Cosmographie in four bookes : containing the chorographie and historie of the whole vvorld, and all the principall kingdomes, provinces, seas and isles thereof / by Peter Heylyn.

8 PETZORA. 9 JVGRIA. 10 OBDORA. 11 CONDORA.

Opposite to Biarmia, or East-Lapland, on the other side of the Bay leading towards the Port of S. Ni∣colas, lyeth a large Promontorie or Headland stretching out farre into the North, beyond the Arctick; com∣prehending in it foure Provinces of the Russian Empire: that is to say, Petzora, Jugria, Obdora, and Condora; belonging formerly to the Tartars, but wonne from them of late years by the Russian Empe∣rors, extending by that means their territories to the River Ob, but not a whit improving them in power or patrimonie. Howsoever somewhat must be said of them, because parts of this great body which we are to diffect.

1 PETZORA, so called from a River of that name, is fenced on every side by mountaines and unpassable rocks; extending Northwards to the Sea, and crossed with a vast chain of hils, part of the Hyperborei spoken of before: so high, that a certain man having travelled in the ascent of them 17 dayes together, is said to have returned back again, despairing to attaine the top of them, covered in the winter time with perpetuall snowes, in the summer with as scorching heats, by the continuall lying of the Sun on all parts thereof. The people are of a plain and simple nature, and received the Russian faith and Empire at one time together, anno 1518. The chief town of it 1 Petzora, or Pechora, at the fall of that River into the Sea; a small town, but having three Churches in it: the people where∣of though otherwise sufficiently simple, as before is said, do in the summer time catch Partrich, Ducks, Swans, Geese, and other fowle, which they salt and lay by till the winter, and then live upon them. So good a Tutor is the Belly, that the Poet did not unfitly give it the titles of Artis Magister, and Ingenit largitor venter; whereof this may serve for one example.

7 CONDORA lyeth on the North of Petzora, more neere the Pole, by consequence a colder Countrey, and of worse condition, in one half of the Countrey being continuall day, and the other halfe as long a night. The people universally Idolaters, worshipping some Images (or Idols) in the shape of a man, others in that of Beares, Wolves, &c. which they adorn with the richest furs they can get, and hide them in their Caves for feare of the Russes: who if they chance to light upon them, as they hunt those parts for Sables, Fexes, and Bevers, take away their furres, and bestow greater heat upon them in fires. The chief Town hereof is Pustozrea over against Nova Zemla, on or neer the great lake called Ozera, whence it hath the name; situate in the 68 Degree of Northern Latitude, 50 minutes over.

10 Obdora, so called from the River Ob, on both sides of whose bankes it lyeth, is the most North-Eastern Province of all these Dominions: wonne to the obedience of the Russes in the reign of Theo∣a••re the sonne of John Great Duke of Mo••covie. At what time the people had no Cities, lived in Hoords or C••••pantes, eat the Beasts they tooke, knew no corn nor bread. They were then very good Archers,

sharpening their Arrows with fish Bones; with which bones and the sinews of the Beasts they sowed Furs together for their Clothing, which they wear inward in the winter, outward in the summer, co∣vering their houses with Elke-skinnes. By this Theodore were some Castles built on the Rivers side, to which he sent condemned persons, and brought it into the form of a petit kingdome. But his sonne Boris built Tooma the chief Town hereof, with divers other Towns on both sides of the water, not worth naming here. But notwithstanding this subjection to the Moscovite they continue still in their Idolatry, worshipping an antient Idol, in form of an old woman, holding in each Arm a Childe, and a third at her feet, called by them Zlatu Babu, or the Golden old wife, to which they offer pretious Furs, sacrifice Harts, and therewith doe consult touching things to come. But some accompt this for a Fable, or a meere mistake.

11 JVGRIA or JVHAR, lyeth also on the Northern Seas, but more south then either of the other; betwixt Petzore or Pechora, and the Province of Dwina: the longest day in summer being not above 21 houres, or not fully that. The people for the most part Idolaters, and worship the same Images as doe those of Obdora: affirmed by some to be the Progenitors of the present Hungari∣ans, who coming out of this Countrey over-ran all Pannonia, and there fixed their dwellings. For proof of which it is affirmed that they speak the old Hungarian languages; not used but in this coun∣trey, and the North parts of Hungarie betwixt Danubius, and Tibiscus. Which more learned men affirm to be the Iazygian, the language of the Iazyges who antiently possessed that countrey in the times of the Romans. But leaving this dispute to another place, certaine it is that they are subject to the Mo∣scovite, but so poore and miserable a people, that they have few townes and not many houses; and so bare of money, that in stead thereof they pay Furs for tribute to their Emperour.

Notes

• Severia, &c.