s,
through the incarnation of Jesus, the resurrection of the dead, and
judgment to come, and how through baptism all sin was washed out. He seemed
much affected with these doctrines, and even expressed a desire to be
baptized; but when we were preparing for that ceremony, he suddenly mounted
on horseback, saying that he must first consult his wife; and he returned
next day, declining to receive baptism, because he would not then be
allowed to drink cosmos, without which, he could not live in that country.
From this opinion, I could not move him by any arguments; so that these
people are much estranged from becoming Christians, by the assertion of
that opinion by the Russians, and other Christians, who come among them in
great numbers.

On the same day, which was the morrow of the feast of Pentecost, Zagathai
gave us one man to conduct us to Sartach, and two others to guide us to the
next station, which was at the distance of five days journey for our oxen.
We were presented also with a goat to serve us as food, and a great many
skin bags of cows milk, but they gave us very little cosmos, as that liquor
is in great estimation among themselves.

From the station of Zagathai we travelled directly north, and our
attendants began to pilfer largely from us, because we took too little heed
of our property, but experience at length taught us wisdom. At length we
reached the bounds of this province, which is fortified by a deep ditch,
from sea to sea[1]. Immediately beyond this ditch, we came to the station
to which our conductors belonged, where all the inhabitants seemed to be
infected with leprosy; and certain base people are placed here to receive
the tribute from all who come for salt from the salt pits formerly
mentioned. We were told that we should have to travel fifteen days farther
before meeting with any other inhabitants. With these people we drank
cosmos, and we presented them in return with a basket of fruits and
biscuit; and they gave us eight oxen and a goat, and a vast number of
bladders full of milk, to serve as provision during our long journey. But
by changing our oxen, we were enabled in ten days to attain the next
station, and through the whole way we only found water in some ditches, dug
on purpose, in the vallies, and in two small rivers. From leaving the
province of Casaria, we traveled directly eastwards, having the sea of
Azoph on our right hand, and a vast desert on the north, which, in some
places, i