The Goths of these places speak a dialect of the German language, as I learned from a German servant who accompanied me on my travels; for he conversed with them, and they understood each other tolerably well, just as a native of Friuli in the Popes dominions might understand a Florentine720. From the vicinity, or intermixture of the Goths and Alanians, originates the denomination of Gotitalani. The Alanians were the first inhabitants of this county: The Goths came at an after period and made a conquest of part of the country inhabited by the Alanians; and, as the two nations mingled together, this mixed name became likewise into use. All these people profess the Greek religion, which is likewise followed by the Tscherkassians, or Circassians.

Having already made mention of Tumen and Githerean, I shall now relate some remarkable particulars concerning them. Going from Tumen eastwards, or rather to the north-east, in seven days journey we arrive at the river Ledil721, on the banks of which stands Githercan722, a small insignificant town, laid waste, and in ruins. It was formerly a very considerable and celebrated place; as before the devastation of it by Tamerlane, the spices and silks which go to Syria723 were carried by Githercan, and thence to Tanna, from whence they were brought, by six or seven large gallies to Venice; for at that time no other nation besides Venice traded to Syria. The Ledil or Wolga is a large and very broad river, which discharges itself into the Sea of Baku, or the Caspian, twenty-five Italian miles below Astracan; and both this river and the Caspian, which is tolerably salt, contain innumerable quantities of fish called tunnies and sturgeons. One may sail up this river to within three days journey of Moscow in Russia; and the inhabitants of that place go every year with their vessels to Astracan, to procure salt. The passage downwards is easy, as the river Mosco runs into the Oka, and that again into the Wolga. In this river there are many islands, and many forests along its banks. Some of these islands are thirty miles in circumference; and in the forests there are trees of such vast size, that one of them may be hollowed into a boat, that will require eight or ten horses, and twice as many men, to draw it against the stream. Crossing the river Wolga, and going fifteen days journey to the north-west, along the river, we meet with innumerable hordes of Tartars. But in travelling northwards, towards Russia, we come to a small town called Risan724, which belongs to a relation of the grand duke of Russia. The inhabitants of this place are all Christians, and follow the usages of the Greek church. This country abounds in corn, cattle, honey, and other good things; and they import a species of beer called Bossa725; and the country abounds in woods and villages without number. Somewhat farther, and about half way between Riazan and Moscow, is a town called Colonna. The fortifications, both of Riazan and Colonna, are built of timber, as are also the houses; as nothing is to be seen in these parts constructed of brick or stone. Three days journey from Colonna, to the north-west, we come to the city and province of Moscow, or Mosqua, where the great Duke Jvan or John resides; and through this province there runs a river of the same name, having several bridges over it; and from which the city and province have probably acquired their names. The castle of Moscow is situated upon a hill, and is encompassed round with woods726.

The fertility of this country, in respect to corn and cattle, may be understood from this circumstance, that flesh is not sold by weight, but they give it out in large pieces, as much as would weigh four pounds727. Seventy hens may be bought for a ducat, worth four or five shillings; and a goose may be had for less than threepence. In this country, the cold of winter is very severe, and the rivers are long frozen over: Taking advantage of this circumstance, they carry oxen and other beasts to market in winter, ready slaughtered, skinned, and embowelled; which they set up on their feet in the market places, frozen as hard as a stone, and in such numbers, that one may buy 200 or more of them at a time. Cutting them in pieces, as in our markets, is quite impossible, as they are as hard as marble, and are delivered out whole. The only fruits to be met with are apples, nuts, and small walnuts. When the Russians have a mind to travel, especially if the distance is very great, they prefer the winter season, when the whole country is covered over with frozen snow, and all the rivers are passable on the ice. They then travel with great convenience and expedition, being only subjected to the severity of the cold. At this season, they use sledges, which are to them as waggons are to us; and in them they take every thing along with them, with the utmost ease, that they have a mind to. In the summer, the roads are extremely miry, and full of inequalities, proceeding from the country being extremely woody; and they do not therefore take long journeys at that season, more especially as it is very thinly inhabited. They have no grapes, but make a species of wine from honey, and a kind of beer from millet, into which they put hop blossoms, of which the odour is so strong, as to occasion sneezing, and which intoxicates like wine. I must not omit to mention in this place, that, about twenty-five years ago, the great duke, on finding that his subjects were much addicted to drinking, which made them neglect their affairs, gave orders that no more beer or mead should be made; by which means, he obliged them, to live sober and regular lives. Besides this, he did many other things for the advantage of his dominions.

Before the reign of this prince, the Russians paid tribute to the Tartars; but they have now conquered a country called Kasan, which is 500 miles to the east of Moscow, and the chief city of which lies on the left bank of the Wolga, in descending towards the sea of Bochri, or the Caspian728. This country of Kasan enjoys considerable trade, especially in furs, of which large quantities are carried from thence by way of Moscow to Poland, Prussia, and Flanders. These furs come from a great distance to the north-east, out of the empire of Zagathai729, and from Moxia730; both of which northern districts are inhabited by Tartars, part of whom are idolaters, particularly the Moxians, who continue so to this day.

Having received some account of these Moxians, I shall relate, what I know concerning their religious customs. At a certain season they lead a horse into the middle of their assembly, and fasten it strongly by the head and feet to five stakes, driven into the ground for that purpose. After this, a particular person goes to some distance, with his bow and arrows, and shoots at the heart of the animal till he has killed him. The horse is then flayed, and the flesh eaten after the performance of certain ceremonies. They then stuff the horses skin with straw, and sew it up, so as to appear entire, fixing pieces of wood under the skin of the legs, that the stuffed animal may stand up as it did when alive. They next construct a scaffold, amid the branches of a large tree, upon which they fix the stuffed horse skin, and worship it as a god; offering up to it the furs of sables, ermines, grey squirrels, and foxes, which they hang among the boughs of the sacred tree, just as we offer up wax-lights to the images of the saints. The food of this people consists mostly of flesh, and that chiefly of venison, got by hunting; but they likewise catch abundance of fish in the rivers of their country. Many of the Tartars are idolaters, and carry the idols which they worship about with them, on carts, in their moveable huts; and some of them have the strange custom of worshipping each day, the animal they meet first in a morning, after going out of their houses.