come to charge us in a body: it was, indeed, my old Portuguese pilot who proposed it; and who had this excellency attending him, namely, that he was always readiest and most apt to direct and encourage us in cafes of the most danger. We advanced immediately with what speed we could, and gained that little wood, the Tartars, or thieves, for we knew not what to call them, keeping their ftand, and not attempting to hinder us. When we came

thither, we found, to our great fatisfaction, that it was a fwampy, fpringy piece of ground, and, on the other fide, a great fpring of water, which, running out in a little rill or brook, was a little farther joined by another of the like bignefs; and was, in fhort, the head, or fource of a confiderable river, called afterwards the Wirtfka. The trees which grew about this spring, were not in all above two hundred, but were very large, and stood pretty thick; so that as foon as we got in, we faw ourselves perfectly safe from the enemy, unless they alighted and attacked us on foot.

But to make this more difficult, our Portuguese, with indefatigable application, cut dow great arms of the trees, and laid them hanging, not cut quite off, from one tree to another; fo that he made a continued fence almoft round us.

We ftaid here, waiting the motion of the enemy fome hours, without perceiving they made any offer to ftir; when about two hours before night, they came down directly upon us; and, though we had not perceived it, we found they had been joined by fome more of the fame, fo that they were near four

fcore

fcore horse, whereof, however, we fancied fome were women. They came in till they were within half a fhot of our little wood, when we fired one musquet without ball, and called to them in the Ruffian tongue, to know what they wanted, and bid them keep off; but, as if they knew nothing of what we said, they came on with a double fury directly up to the woodfide, not imagining we were fo barricaded, that they could not break in: our old pilot was our captain, as well as he had been our engineer; and defired of us, not to fire upon them till they came within pistol shot, that we might be fure to kill; and that when we did fire, we fhould be fure to take good aim. We bade him give the word of command ; which he delayed fo long, that they were, fome of them, within two pikes length of us when we fired.

We aimed fo true (or Providence directed our fhot fo fure) that we killed fourteen of them at the first volley, and wounded feveral others, as alfo feveral of their horfes; for we had all of us loaded our pieces with two or three bullets a piece, at leaft.

They were terribly furprised with our fire, and retreated immediately about one hundred rods from us; in which time we loaded our pieces again, and, feeing them keep that distance, we fallied out, and caught four or five of their horfes, whofe riders, we fuppofed, were killed; and coming up to the dead, we could eafily perceive they were Turtars, but knew not from what country, or how they came to make an excurfion fuch an unusual length.

About an hour after, they made a motion to attack us again, and rode round our little wood, to fee where else they might break in; but finding us

always

always ready to face them, they went off again, and we refolved not to ftir from the place for that night.

We slept a little, you may be fure; but spent the most part of the night in strengthening our fituation, and barricading the entrances into the wood; and, keeping a strict watch, we waited for day-light, and, when it came, it gave us a very unwelcome difcovery indeed for the enemy, who we thought were difcouraged with the reception they had met with, were now increased to no less than three hundred, and had fet up eleven or twelve huts and tents, as if they were refolved to befiege us; and this little camp they had pitched, was upon the open plain, at about three quarters of a mile from us. We were indeed furprized at this discovery; and now, I confefs, I gave myself over for loft, and all that I had. The lofs of my effects did not lie fo near me (though they were very confiderable) as the thoughts of falling into the hands of fuch barbarians, at the latter end of my journey, after fo many difficulties and hazards as I had gone through; and even in fight of our port, where we expected fafety and deliverance. As for my partner, he was raging: he declared, that to lofe his goods would be his ruin; and he would rather die than be ftarved; and he was for fighting to the laft drop.

The young lord, as gallant as ever flesh shewed itfelf, was for fighting to the laft alfo; and my old pilot was of the opinion we were able to refift them all, in the fituation we then were in: and thus we fpent the day in debates of what we fhould do; but towards evening, we found that the number of

our

our enemies fill increased: perhaps, as they were abroad in several parties for prey, the first had fent out fcouts to call for help, and to acquaint them of their booty; and we did not know but by the morning they might ftill be a greater number; so I began to enquire of thofe people we had brought from Tobolski, if there was no other, or more private ways, by which we might avoid them in the night, and perhaps, either retreat to fome town, or get help to guard us over the defart.

The Siberian, who was fervant to the young lord, old us, if we defigned to avoid them, and not fight, he would engage to carry us off in the night to a way that went north towards the river Petraz, by which he made no doubt but we might get away, and the Tartars never the wifer; but he said, his lord had told him he would not return, but would rather chufe to fight. I told him, he mistook his lord; for that he was too wife a man to love fighting for the fake of it; that I knew his lord was brave enough by what he had fhewed already; but that his lord knew better than to defire to have feventeen or eighteen men fight five hundred, unless an unavoidable neceffity forced them to it; and that if he thought it poffible for us to escape in the night, we had nothing elfe to do but to attempt it. He anfwered, if his lord gave him fuch order, he would lofe his life if he did not perform it. We foon brought his lord to give that order, though privately, and we immediately prepared for the putting it in practice.

And firft, as foon as it began to be dark, we kindled a fire in our little camp, which we kept burning,

1

burning, and prepared fo as to make it burn all night, that the Tartars might conclude we were still there; but, as foon as it was dark, that is to fay, fo as we could fee the ftars, (for our guide would not ftir before) having all our horfes and camels ready loaded, we followed our new guide, who, I foon found, fteered himself by the pole, or north ftar, all the country being level for a long way.

After we had travelled two hours very hard, it began to be lighter ftill; not that it was quite dark all night, but the moon began to rife, fo that, in fhort, it was rather lighter than we wished it to be; but by fix o'clock next morning, we were gotten near forty miles, though the truth is, we almost spoiled our horfes. Here we found a Ruffian village, named Kirmazinskoy, where we rested, and heard nothing of the Calmuck Tartars that day. About two hours before night we fet out again, and travelled till eight the next morning, though not quite fo haftily as before; and about feven o'clock we paffed a little river, called Kirtza, and came to a good large town inhabited by Ruffians, and very populous, called Ozomys: There we heard, that feveral troops, or herds of Calmucks had been abroad upon the defart, but that we were now completely out of danger of them, which was to our great fatisfaction, you may be fure. Here we were obliged to get fome fresh horfes, and having need enough of reft, we ftaid five days; and my partner and I agreed to give the honest Siberian, who brought us hither, the value of ten piftoles for his conducting us.

In five days more we came to Veufima, upon the river Witzogda, which running into the river Dwina,

we