We are quite in the dark respecting the particulars
of the route from Astracan to Rezan. It was certainty on the east of
the Wolga at the first, to avoid the Tartars which occupied the
country between the Caspian and Euxine. The passage of that vast
river may have been at Czariein, at its great elbow, in lat. 48 deg. 30'N.
or about Saratov in 51 deg. 20'N. neither of which towns seem to have then
existed. From thence they would probably proceed, to avoid the larger
rivers, between where Penza and Tchenbar now stand, and by the scite
of Morbansk, towards Riazan. - E.
[3] In the original this large bridge is said to have been at Kolomna,
which is on the river Mosqua, of very inferior magnitude; and flows
into the Oka, which most probably is the Monstrus of the text. - E.
[4] In the original, the commander of this body of cavalry is said to have
been a Tartarian general - E.
[5] The word Leopolitain, may possibly be a corruption for Neopolitan, or
a native of Naples. Perhaps it may refer to Leopol, in that part of
Poland now belonging to Austria, and called Galicia. - E.
[6] Such is the expression in the original, which ought perhaps to be
reversed. Yet Contarini possibly meant to say, that the inhabitants of
Moscow laid up a sufficient stock of money from the profits of their
long winter labours, for their subsistence during summer; when, by the
absence of the court, they had little employment. - E.
[7] There are two cities named Novogrod or Novgorod in Russia, nearly at
equal distances from Moscow, one to the northwest, and the other to
the southwest; the latter of which, named Novgorod Sieverskov, is
probably meant in the text, and which ought rather to have been
described as towards the frontiers of Poland. The other Novgorod did
not then belong to the Russian sovereignty. - E.
[8] The geographical ideas of Contarini are very vague and superficial.
This is perhaps the only instance wherein Poland; a portion of
European Sarmatia, is considered as belonging geographically to
Germany. - E.
[9] The reigning sovereign of Russia at the period was John III. who began
to reign in 1463, and was succeeded in 1505 by Basil IV. - E.
SECTION IX.
_Contarini leaves Moscow, and having passed through Lithuania, Poland,
and Germany, arrives at Venice._
On the day before that which I had fixed for my departure, I was invited
to dine at court. Before dinner, I was taken into one of the halls of the
palace, where I found the grand duke, accompanied by Marcus and a
secretary. His highness addressed me very graciously, and desired me to
report all the marks of esteem and friendship he had shewn me, from
respect to our illustrious republic, and offered me every thing I could
desire, and which lay in his power to grant.
![A General History And Collection Of Voyages And Travels - Volume 2 - By Robert Kerr
- - E.
[2] Rezan or Riazan, in the province of that name, on the Oka. In a
considerable, part of the - Page 133](../images/travel.jpg)
