supplied with provisions from the Russian territory. Indeed, at that place I was unable to distinguish or take any observation of the boundaries of each prince.

Corsula is, without dispute, in the Russian dominions. Having crossed the two rivers, Velicaricka and Dsternicza, at this place, after two miles we came to Opotzka, a fortified city on the Velicaricka, where is a floating-bridge, over which the horses passed for the most part up to their knees in water. The King of Poland besieged this fortress at the time that I was at Moscow treating for peace. Although in those places it would seem to be impossible to draw up an army, on account of the great number of marshes, woods, and innumerable rivers; nevertheless, they march straight on in whatever direction they please, for they send before them a great number of peasants, who cut down and remove the trees and every other impediment, and throw bridges over the marshes and rivers.

Thence eight miles to Voronecz, a town situated on the river Szoret, which, after receiving the waters of the river Voronecz, a little lower down, passes by the town of Velicaricka.

Fiburg, five miles.

Volodimeretz, a town with a fort, nearly three miles.

Brod, a house of a certain peasant, also three miles. Five miles from thence we crossed a bridge over the river Ussa, which flows into the Scholona.

The fortified city of Parcho, seated on the river Scholona. A certain house, called Opoca, near which the river Vidocha falls into the Suchana, five miles.

Thence, after crossing seven rivers, to a house named Reisch, also five miles.

The house of Dverenbutig, five miles; half a mile below which, the river Pschega, after receiving the waters of the river Strupin, flows into the Scholona; into which flow four other rivers, which we crossed on that day.

Five miles to Sotoki, a little fellow's house, at four miles from which we at length reached Great Novogorod, on the fourth of April. But between Polotzko and Novogorod we crossed so many marshes and rivers, that even the inhabitants have no names for them; much less can any one record or describe them.

During a short stay of seven days for rest at Novogorod, I was received at a banquet by the governor himself, on Palm Sunday, and kindly recommended by him to leave my servants and horses there, and to travel to Moscow with posthorses, as they are commonly called. In compliance with which, I departed, and we first came to Brodnitz, a journey of four miles; after which, we made a whole day's journey along the Msta, a navigable river, which takes its rise in lake Samstin. It happened on that day, as we were riding with the said post-horses through a meadow where the snow was melting, the horse of my Lithuanian servant fell, and went quite over together with the servant, but rolling himself over a second time, like a wheel, he came upon his hind legs, and stood up again, without in the meanwhile touching the earth with his sides, or injuring the servant, who lay prostrate under him.

After this, straight to Seitskov, beyond the river Nischa, six miles.

To Harosczi, beyond the river Calacha, seven miles.

To Oreat Rechelvitza, which lies on the river Palamit, seven miles. On that day we crossed eight rivers, and one lake, frozen over indeed, but covered with water above the ice.

At length, on the sixth day before Easter, we came to the post-house, and crossed three lakes. The first, lake Voldai, which is one mile in breadth, and two in length; the second, lake Lutinitsch, of no very great size; and the third, lake Jhedra, on which stands a town of the same name, at eight miles distance from Oreat. In truth, on that day we had a

most difficult and dangerous journey in following the beaten track through these lakes, which were still frozen, but inundated with a vast quantity of water from the melting snow; nor dared we turn aside from the public road, both on account of the depth of the snow, and because no sign of any path was visible. After completing this difficult and dangerous journey, we came to

Choitilova, seven miles; below which, after crossing two rivers, Schlingva and Snai, at the point of their confluence, and where they flow into the river Msta, we reached Voloschak, and there rested on Easter Day. Afterwards, having completed seven miles, and crossing the river Tverza, we

came to

Wedrapusta, a town on its banks; and thence descending seven miles, came to the city of

Dverschak; two miles below which we crossed the river Schegima in fishing boats, and came to the town of

Ossoga, where we rested a day; and the day after, sailed seven miles along the river Tverza, and reached

Medina; and after dinner again took boat, and travelled seven miles on that most celebrated river, the Volga, and so came to the principality of

Tver. Here taking a larger vessel, we sailed along the Volga, but before long came to a part where the river was frozen over and blocked up with masses of ice, but by dint of great exertion and labour we managed to get to land at a certain point; but as the ice was frozen into a thick mass, it was with difficulty that we at length reached the bank. Thence we went on foot to the house of a certain peasant, and mounting some ponies that we happened to find there, came to the monastery of Saint Elias, where we changed our horses, and reached, at a distance of three miles in a straight line from that place, the town of

Gerodin, seated on the Volga.
Thence to Schossa, three miles.

To Dschorno, a post station, three miles.

To the town of Clin, on the river Januza, six miles.
To Prissack, a post station, three miles.

To Schorna, situated on a river of the same name, three miles.

At a distance of three miles from that place, we at length reached Moscow on the 18th of April. Of our reception and treatment in that city, I have already spoken at sufficient length, in describing the mode of treating and receiving ambassadors.

My Return.

I said at the outset that I was sent to Moscow by the Emperor Maximilian, to make peace between the princes of Poland and Muscovy, but that I returned without accomplishing my object; for while the ambassadors of the King of Poland were present at Moscow, and I was treating for peace and harmony, the king drew up his army before the fortress of Opotzka, but without effect. Upon which the prince refused to enter into a truce with the king; and my negotiation being thus put a stop to, I was honourably dismissed.

Leaving Moscow, therefore, I went straight to Mosaisko, eighteen miles.

Viesma, twenty-six miles.

Drogobusch, eighteen miles.

I then came to Smolensko, eighteen miles; after which we had to pass two nights in the open air in the midst of a deep snow; but I received much cheerful and respectful attention from my guides, who strewed hay to some depth upon the ground, and covered it with the bark of trees; we spread a table-cloth, and sitting down to the table cross

legged, after the fashion of the Turks or Tartars, we took our meal, and drinking somewhat freely, made a long supper of it. Next night we came to a certain river, not at all frozen at the time we came up to it; but after midnight the cold was so intense, and the river frozen so hard, that ten heavily laden waggons first crossed over it; but the horses were driven to a spot where the current of the river was stronger, and passed over amongst the broken ice.

At that point, which is twelve miles from Smolensko, my guides left me, and I proceeded for Lithuania; and at eight miles from the frontier, came to Dobrovna, where I received abundance of the necessaries of life, with Lithuanian hospitality.

To Orsa, four miles; between which and Viesma we had the Dnieper on our right, which river we had to cross twice at no long interval, both above and below Smolensko. Leaving it near Orsa, we came straight to

Druzek, eight miles.

Grodno, eleven miles.

Borisov, six miles, on the river Beresina, whose sources Ptolemy ascribes to the Dnieper.

Lohoschakh, eight miles.

Radochostye, nearly seven miles.

Crasno Sello, two miles.

Modolesch, two miles.

The town of Creva, with a deserted fortress, six miles. Mednick, also a town with a deserted fortress, seven miles, and thence at length we came to

Vilna; and there stayed a few days, after the departure of the king for Poland, while my servants were returning with my horses from Novogorod through Livonia. On receiving my horses, I immediately made a diversion of four miles from the road into Troki, in order to see some bisons, called by some uri", but in German, "auroxen", and which were there kept enclosed in a garden. The palatine,

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