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The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and Discoveries of The English Nation v. 4

R >> Richard Hakluyt >> The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and Discoveries of The English Nation v. 4




Aduertisements and reports of the 6. voyage into the parts of Persia and
Media, for the companie of English merchants for the discouerie of new
trades, in the yeeres 1579. 1580. and 1581. gathered out of sundrie
letters written by Christopher Burrough, seruant to the saide companie,
and sent to his vncle Master William Burrough.

First it is to be vnderstood, that the ships for the voiage to S. Nicholas
in Russia, in which the factors and merchandise for the Persian voiage were
transported, departed from Grauesend the 19. of Iune, 1579. which arriued
at S. Nicholas in Russia the 22. of Iuly, where the factors and merchants
landed, and the merchandise were discharged and laden into doshnikes, that
is, barkes of the countrey, to be caried from thence vp by riuer vnto
Vologda. And the 25. day of the said Iulie, the doshnikes departed from
Rose Island by S. Nicholas vp the riuer Dwina, Peremene, that is to say, in
poste, by continual sailing, rowing, setting with poles, or drawing of men,
which came to Colmogro the 27. day, and departed the 29. of Iulie vp the
said riuer Dwyna, and came to Vstyoug (which is at the head of the riuer
Dwina, and mouth of Sughano) the 9. of August, where they stayed but a
small time, prouiding some victuals, and shifting certaine of their
cassacks or barkmen, and so departed thence the same day vp the riuer
Sughano, and came to Totma (which is counted somewhat more then halfe the
way from Vstioug) the 15. day, where they shifted some of their cassaks,
and departed thence the same day, and came to the citie Vologda the 19. of
August, where they landed their goods, and staied at that place till the
30. of the same. [Sidenote: Yeraslaue.] Hauing prouided at Vologda,
Telegas, or wagons, whereupon they laded their goods, they departed thence
with the same by land towards Yeraslaue the said 30. of August at eight of
the clocke in the morning, and came to the East side of the riuer Volga
ouer against Yeraslaue, with 25. Telegas laden with the said goods the
seuenth of September at fiue of the clocke afternoone. Then the three
stroogs or barks prouided to transport the saide goods to Astracan (where
they should meete the ship that should carie the same from thence into
Persia) came ouer from Yeraslaue vnto the same side of the riuer Volga, and
there tooke in the said goods. And hauing prepared the said barks ready
with all necessary furniture they departed with them from Yeraslaue downe
the riuer of Volga on the 14. day of September at nine of the clocke in the
morning, and they arriued at Niznouogrod the 17. day at three of the clocke
aftenoone, where they shewed the Emperors letters to passe free without
paying any custome, and taried there about three houres to prouide
necessaries, and then departing, arriued at Cazan (or neere the same towne)
on the 22. of September at fiue of the clocke afternoone, where (through
contrary windes, and for prouiding new cassaks in the places of some that
there went from them) they remained till the 26. day, at what time they
departed thence about two of the clocke after noone, and arriued at
Tetushagorod, which is on the Crim side of Volga, and in latitude 55.
degrees 22. minutes, the 28. day at ten in the forenoone, where they
ankered, and remained about 3. houres, and departing thence came to Oueak,
which is on the Crim side (on the Westerne side of Volga) the fift of
October about fiue of the clocke in the morning. [Sidenote: Great store of
Licoris.] This is accounted halfe the way between Cazan and Astracan: and
heere there groweth great store of Licoris: the soile is very fruitfull;
they found there apple trees, and cherrie trees. The latitude of Oueak is
51. degrees 30. minutes. At this place had bene a very faire stone castle
called by the name Oueak, and adioining to the same was a towne called by
the Russes, Sodom: this towne and part of the castle (by report of the
Russes) was swalowed into the earth by the iustice of God, for the
wickednesse of the people that inhabited the same. There remaineth at this
day to be seen a part of the ruines of the castle, and certaine tombs,
wherein as it seemeth haue bin laid noble personages: for vpon a tombe
stone might be perceiued the forme of a horse and a man sitting on it with
a bow in his hand, and arrowes girt to his side: there was a piece of a
scutchion also vpon one of the stones, which had characters grauen on it,
whereof some part had beene consumed with the weather, and the rest left
vnperfect: by the forme of them that remained, we iudged them to be
characters of Armenia: and other characters were grauen also vpon another
tombe stone. [Sidenote: Perauolok.] Nowe they departed from Oueak the said
fift of October at fiue of the clocke after noone, and came to Perauolok
the 10. day about eleuen or twelue of the clocke that night, making, no
abode at that place, but passed alongst by it. This worde Perauolok in the
Russe tongue doeth signifie a narrow straight or necke of land betweene two
waters, and it is so called by them, because from the riuer Volga, at that
place, to the riuer Don or Tanais, is counted thirty versts, or as much as
a man may well trauell on foote in one day. And seuen versts beneath, vpon
an Island called Tsaritsna the Emperour of Russe hath fiftie gunners all
the summer time to keepe watch, called by the Tartar name Carawool. Between
this place and Astracan are fiue other Carawools or watches.

