable; as the Syrian trade could
not possibly come to Venice by way of Astracan and Tanna. The various
routes of trade from India or the East to Western Europe, before the
Portuguese discovered the way by sea, have been well illustrated by Dr
Robertson; and will be explained in the course of this work. - E.
[27] Riazan on the Oka, the capital of a province or the same name.