depart, we offered her a
present of twenty ducats, as a return for her hospitality, which at first
she pretended to refuse; but we soon discovered her treachery, as she
insisted on our paying two ducats as a ransom for each of our horses. We
expressed our astonishment at this rapacity, and endeavoured to represent
our inability to comply with such exorbitant demands, but all to no
purpose, and we were forced to comply, being afraid that she might even
have plundered us of every thing.

Leaving this rapacious dame, we arrived at _Phasis_ on the 27th of July,
some on horseback and others in boats, where we again lodged with
_Martha_ the Circassian lady, whom I formerly mentioned. After having run
many risks in our journey, we here learnt a piece of most afflictive news,
that the Turks had taken possession of Kaffa or Theodosia in the Crimea,
by which we were deprived of our last resource, and shut out apparently
from every hope of continuing our voyage homewards. Our distress on
receiving this intelligence may easily be conceived, and, in fact, we
were so much cast down, as not to know what measures to pursue, or to
which hand to turn us. Louis, the patriarch of Antioch, resolved upon
going through Tartary and Russia, with which route he was acquainted. It
was to no purpose that I urged the promises we had mutually come under at
the beginning of our journey, never to separate on any account. To this
he answered, that the unforeseen circumstances which had occurred, were a
sufficient warrant to every one to consult his own individual safety. I
insisted and beseeched him not to treat me with such unfeeling cruelty,
but all in vain, for he prepared to set off along with the Turkish
ambassador, who had been sent by Uzun-Hassan as his particular companion.
In this extremity I went to Marcus Ruffus, and the Turkish ambassador who
was joined with him by the king of Persia, to whom I mentioned my
intention of returning back to Uzun-Hassan. They pretended to approve my
plan, and even to join me, and we embraced as entering, into promise of
keeping together; but they secretly came to a determination of taking
their journey through the province of _Gorgore_, which is subject to
_Calcicanus_, and to the city of _Vati_,[4] which is on the frontiers of
the Turks, and pays tribute to the Grand Signior.

The patriarch set out on the 6th of August, and the next day Marcus
Ruffus followed him, accompanied by several Russians, partly on hor