1 The first is named Kameni Carawool, and is distant from Perauolok 120
versts.

2 The second named Stupino Carowool, distant from the first 50 versts.

3 The third called Polooy Carowool, is 120 versts distant from the second.

4 The fourth named Keezeyur Carawool, is 50 versts distant from the third.

5 The fift named Ichkebre, is 30 versts distant from the fourth, and from
Ichkebre to Astracan is 30 versts.

[Sidenote: Astracan.] The 16 of October they arriued at Astracan, with
their three stroogs in saftie about nine of the clock in the morning, where
they found the ship prouided for the Persia voyage in good order and
readinesse. [Sidenote: Peter Garrard.] The 17 day the foure principal
factors of the company, Arthur Edwards, William Turnbull, Matthew Talbois,
and Peter Garrard, were inuited to dine with the chiefe diake or secretary
of Astracan (Vasili Pheodorouich Shelepin) who declared vnto them the
troubles that were in Media and Persia: and how the Turke with helpe of the
Crims had conquered, and did possesse the greatest part of Media: also he
laid before them that Winter was at hand, and if they should put out with
their ship to the sea, they should bee constrained to take what hazards
might happen them by wintring in the parts of Media, or els where, for
backe againe to that place there was no hope for them to returne: whereupon
the said factors determined to stay there all Winter to learne farther of
the state of those countreis.

[Sidenote: Ice at Astracan for foure moneths.] The 19 of Nouember the winde
being Northerly, there was a great frost, and much ice in the riuer: the
next day being the 20 of Nouember the ice stood in the riuer, and so
continued vntill Easter day.

The 22 December departed this life Iohn Moore the gunner of the ship.

[Sidenote: Anno 1580.] Thursday the 7 of Ianuary betweene 8. and 9. of the
clocke at night there appeared a crosse proceeding from the moone, with two
galles at the South and North end thereof.

The 6. of Ianuary being Twelfe day (which they call Chreshenia) the Russes
of Astracan brake a hole in the ice vpon the riuer Volga, and hallowed the
water with great solemnity according to the maner of their countrey, at
which time all the souldiers of the towne shot off their smal pieces vpon
the ice, and likewise to gratifie the captaine of the castel being a Duke,
whose name is Pheodor Michalouich Troiocouria, who stood hard by the ship,
beholding them as they were on the riuer, was shot off all the ordinance of
our ship being 15. pieces, viz. 2. faulcons, 2. faulconers, 4. fowlers, 4.
fowlers chambers, and 3. other small pieces made for the stroogs to shoote
hailestones, and afterwards the great ordinance of the castle was shot off.

