and I had
infinite difficulty to escape out of his hands, and to persuade him not
to put me to death. The Tartars used often to come to our hut in the
night, when drunk with mead, demanding with loud outcries to deliver up
the Franks to them, and the bravest among us were terrified at the
dangerous situation in which we were among these savages. In this
horrible situation we remained from the 1st of May to the 10th of August.
The city of Citracan belongs to three brothers, who are sons to the
brother of the Tartar emperor, and the inhabitants often make plundering
inroads into the plains of _Cinassia_[4], and along the borders of the
Don. During the height of summer they travel with their flocks in search
of pasturage, to the northern parts of Russia, and hardly spend above a
month every year in Citracan. That city, which stands on the banks of the
Wolga, is by no means large, its houses being built of earth: It is
surrounded by a slight wall, and does not appear to have had any better
buildings for a long time past. It is said to have had a very
considerable fair formerly, and that the perfumes and spiceries which
used to be brought to Venice, came first to this place from the east,
whence they were carried to the Tanais or Don, which is only eight days
journey from the Wolga. The prince of Citracan, whose name is _Casinach_,
sends every year an ambassador to the grand duke of Muscovy, on purpose
to extort a present; and on this occasion, several Tartar merchants
accompany the ambassador, carrying silk, silken vestments, and other
articles of trade, which they barter for saddles, furs, and other things
which are in request among their countrymen.

The only way of travelling into Russia from this place, is through
extensive deserts, on which account travellers have to go in large bands
or caravans for mutual security, and to carry provisions for the journey.
The Tartars care little for the latter precaution, as they have always
plenty of spare horses, and kill one when needed, as they live entirely
on flesh and milk, without caring for any other food. They use no bread,
and only a few of their merchants who have been in Russia know any thing
of this article. Previous to the commencement of our journey[5], we
provided provisions for the journey as well as we could. In this view we
procured some rice with much difficulty, which, boiled in milk, and then
dried in the sun, makes, when afterwards boiled in water, an excellent