being drenched with water;
yet we unanimously agreed to refrain from making a fire, lest that
circumstance might attract the notice of the Tartars, whom we feared to
meet with. At day light we noticed traces of horses having been on the
spot, and the recent fragments of a ruined skiff, from which we were led
to conclude, that some persons must have been here; but some other
circumstances gave us reason to believe that the Tartars were not near
the shore.

We remained undisturbed at this place till the 14th of April, when the
wind and weather becoming favourable, we got our bark from the creek, and
again resumed our voyage, and advanced near thirty miles the same day.
Towards evening the wind became again contrary, but we avoided the
dangers of an impending storm, by taking refuge amidst some reeds, among
which our mariners hauled the boat, so as to be out of danger from the
waves, and we made our way to the land through the reeds, in doing which
we were much fatigued and thoroughly drenched in water. We rested here
all that night and the day following, which was Easter day, having
nothing on which to commemorate that festival, except some butter, and a
few eggs which we fortunately gathered on the sandy beach. The mariners
and passengers were often inquisitive to know who I was; and, pursuant to
the advice of Marcus Ruffus, I passed myself among them as the physician
and servant of _Despima_, the consort of the grand duke of Moscovy, to
whom I was going. A short time after this, one of our mariners happened
to be afflicted by a large boil, and came to consult me in my assumed
character; and as I had the good fortune to discover some oil in our bark,
I made a poultice for him with bread and flour, by which he was soon
cured. From this circumstance they actually believed me to be a physician,
and were very anxious that I should remain among them; but Marcus drew me
out of this difficulty, by saying that I had no medicinal preparations
with me, but would soon return from Russia with a proper assortment.

[1] This name is probably corrupted for Bagration, or Bagrathion, which
was once the family name of the sovereigns of Georgia, and, if I
mistake not, there is, or was lately, a prince of that family and name
in the service of Russia.--E.

[2] The kingdom of Media in the text, is obviously meant to indicate the
province of Shirvan, on the west of the Caspian.--E.

[3] Perhaps Saray, on the eastern bran