On the 31. of Ianuary there happened a great eclipse of the moone, which
began about 12 of the clock at night, and continued before she was cleare
an houre and a halfe by estimation, which ended the first of February about
halfe an houre past one in the morning: she was wholly darkned by the space
of halfe an houre.

The 26. of February the towne of Nagay Tartars, called the Yourt, which is
within 3. quarters of a mile of the castle of Astracan, by casualty was set
on fire about 10. of the clock at night, and continued burning til
midnight, whereby one halfe of it was burnt, and much cattell destroyed.
The Nagayes that inhabite that towne, are the Emperour of Russia his
vassals: It is supposed there are of them inhabiting that place of men,
women, and children, the number of seuen thousand. That night the Allarum
was made in the castle and towne of Astracan. The captaine thereof had all
his souldiers in very good order and readinesse, being of them in number
two thousand gunners and cassaks, that is to say, a thousand gunners which
are accounted meere souldiers, and are not put to any other seruice then
the vse of their pieces, watch, &c. as souldiers which alwaies keepe the
castle, and the cassaks also vsing their pieces, do keepe the towne, and
are commonly set to all kind of labours.

The 7. of March 1580. the Nagayes and Crims came before Astracan to the
number of one thousand foure hundred horsemen, which incamped round about,
but the nearest of them were two Russe versts and a halfe off from the
castle and town: some of them lay on the Crims side of Volga, and some on
the Nagay side, but none of them came vpon the Island that Astracan
standeth on. [Sidenote: Astracan situate vpon an Island.] It was said that
two of the prince of the Crims his sonnes were amongst them. They sent a
messenger on the eight day to the captain of Astracan, to signifie that
they would come and visit him: who answered, he was ready to receiue them:
and taking a great shot or bullet in his hand, willed the messenger to tel
them that they should not want of that geare, so long as it would last. The
ninth day newes was brought that the Crims determined to assault the towne
or castle, and were making of fagots of reede, to bring with them for that
purpose. The tenth day two Russes that were captiues, and two of the
Tartars bondmen ranne away from the Nagayes, and came into Astracan. The
same day word was brought to the Duke of two Nagayes which were seene at
Gostine house, supposed to be spies, but were gone againe from thence
before they were suspected. This Gostine house is a place a little without
the towne where the Tisiks (or Persian merchants) do vsually remaine with
their merchandize. The 11. day the said Nagayes, and one more with them,
came againe to that house earely in the morning, where they were taken by
the Russes, and brought to the captaine of the castle, and being examined,
confessed that their coming was onely to seeke two of their bondmen that
were runne from them: whereupon their bondmen were deliuered to them: which
fauour the said captaine comonly sheweth if they be not Russies, and they
were set at libertie. The 13. day they brake vp their camps, and marched to
the Northwards into the countrey of Nagay.

[Sidenote: The variation of the compass in Astracan was 13. deg. 40.
minutes.] The 16. of April the variation of the compasse obserued in
Astracan was 13. deg. 40. min. from North to West. This spring there came
newes to Astracan that the queene of Persia (the king being blind) had bene
with a great army against the Turks that were left to possesse Media, and
had giuen them a great ouerthrow: yet notwithstanding Derbent, and the
greatest part of Media were still possessed and kept by the Turks. The
factors of the company consulting vpon their affayres, determined to leaue
at Astracan the one halfe of their goods with Arthur Edwards, and with the
other halfe the other three factors would proceed in the ship on their
proposed voyage to the coast of Media, to see what might be done there:
where, if they could not find safe traffike, they determined to proceed to
the coast of Gilan, which is a prouince nere the Caspian sea bordering,
vpon Persia: and thereupon appointed the said goods to be laden aboord the
ship, and tooke into her also some merchandize of Tisiks or Persian.

The 29. of April Amos Rial, and Anthony Marsh, the companies' seruants were
sent from Astracan by the said factors, vp the riuer Volga to Yeraslaue,
with letters of aduise to be sent for England, and had order for staying
the goods in Russia that should come that yeere out of England for
mainteining the trade purposed for Persia, vntill further triall were made
what might be done in those parts.

