possible for us to escape in the night, we had nothing else to do but to
attempt it. He answered, if his lordship gave him such orders, he would
lose his life if he did not perform it; we soon brought his lord to give
that order, though privately, and we immediately prepared for putting it
in practice.

And first, as soon as it began to be dark, we kindled a fire in our
little camp, which we kept burning, and prepared so as to make it burn
all night, that the Tartars might conclude we were still there; but as
soon as it was dark, and we could see the stars (for our guide would not
stir before), having all our horses and camels ready loaded, we followed
our new guide, who I soon found steered himself by the north star, the
country being level for a long way.

After we had travelled two hours very hard, it began to be lighter still;
not that it was dark all night, but the moon began to rise, so that, in
short, it was rather lighter than we wished it to be; but by six o'clock
the next morning we had got above thirty miles, having almost spoiled our
horses. Here we found a Russian village, named Kermazinskoy, where we
rested, and heard nothing of the Kalmuck Tartars that day. About two
hours before night we set out again, and travelled till eight the next
morning, though not quite so hard as before; and about seven o'clock we
passed a little river, called Kirtza, and came to a good large town
inhabited by Russians, called Ozomys; there we heard that several troops
of Kalmucks had been abroad upon the desert, but that we were now
completely out of danger of them, which was to our great satisfaction.
Here we were obliged to get some fresh horses, and having need enough of
rest, we stayed five days; and my partner and I agreed to give the honest
Siberian who conducted us thither the value of ten pistoles.

In five days more we came to Veussima, upon the river Witzogda, and
running into the Dwina: we were there, very happily, near the end of our
travels by land, that river being navigable, in seven days' passage, to
Archangel. From hence we came to Lawremskoy, the 3rd of July; and
providing ourselves with two luggage boats, and a barge for our own
convenience, we embarked the 7th, and arrived all safe at Archangel the
18th; having been a year, five months, and three days on the journey,
including our stay of about eight months at Tobolski.

We were obliged to stay at this place six weeks for the arrival of the
ships, a