Master MARSM also learned these distances of places and Ports, from Caninos to Ob by Sea.

FRom Caninos to the Bay of Medemske (which is somewhat to the East of the Riuer Pechora) is seuen dayes sayling. The Bay of Medemsky is ouer a day and a halfe sayling.* From Me∣demske Sanorost to Carareca, is sixe dayes sayling.* From Carska Bay to the farthest side of the [ 30] Riuer Ob, is nine dayes sayling. The Bay of Carska is from side to side, a day and a nights sayling.

He learned another way by Noua Zembla and Matthuschan Yar to Ob, more North-eastward. From Caninos to the Iland of Colgoieue, is a day & a nights sayling.* From Colgoieue to Noua Zem∣bla are two dayes sayling. There is a great Osera or Lake vpon Noua Zembla, where wonderfull store of Geese and Swannes doe breede, and in moulting time cast their feathers, which is about Saint Peters day: and the Russes of Colmogro repaire thither yearely, and our English men ven∣ter thither with them seuerall shares in money▪ they bring home great quantitie of Doune-Fea∣thers, dried Swannes, and Geese, Beares skinnes, and Fish, &c.* From Naromske Re•a or Riuer [ 40] to Mattuschan Yar, is sixe dayes sayling. From Mattuschan Yar to the Peronologli Te•pla, that is to say, To the warme passage ouer-land, compassing or sayling round about the Sands,* is thir∣teene dayes sayling: And there is vpon the Sands at a full Sea, seuen fathomes water,* and two fathomes at a low water. The occasion of this highing of the water, is the falling into the Sea of the three Riuers, and the meeting of the two Seas, to wit, The North Sea, and The East Sea,* which make both high water and great Sands. And you must beware that you come not with your Shippe neere vnto the Iland by the Riuer Ob. From Mattuschan Yar to this Iland, is fiue dayes sayling. Mattushan Yar is in some parts fortie Versts ouer, and in some parts not past six Versts ouer.

The aforesaid Anthonie Marsh sent one Bodan his man, a Russe borne, with the aforesaid foure Russes, and a yong youth, a Samoed, which was likewise his Seruant, vpon the discouery of the [ 50] Riuer of Ob, by Land, through the Countrie of the Samoeds, with good store of commodities to trafficke with the people. And these his Seruants made a rich Voyage of it, and had bartered with the people about the Riuer of Ob, for the valew of a thousand rubles in sables, and other fine Furres. But the Emperour hauing intelligence of this Discouery, and of the way that Bo∣dan returned home by, by one of his chiefe Officers lay in waite for him, apprehended him, and tooke from him the aforesaid thousand Markes worth of Sables, and other Merchandises, and de∣liuered them into the Emperours Treasurie, being sealed vp, and brought the poore fellow Bodan to the Citie of Mosco, where he was committed to prison, and whipped, and there detained a long while after, but in the end released. Moreouer, the Emperours Officers asked Anthonie [ 60] Marsh, how he durst presume to deale in any such enterprise? To whom he answered, that by the priuiledges granted to the English Nation, no part of the Emperours Dominions were ex∣empted from the English to trade and trafficke in: with which answere,* they were not so satis∣fied, but that they gaue him a great checke, and forfeited all the aforesaid thousand Markes worth of goods, charging him not to proceede any further in that action: whereby it seemeth Page  806 they are very iealous that any Christian should grow acquainted with their Neighbours that border to the North-east of their Dominions, for that there is some great secret that way, which they would reserue to themselues onely. Thus much I vnderstood by Master Christopher Holmes.