[Sidenote: May.] The first day of May in the morning, hauing the shippe in
readinesse to depart, the factors inuited the duke Pheodor Micalouich
Proicoorow, and the principall secretary Vasili Pheodorouich Shelepin, with
other of the chiefes about the duke to a banket aboord the ship, where they
were interteined to their good liking, and at their departure was shot off
all the ordinance of the ship, and about nine of the clocke at night the
same day they weyed anker, and departed, with their ship from Astracan, and
being but little winde, towed her with the boat about three versts, and
then ankered, hauing with them a pauos or lighter to helpe them at the
flats. The second day at foure of the clocke in the morning they weyed and
plyed downe the riuer Volga toward the Caspian sea. [Sidenote: Vchoog.] The
seuenth of May in the morning they passed by a tree that standeth on the
left hand of the riuer as they went downe, which is called Mahomet Agatch,
or Mahomets tree, and about three versts further, that is to say, to the
Southwards of the said tree is a place called Vchoog, that is too say, the
Russe weare: (but Ochoog is the name of a weare in the Tartar tongue) where
are certain cotages, and the Emperour hath lying at that place certaine
gunners to gard his fishermen that keepe the weare. This Vchoog is counted
from Astracan 60. versts: they proceeded downe the said riuer without
staying at the Vchoog. [Sidenote: Shoald water.] The ninth and tenth dayes
they met with shoald water, and were forced to lighten their ship by the
pauos: the 11. day they sent backe to the Vchoog for an other pauos: This
day by mischance the shippe was bilged on the grapnell of the pauos,
whereby the company had sustained great losses, if the chiefest part of
their goods had not bene layde into the pauos: for notwithstanding their
pumping with 3. pumps, heauing out water with buckets, and all the best
shifts they could make, the shippe was halfe full of water ere the leake
could be found and stopt The 12. day the pauos came to them from the
Vchoog, whereby they lighted the shippe of all the goods. [Sidenote:
Flats.] The 13. day in the morning there came to them a small boat, sent by
the captaine of Astracan, to learne whether the shippe were at sea cleare
of the flats. The 15. day by great industry and trauell they got their ship
cleere off the shoals and flats, wherewith they had beene troubled from the
ninth day vntill then: they were forced to passe their shippe in three foot
water or lesse. [Sidenote: Chetera Bougori.] The 16. day they came to the
Chetera Bougori, or Island of Foure Hillocks, which are counted forty
versts from Vchoog, and are the furthest land towards the sea. [Sidenote:
The Caspian Sea.] The 17. day they bare off into the sea, and being about
twelue versts from the Foure hillocks, riding in fiue foot and a halfe
water about eleuen of the clocke in the forenoone, they tooke their goods
out of the pauoses into the shippe, and filled their shippe with all things
necessary. [Sidenote: 45. degrees 20. minutes. The first obseruation in the
Caspian Sea.] The 18. day in the morning about seuen of the clock, the
pauoses being discharged departed away towards Astracan, the winde then at
Southeast, they rode still with the shippe, and obseruing the eleuation of
the pole at that place, found it to be 45. degrees 20. minutes. The 19.
day, the wind Southeast, they rode still. The 20. day the winde at
Northwest they set saile about one of the clocke in the morning, and stered
thence South by West, and Southsouthwest about 3. leagues, and then ankered
in 6. foot and a halfe water, about nine of the clocke before noone, at
which time it fell calme: the eleuation of the pole at that place 45.
degrees 13. minuts. The 21. hauing the winde at Northwest, they set saile,
and stered thence South by West, and South vntil eleuen of the clocke, and
had then nine foote water: and at noone they obserued the latitude, and
found it to be 44. degrees 47. minuts: then had they three fathoms and a
halfe water, being cleare of the flats. It is counted from the Foure
hillocks to the sea about fiftie versts. [Sidenote: Brackish water farre
within the sea.] From the said noonetide vntil foure of the clocke they
sayled South by East fiue leagues and a halfe: then had they fiue fathoms
