After Passing This Bridge, We Entered
Mingrelia, Where We Followed Our Wonted Custom Of Sleeping Under The
Canopy Of Heaven, Though We Had Many Worse Inconveniencies And Dangers To
Encounter:
For, on the 25th of July, having passed over a river by means
of rafts, we were conducted to
The dwelling of a certain lady, named
_Maresca_, sister of the deceased prince Badian, who received us at first
with much civility, and treated us with bread and wine, after which we
were conducted into a field belonging to her, which was close shut on all
sides. On the morrow, when we were about to depart, we offered her a
present of twenty ducats, as a return for her hospitality, which at first
she pretended to refuse; but we soon discovered her treachery, as she
insisted on our paying two ducats as a ransom for each of our horses. We
expressed our astonishment at this rapacity, and endeavoured to represent
our inability to comply with such exorbitant demands, but all to no
purpose, and we were forced to comply, being afraid that she might even
have plundered us of every thing.
Leaving this rapacious dame, we arrived at _Phasis_ on the 27th of July,
some on horseback and others in boats, where we again lodged with
_Martha_ the Circassian lady, whom I formerly mentioned. After having run
many risks in our journey, we here learnt a piece of most afflictive news,
that the Turks had taken possession of Kaffa or Theodosia in the Crimea,
by which we were deprived of our last resource, and shut out apparently
from every hope of continuing our voyage homewards.
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