hundred versts, that is, three hundred and forty [German] miles in this journey. The said accounts are confirmed by that Demetrius, who recently went to Rome as ambassador to the Pope, and from whose relation Paulus Jovius drew up his description of Russia, and who took this same route in his embassy to Norway and Denmark. But all of these, upon my questioning them respecting the Frozen or Icy Ocean, gave me no other reply, than that on the sea-coasts they had seen several very large rivers flowing into the sea with such force and abundance as to drive back the very waters of the sea for a considerable space from the shore, and that the rivers themselves were frozen together with the sea to a certain distance from the shore. This takes place in Livonia and other parts of Sweden; for although in the sea the ice may be broken by the force of opposing winds, yet in the rivers the ice is seldom raised or broken, unless an inundation occur, for the blocks of ice which are carried down by the rivers into the sea float about upon it for nearly a whole year, and afterwards, through the intensity of the frost, become united together, so that sometimes the ice of many seasons may be seen combined in one mass. This may be easily understood from the blocks of ice which are driven on shore by the winds. Indeed, I have heard from persons of good authority, that the Baltic Sea is often frozen over in many places. The persons above-mentioned stated that in that country, which is inhabited by the wild Laplanders, the sun does not set during the summer solstice for forty days, but that during three hours of the night the body of the sun seemed to be obscured by a kind of dimness, so that its rays were not visible; but nevertheless it afforded so much light that no one was prevented by darkness from doing his work. The Russians boast that they receive tribute from these wild Laplanders, which, although a thing not to be expected, need not create surprise, as they have no other neighbours who demand tribute from them. In lieu of tribute-money, they pay skins and fish, for they have no other possessions. When they have paid their annual tribute, they boast that they owe no one anything, and that they are their own masters. Although the Laplanders have no bread or salt, or other provocatives of the palate, and only live upon fish and game, they seem to be very prone to sensuality. They are all very skilful bowmen; so that if they meet with any of the nobler kinds of game in the chase, they will kill it, by discharging their arrows at the snout, so that they may procure the skins entire and uninjured. When going out to hunt, they leave merchants and other foreigners, who are their guests, at home with their wives; and if upon their return they find the wife cheerful and more joyous than usual from the company of the guest, they make him some present; but if otherwise, they expel him with disgrace. Already they begin to lay aside their innate ferocity, and to show more courtesy in the company of foreigners, who travel thither for the sake of merchandize. They give free admission to merchants, who bring them clothes made of thick cloth, hatchets, needles, spoons, knives, cups, pottery, meal, and a variety of other things; so that now through feeding on cooked victuals they have become more civilized in their manners. The gar ments which they wear consist of the skins of various animals sewn together, and sometimes they come to Moscow in this kind of dress; a very few wear leggings and hats made of deer-skin. They use no gold or silver money, but confine themselves to simple barter; and as they know no other language than their own, they appear like dumb men amongst foreigners. They cover their huts with the bark of trees, but nowhere do they keep to any fixed habitation; but after they have taken what game and fish they can find in any one spot, they migrate elsewhere. The above-mentioned ambassadors of the Prince of Moscow declared that they had seen very lofty mountains in those parts, always vomiting flames like Etna; and that in Norway itself there were many mountains, which had become exhausted by constant burning. This has led some to assert that the fires of purgatory were situated there; and when I went on my embassy to the court of Christian, King of Denmark, I heard nearly the same story concerning these mountains from those who happened at the time to be governors of Norway. The ocean which lies about the mouths of the river Petchora, to the right of the mouths of the Dwina, is said to contain animals of great size. Amongst others, there is one animal of the size of an ox, which the people of the country call mors. It has short feet, like those of a beaver; a chest rather broad and deep compared to the rest of its body; and two tusks in the upper jaw protruding to a considerable length. This animal, together with other animals of its kind, on account of its offspring and for the sake of rest, leaves the ocean and goes in herds to the mountains, and before yielding itself to the very deep sleep which naturally comes over it, sets, like the crane, one of its number to keep watch; and if this one should slumber or happen to be killed by a hunter, the others may easily be taken; but if he give the customary sign, by lowing, the rest of the herd immediately take the alarm. They precipitate themselves into the ocean with great rapidity, as if they were carried down the mountain in a carriage, and there they rest for a time upon the surface of the floating blocks of ice. The hunters pursue these animals only for the tusks, of which the Russians, the Tartars, and especially the Turks, skilfully make handles for their swords and daggers, rather for ornament than for inflicting a heavier blow, as has been incorrectly stated. These tusks are sold by weight, and are described as fishes' teeth. The Frozen Ocean extends far and wide beyond the Dwina to Petchora, and as far as the mouths of the Obi, beyond which is said to lie the country of Engroneland.' I am given to understand that this country is separated from intercourse with our people by lofty mountains covered with eternal snow, as well as by the ice, which is constantly floating upon the sea, throwing danger and impediments in the way of navigation; and hence the country is as yet unknown. On their Manner of receiving and treating When a person going to Russia as ambassador approaches the frontiers of that country, he dispatches a messenger to the nearest city, to intimate to the governor of such city, that he is about to enter the territory of the prince as ambassador from such and such a sovereign. Upon which the governor makes careful inquiry not only as to the prince by whom he is sent, but also as to the condition and dignity of the ambas sador himself, and with what retinue he comes; and having informed himself upon these points, he sends some one with a company to receive and escort the ambassador, taking into consideration the dignity of the prince by whom the ambassador is sent, and the rank of the ambassador himself. At the same time also he signifies to the grand-duke whence and from whom the ambassador comes. The person dispatched by the governor to meet the ambassador in the same manner 1 It is difficult to imagine by what blunder Herberstein assigns this locality to Engroneland, a country whose name is first found mentioned in the account of the reputed voyage of the two Zeni, and appears in the map accompanying that account to represent Greenland. sends one of his people in advance to intimate to him that a great man is coming, who intends receiving him at a certain place, which he specifies. They use the expression “great man", because it is given to all persons of superior rank, for that is the title which they bestow upon every powerful or noble personage, or baron, or other illustrious or distinguished man. But at the point of meeting the said delegate is so jealous of giving place, that in winter time he orders the snow to be swept away wherever it may lie, so that the ambassador may pass, but he himself will not give way on the public beaten road. This further custom also they observe at the meeting they send a messenger to the ambassador to desire him to alight from his horse or carriage, and if the latter should excuse himself on the plea of weariness or sickness, the servant makes answer, that the message of his master is not allowed either to be delivered or heard, unless the parties are standing. The delegate takes watchful heed not to alight first from his horse or carriage, lest by so doing he should seem to derogate from his master's dignity, and will not himself alight till he has first seen the ambassador dismount from his horse. In my first embassy, I told the person who came to meet me from Moscow, that I was weary with travelling, and that we could transact our business on horseback; but for the reason I have mentioned, he did not think fit to go through the ceremony in this fashion. The interpreters and the rest had already alighted, and advised me to do the same; to which I replied, "That as soon as the Russian alighted, I would alight". The fact was, that when I found they laid so much stress upon the matter, I was equally unwilling to fail in my duty to my own master, or to compromise his dignity. But as he refused to descend first, and as this question of pride was causing some little delay, in order to put a stop to the business I moved my foot from the stirrup as if I were about to alight, and the delegate seeing this, VOL. II. Q |