This
Country Is Greatly More Beautiful And More Fertile Than The Dominions Of
Uzun-Hassan, And Is Ruled Over By _Sivanse_, King Of Media[2].
Of this
country Shamaki is the capital, at which place I arrived on the 1st
November 1474.
This city is not so large as Tauris, but, as far as I
could judge, surpasses that place in the goodness and abundance of every
thing, especially in excellent cattle. It produces great quantities of
excellent silk, of which they manufacture various kinds of very slight
stuffs. While here, I had the good fortune to be rejoined by Marcus
Ruffus, the Muscovite ambassador, who had parted from me at Phasis, as
formerly related. Immediately on learning that I was in the city, he came
to visit me, and we embraced with cordiality. I now earnestly entreated
him to receive me and my domestics into his society for the remainder of
the journey, to which he very readily agreed.
We left Shamaki on the 6th of November, for the city of Derbent, which is
called, in the language of the country, the Caucassian Gates, or the Iron
Gates. This city is under the dominion of _Sivanse_, and stands on the
frontiers of Tartary. On our journey we travelled sometimes over plains
and sometimes on mountains, and were tolerably well treated by the
Turkish inhabitants, with whom we lodged by the way. About mid-way
between these two cities we came to a large village, where we found great
abundance of excellent fruits, particularly admirable apples. We arrived
on the 12th of November at Derbent, and were advised to pass the winter
in that place; as it was necessary, in our way to Russia, to cross the
desert of Tartary, which is much easier in the spring of the year, and
likewise because it was proper for us to cross over the Caspian to the
Tartar city of Citracan. The city of Derbent is situated on the shore of
the Caspian, which the Mardians call the sea of Bachaan or Bacou. This
city is said to have been built by Alexander the Great, and is called the
_Iron Gate_, because it entirely closes up the only passage from Tartary
into Media and Persia, by means of a deep valley reaching from Circassia.
Derbent is fortified with a thick well built wall, reaching from the
castle at the foot of the mountain all the way to the sea; but not above
a sixth part of the space within the walls is inhabited, all that end
nearest the sea being in ruins, among which are several tombs. The
country about this city produces abundance of all kinds of fruits, among
which are plenty of grapes, from which the inhabitants make wine.
The Caspian, or Sea of Hircania, which has no communication whatever with
the ocean, is about the same size with the Euxine or Black Sea, and is
very deep. They catch in this sea great quantities of sturgeons, and sea-
wolves as they are called; and there are prodigious quantities of sea-
dogs, or seals, having the head, feet, and tail like ordinary dogs. The
only other remarkable fish is of a round form, about a yard and a half in
diameter, with no perceptible head or other member, from which the
natives extract a great quantity of oil, which they use in their lamps,
and with which they anoint their camels. The inhabitants of this country,
who are all Mahometans, are neither cruel nor barbarous, and used us
exceedingly well; having once asked us who we were, and being answered
that we were Christians, they troubled us with no farther inquiries. My
dress at this time consisted of coarse and much worn cloth, lined with
lambs skin, above which I wore a leathern robe, and my hat was of skin;
in which dress I frequently went to the market to purchase flesh and
other provisions, which I carried home myself. On one of these occasions
a person eyed me attentively, and, turning to some of his comrades, said,
this man was not born to the employment of carrying meat. Marcus Ruffus,
who happened to be along with me, explained what the man had said; and I
was astonished at being recognized in so shabby a dress, which I thought
must have proved a sufficient concealment: but, in truth, as I have said
before, they are a very good kind of people.
During my residence in Derbent, I was anxious to learn some certain
intelligence respecting the state of affairs at the court of Uzun-Hassan,
for which purpose I sent Demetrius de Seze, my interpreter, with letters
to Josaphat Barbaro at Tauris, which is twenty days journey from Derbent.
He returned at the end of fifty days, bringing answers from Barbaro,
informing me that the king still remained at Tauris, but that he was
utterly ignorant of his affairs.
Spring being arrived, we began to think of pursuing our journey, and
Marcus procured a boat for transporting us to _Curere_[3]. The boats
which are used in this country are drawn up on the shore all winter, as
the sea is then too rough for their use. They are sharp at both ends, and
wide in the middle, their planks being fastened with tree-nails, and
their bottoms payed over with pitch; and as the natives use no compasses,
or other maritime instruments, they always creep along the coast. These
boats, which are very crazy and dangerous, are moved forwards by means of
oars; and the people are very ignorant of navigation, though they believe
themselves the best mariners in the world.
On the 5th of April 1475, we embarked, and departed from Derbent, being
thirty-five persons in all, including the master of the boat and the crew.
The rest of the passengers were merchants, carrying rice, silk, and
silken goods to _Citrarchan_[4], where they proposed to sell their
commodities to the Russians and Tartars, or to barter them for other
articles.
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