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THe soil of the countrey for the most part is of a slight sandie mould, yet very much different one place from another for the yield of such things as grow out of the earth. The countrey Northwards towards the parts of S. Nicholas and Cola, and Northeast towards Siberia, is all ve∣ry barren, and full of desert woods, by reason of the climate, and extre∣mitie of the cold in winter-time. So likewise along the river Volgha, be∣twixt
the countreys of Cazan and A∣stracan, where (notwithstanding the soil is very fruitfull) it is all unha∣bited, saving that upon the river Vol∣gha on the westside the Emperour hath some few castles with garisons in them. This happeneth by means of the Chrim Tartar, that will neither himself plant towns to dwell there (living a wild and vagrant life) nor suffer the Russe (that is farre off with the strength of his countrey) to people those parts. From Vologda (which li∣eth almost 1700. verst from the port of S. Nicholas) down towards Mo∣sko, and so towards the south part that bordereth upon the Chrim (which containeth the like space of 1700. verst or thereabouts) is a very fruit∣full and pleasant countrey, yielding pasture and corn, with woods and waters in very great plentie. The like is betwixt Rezan (that lieth Southeast from Mosko) to Novograd and Vobsko, that reacheth furthest to∣wards the Northwest. So betwixt Mosko and Smolensko (that lieth Southwest towards Lituania) is a ve∣ry fruitfull and pleasant soil.
The whole countrey differeth ver•• 〈…〉〈…〉 from it self by reason of th•• yeare: so that a man would-marvel to see the great alteration and diffe∣rence betwixt the winter and the sum∣mer Rus•…•…a. The whole countrey in the winter lieth under snow, which falleth continually, and is sometime of a yard or two thick, but greater to∣wards the North. The rivers and other waters are frozen up a yard or more thick, how swift or broad so∣ever they be. And this continueth commonly five moneths, viz. from the beginning of November till to∣wards the end of March, what time the snow beginneth to melt. So that it would breed a frost in a man to look abroad at that time, and see the winter face of that countrey. The sharpnesse of the aire you may judge of by this, for that water dropped down, or cast up into the aire, con∣gealeth into ice before it come to the ground. In the extremitie of winter, if you hold a pewter dish or pot in your hand, or any other metall (except in some chamber where their warm stoves be) your fingers will frieze fast
unto it, and draw off the skinne at he parting. When you passe out of a ••arm room into a cold, you shall sen∣••ibly feel your breath to wax stark, and even stifling with the cold•• as you draw it in and out. Divers not onely that travel abroad, but in the very markets and streets of their towns are mortally pinched and kil∣led withall: so that you shall see ma∣ny drop down in the streets, many travellers brought into the towns sit∣ting dead and stiff in their fleds. Di∣vers lose their noses, the tips of their ears, and the balls of their cheeks, their toes, feet, &c. Many times (when the Winter is very hard and extreme) the bears and wolves issue by troups out of the woods driven by hunger, and enter the villages, tear∣ing and ravening all they can find, so that the inhabitants are fain to flee for safeguard of their lives. And yet in the Summer-time you shall see such a new hue and face of a countrey, the woods (for the most part which are all of firre and birch) so fresh and so sweet, the pastures and medows so green and well grown (and that upon
the sudden) such varietie of flowers, such noise of birds (specially of Nightingales, that seem to be more loud and of a more variable note then in other countries) that a man shall not lightly travell in a more pleasant countrie.
And this fresh and speedy growth of the spring there seemeth to pro∣ceed from the benefit of the snow; which all the winter-time being spread over the whole countrey as a white robe, and keeping it warm from the rigour of the frost, in the spring time (when the sunne waxeth warm, and dissolveth it into water) doth so throughly drench and soke the ground, that is somewhat of a slight and sandie mould, and then shineth so hotly upon it again, that it draw∣eth the herbs and plants forth in great plenty and varietie in a very short time. As the winter exceedeth in cold, so the summer inclineth to overmuch heat, specially in the moneths of June, July, and August, being much warmer then the sum∣mer-aire in England.
The countrie throughout is very
well watered with springs, rivers, and ozeraes or lakes. Wherein the pro∣vidence of God is to be noted, for that much of the countrey being so farre inland, as that some part lieth a 1000. miles and more every way from any sea, yet it is served with fair rivers, and that in very great num∣ber, that emptying themselves one in∣to another run all into the sea. Their lakes are many and large, some of 60. 80. 100. and 200. miles long, with breadth proportionate.
The cheif rivers are these; 1. Vol∣gha, that hath his head or spring at the root of an Aldertree, about 200. verst above Yaruslave, and groweth so big by the encrease of other rivers by that time it cometh thither, that it is broad an English mile and more, and so runneth into the Caspian sea, about 2800. verst or miles of length.
The next is Boristhenes (now cal∣led Neper) that divideth the countrey from Lituania, and falleth into the Euxin sea.
The third Tanais or Don (the an∣cient bounder betwixt Europe and Asia) that taketh his head out of
Rezan Ozera, and so running through the countrey of the Chrim Tartar, falleth into the great sea lake or mear, called Maeotis, by the Citie of Azou. By this river (as the Russe re∣porteth) you may passe from their citie Mosko to Constantinople, and so into all those parts of the world by water, drawing your boat (as their manner is) over a little Isthmus or narrow slip of land, a few versts overthwart. Which was proved not long since by an Ambassadour sent to Constantinople, who passed the ri∣ver of Moskua, and so into another called Ocka, whence he drew his boat over into Tanais, and thence passed the whole way by water.
The fourth is called Duyna, many hundred miles long, that falleth Northward into the Bay of Saint Nicholas, and hath great Alabaster rocks on the banks towards the sea-side.
The fifth Duna, that emptieth into the Baltick sea by the town Riga.
The sixth Onega, that falleth into the Bay at Solovetsko, 90. verst from the port of S. Nicholas. This river be∣low
the town Cargapolia meeteth with the river Volock, that falleth i•…•… the Finland sea by the town Yama. So that from the port of S. Nicholas into the Finland sea, and so into the Sound, you may passe all by water, as hath been tryed by the Russe.
The seaventh Suchana, that flow∣eth into Duyna, and so into the North sea.
The eighth Ocka, that fetcheth his head from the borders of the Chrim, and streameth into Volgha.
The ninth Moskua, that runneth through the citie Mosko, and giveth it the name.
There is Wichida also, a very large and long river, that riseth out of Per∣mia, and falleth into Volgha. All these are rivers of very large streams, the least to be compared to the Thames in bignesse, and in length farre more, besides divers other. The Pole at Mosko is 55. degrees 10. mi∣nutes. At the port of S. Nicholas to∣wards the North 63. degrees and 50. minutes.