r
provisions were on our side. It was fortunate that I now examined the
state of our provisions, which I found diminished much beyond expectation,
so that we were under the necessity of abridging our allowance for the
remainder of the journey, that we might not run short altogether. Our
principal food consisted of millet, with garlic and onions, and some sour
milk; and we found some wild apples at this place, which we roasted. In
the course of two days, the whole baggage of the caravan was transported
to the western side of the river by means of seven rafts, drawn by horses,
and directed by the Tartars, the horses swimming and having the rafts
tied to their tails. The sight of this was very amusing, but seemed very
dangerous to those who were employed. After resting some time, we quitted
the banks of the river, and resumed our journey. This river Wolga is
certainly the largest and deepest river in the world, being, as well as I
could judge, two miles broad, and has very high banks.

[1] Called Citrarchan in the former section, but certainly what we now
call Astracan, then the capital of a Tartar principality, which now
forms one of the provinces of the vast Russian empire.--E.

[2] These are large shallow ponds, in which sea water is exposed to
evaporation, to procure salt.--E.

[3] In the original this person is called the cham of the _Camercheriens_.
The Tartar government of Astracan belonged to one of the Mongal tribes
of Kipschak; but the word used in the original may have been a local
term, not now explicable.--E.

[4] Perhaps the kingdom or province of Cazan, higher up the Wolga.--E.

[5] Contarini has forgot to give us any account in what manner he procured
leave to quit Astracan. Perhaps, by means of Marcus, he was permitted
to pass for one of his attendants.--E.

[6] It may be necessary to remark, that the tails of a peculiar species of
sheep, O. Platyurus, or the broad-tailed sheep, common among the
Tartars, and other parts of the world, are said sometimes to weigh
twenty-five pounds.--E.

[7] Probably an error for 2000.--E.

SECTION VIII.

_Contarini, after crossing European Sarmatia, arrives at Moscow, the
capital of White Russia, and is presented to the Grand Duke._

After recommending ourselves to the protection of God, we continued our
journey, through immense and terrible deserts, sometimes towards the
north, and sometimes westerly[1], always r