and a halfe and brackish water: from that till twelue at night they sayled
South by East halfe a league, East tenne leagues: then had they eleuen
fathome, and the water salter. From that till the 22. day three of the
clocke in the morning they sayled three and fifty leagues, then had they
sixtene fathome water: [Sidenote: 43. degrees 15. minuts.] from thence they
sayled vntil noone South and by West seuen leagues and a halfe, the
latitude then obserued 43. degrees 15. minuts, the depth then eight and
twentie fathoms, and shallow ground: from that vntill eight of the clocke
at night, they sayled South by East fiue leagues and a halfe, then had they
three and fortie fathoms shallow ground. From thence till the 23, foure a
clocke in the morning, they sayled Southsouthwest three leagues and a
halfe: then could they get no ground in two and fiftie fathoms deepe. From
thence vntil noone they sayled South nine leagues, then the latitude
obserued was 42. degrees 20. minuts. [Sidenote: 41. degrees 32. minuts.]
From that till the 24. day at noone they sayled South by West seuenteen
leagues and a halfe, then the latitude obserued was 41. degrees 32 minuts.
From noone till seuen of the clocke at night, they sailed Southsouthwest
foure leagues, then had they perfect sight of high land or hilles, which
were almost couered with snow, and the mids of them were West from the
ship, being then about twelue leagues from the nearest land: they sounded
but could finde no ground in two hundred fathoms. [Sidenote: 40. degrees
54. minuts.] From thence they sayled Southwest vntil midnight: about three
leagues from thence till the 25. day foure of the clocke in the morning,
they sayled West three leagues, being then litle winde, and neere the land,
they tooke in their sayles, and lay hulling: at noone the latitude
obserued, was 40. degrees 54. minuts: they sounded but could get no ground
in two hundred fathoms. At four of the clocke in the afternoone, the winde
Northwest, they set their sailes, and from thence till the 26. day at noone
they sailed East southeast foure leagues. From thence they sailed till
eight of the clocke at night Southwest three leagues, the winde then at
North. From thence they sailed vntill the 27. day two of the clocke in the
morning, Westsouthwest eight leagues, the winde blowing at North very much.
From the sayd two til foure of the clocke they sailed South by West one
league: then being day light, they saw the land plaine, which was not past
three leagues from them, being very high ragged land. [Sidenote: Bilbill.]
There were certaine rocks that lay farre off into the sea, about fiue
leagues from the same land, (which are called Barmake Tash) they sayled
betweene those rocks, and the land, and about fiue of the clocke they
passed by the port Bilbill, where they should haue put in but could not:
and bearing longst the shoare about two of the clocke afternoone, they came
to Bildih in the countrey of Media or Sheruan, against which place they
ankered in 9. foot water. Presently after they were at anker, there came
aboord of them a boat, wherein were seuen or eight persons, two Turks, the
rest Persians, the Turkes vassals, which bade them welcome, and seemed to
be glad of their arriuall, who told the factors that the Turke had
conquered all Media, or the countrey Sheruan, and how that the Turks Basha
remained in Derbent with a garrison of Turkes, and that Shamaky was wholly
spoyled, and had few or no inhabitants left in it. [Sidenote: Bachu port.]
The factours then being desirous to come to the speech of the Basha, sent
one of the Tisikes (or merchants that, went ouer with them from Astracan,
passingers) and one of the companies seruants Robert Golding, with those
souldiours, to the captaine of Bachu, which place standeth hard by the sea,
to certifie him of their arriuall, and what commodities they had brought,
and to desire friendshippe to haue quiet and safe traffike for the same.
Bachu is from Bildih, the place where they road, about a dayes iourney, on
foote easily to be trauelled, which may be sixe leagues, the next way ouer
land; it is a walled towne, and strongly fortified. When the sayd messenger
came to the captaine of Bachu, the said captaine gaue him very friendly
entertainment, and after he vnderstood what they were that were come in the
shippe, and what they had brought, he seemed to reioyce much thereat: who
