They Use No Bread,
And Only A Few Of Their Merchants Who Have Been In Russia Know Any Thing
Of This Article.
Previous to the commencement of our journey[5], we
provided provisions for the journey as well as we could.
In this view we
procured some rice with much difficulty, which, boiled in milk, and then
dried in the sun, makes, when afterwards boiled in water, an excellent
and nourishing food. We had likewise some onions, a small quantity of
biscuit, and some other trifles, and I bought, during the journey, the
salted tail of a sheep[6]. The usual road from Citracan to Russia lay
between two branches of the Wolga, but the roads were then exceedingly
dangerous, as the Tartar emperor was then at war with his nephew, who
pretended a right to the throne, as his father had once been emperor. On
this account it was proposed to pass over to the other side of the river,
and to travel towards the straits between the Don and the Wolga, which
are about five days journey from Citracan, after which it was presumed we
should be out of danger. Our baggage was accordingly carried across the
river on rafts, and Marcus desired me to keep always along with him and
the Tartar ambassador, named _Auchioli_. I and my interpreter accordingly
set out about mid-day along with the ambassador, to go to the place where
the boats waited for us, which was about twelve miles from the city, our
other companions having already gone there. On our arrival about sunset,
while I prepared to go into one of the boats on purpose to cross the
river, Marcus seemed suddenly struck with an extraordinary panic, and
commanded the interpreter and me to take to flight instantly to avoid
inevitable danger. We mounted therefore immediately, having likewise a
Russian woman along with us and a Tartar guide of a most horrible aspect,
and set out at full speed. In this manner we followed our guide the whole
of that night and part of the next day, without being ever allowed to
stop. I frequently asked our guide, by means of my interpreter, what was
the reason of all this, and where he proposed to carry me? At length he
explained the cause of Marcus having made us set off, with such
precipitation; as the khan had sent an order to examine all the boats,
and he was apprehensive they would have detained me as a slave if I had
been found.
About mid-day of the 13th of August 1475, we arrived at the banks of the
river, and our Tartar guide endeavoured to find a boat in which to carry
us into an island in which the flocks of Auchioli were kept; but not
finding one, he cut down some branches, which he tied together so as to
form a raft. On this he placed the saddles of our horses, and tying this
raft to his horses tail, he mounted the horse, on which he swam across
the river to the island, which lay a bow-shot from the shore.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 125 of 427
Words from 64890 to 65411
of 224388