gaue the said Golding liccence to depart backe the next day, being the
eight and twentieth day: and promised that he would himselfe come to the
shippe the next day following: with which answere the said Golding returned
and came to the ship the sayd eight and twentieth day about nine of the
clocke at night. The nine and twentieth day in the morning the factours
caused a tent to be set vp at shoare neare the shippe, against the comming
of the sayd captaine: who came thither about three of the clock after
noone, and brought about thirtie souldiers, that attended on him in shirts
of male, and some of them had gauntlets of siluer, others of steele, and
very faire. The factors met him at their tent, and after very friendly
salutations passed betweene them, they gaue him for a present a garment of
cloth of veluet, and another of scarlet, who accepted the offer gratefully.
After they had talked together by their interpretors, as well of the state
of the voyage and cause of their coming thither, as also learned of the
sayde captaine the state of that countrey, the factours made request vnto
him, that he would helpe them to the speech of the Basha, who answered that
their demand was reasonable, and that he would willingly shew them therein
what pleasure he could, and sayd, because the way to Derbent, where the
Basha remayned, was dangerous, he would send thither and certifie him of
their arriuall, and what commodities they had brought, and such commodities
as they would desire to exchange or barter the same for he would procure
the said Basha to prouide for them: and therefore willed the factors to
consult together, and certifie him what they most desired, and what
quantity they would haue prouided: so whilest the factors were consulting
together thereupon the captaine talked with a Tisike merchant that came
ouer in the ship with them from Astracan, which Tisike, among other matters
in talke, certified the captaine, that the night before, the factors and
their company were determined to haue returned backe againe to Astracan,
and that they were about to wey their ankers, which indeed was true,
[Sidenote: Thomas Hudson of Limehouse, maister of the English barke.] but
the maister of the barke Thomas Hudson of Limehouse perswaded them that the
wind was not good for them to depart, &c. When the factors came againe to
talke with the captaine, they desired to goe to the Basha, and that he
would safely conduct them thither: he granted their requests willingly,
desiring them to goe with him to a village hard by, and there to abide with
him that night, and the next day they should go to Bachu, and from thence
to proceede on their iourney to Derbent. They were vnwilling to go that
night with him, because their prouision for the way was not in readinesse,
but requested that they might stay til the morning. [Sidenote: M.
Christopher Burrough.] Thereupon the captaine sayd it was reported vnto
him, that they ment the night before to haue gone away: and if it should so
happen, he were in great danger of losing his head: for which cause he
requested to haue some one for a pledge: wherefore M. Garrard one of the
factors offered himselfe to go, who, because he could not speake the Russe
tongue tooke with him Christopher Burrough, and a Russe interpretour: that
night they road from the seaside, to a village about ten miles off, where
at supper time the captaine had much talke with M. Garrard of our countrey,
demanding where about it did lie, what countreys were neare vnto it, and
with whom we had traffike, for by the Russe name of our countrey he could
not coniecture who we should be: but when by the situation he perceiued we
were Englishmen, he demanded if our prince were a mayden Queene: which when
he was certified of, then (quoth he) your land is called Enghilterra, is it
not? answere was made, it was so: whereof he was very glad, when he knew
the certainety. He made very much of them, placing M. Garrard next to
himselfe, and Christopher Burrough, with the Russie interpretour for the
Turkie tongue hard by. There was a Gillan merchant with him at that
present, of whom he seemed to make great account: him he placed next to
himselfe on the other side, and his gentlemen sate round about him talking
together. Their sitting is vpon the heeles, or crosse legged.

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