_How Captain_ Smith _escaped his Captivity; slew the_ Bashaw _of_
Nalbrits _in_ Cambia; _his Passage to_ Russia, Transilvania, _and
the middest of_ Europe _to_ Africa.
{MN-1} All the hope he had ever to be delivered from this Thraldom, was
Only the love of _Tragabigzanda,_ who surely was ignorant of his bad
usage; for although he had often debated the matter with some Christians,
that had been there a long time Slaves, they could not find how to make an
escape, by any reason or possibility; but God beyond Man's Expectation or
Imagination helpeth his Servants, when they least think of help, as it
hapned to him. So long he lived in this miserable Estate, as he became
a Thresher at a grange in a great Field, more than a League from the
_Timor's_ House; the _Bashaw,_ as he oft used to visit his Granges,
visited him, and took occasion so to beat, spurn, and revile him, that
forgetting all reason, he beat out the _Timor's_ Brains with his Threshing
Bat, for they have no Flails; and seeing his Estate could be no worse than
it was, clothed himself in his Clothes, hid his Body under the Straw,
filled his Knapsack with Corn, shut the doors, mounted his Horse, and ran
into the Desart at all adventure; two or three days, thus fearfully
wandring he knew not whither, and well it was, he met not any to ask the
way; being even as taking leave of this miserable World, {MN-2} God did
direct him to the great way or Castragan, as they call it, which doth
cross these large Territories, and generally known among them by these
marks.
* * * * *
{MN-1} _How_ Smith _escaped his Captivity._
{MN-2} _Their Guides in those Countries._
In every crossing of this great way is planted a Post, and in it so many
bobs with broad ends, as there be ways, and every bob the Figure painted
on it, that demonstrateth to what part that way leadeth; as that which
pointeth towards the _Crim's_ Country, is marked with a half Moon, if
towards the _Georgians_ and _Persia,_ a black Man, full of white spots, if
towards _China,_ the Picture of the Sun, if towards _Muscovia,_ the Sign
of a Cross, if towards the Habitation of any other Prince, the Figure
whereby his Standard is known. To his dying Spirits thus God added some
comfort in this melancholy Journey, wherein if he had met any of that vile
Generation, they had made him their Slave, or knowing the Figure Engraven
in the Iron about his Neck, (as all Slaves have) he had been sent back
again to his Master; sixteen days he travelled in this fear and torment,
after the Cross, till he arrived at _AEcopolis,_ upon the River _Don,_ a
Garrison of the _Muscovites._ The Governour after due Examination of those
his hard events, took off his Irons, and so kindly used him, he thought
himself new risen from the Dead, and the good Lady _Calamata,_ largely
Supplied all his wants.
{MN-1} This is as much as he could learn of those wild Countries, that the
Country of _Cambia_ is two days Journey from the Head of the great River
_Bruapo,_ which springeth from many places of the Mountains of
_Innagachi,_ that joyn themselves together in the Pool _Kerkas_ which
they account for the Head, and falleth into the Sea _Dissabacca,_ called
by some the Lake _Maeotas,_ which receiveth also the River _Tanais,_ and
all the Rivers that fall from the great Countries of the _Circassi,_ the
_Cartaches,_ and many from the _Tauricaes, Precopes, Cummani, Cossunka,_
and the _Crim;_ through which Sea he Sailed, and up the River _Bruapo_ to
_Nalbrits,_ and thence through the Desarts of _Circassi_ to _AEcopolis,_
as is related; where he stayed with the Governour, till the Convoy went to
_Caragnaw;_ then with his Certificate how he found him, and had examined
with his friendly Letters, sent him by _Zumalack_ to _Caragnaw,_ whose
Governour in like manner so kindly used him, that by this means he went
with a safe conduct to _Lesch,_ and _Donko,_ in _Cologoske,_ and thence to
_Berniske_, and _Newgrod_ in _Siberia,_ by _Rezechica,_ upon the River
_Nieper,_ in the confines of _Lithuania;_ from whence with as much
kindness, he was convoyed in like manner by _Coroski, Duberesko, Duzihell,
Drohobus,_ and _Ostroge_ in _Volonia; Saslaw,_ and _Lasco_ in _Podolia;
Halico_ and _Collonia_ in _Polonia;_ and so to _Hermonstat_ in
_Transilvania._ In all this his life, he seldom met with more Respect,
Mirth, Content and Entertainment; and not any Governour where he came, but
gave him somewhat as a Present, besides his Charges; seeing themselves as
subject to the like Calamity. {MN-2} Through those poor continually
Foraged Countries, there is no passage, but with the Caravans or Convoys;
for they are Countries rather to be pitied than envied; and it is a wonder
any should make Wars for them. The Villages are only here and there, a few
Houses of streight Firr Trees, laid heads and points above one another,
made fast by notches at the ends, more than a Man's heighth, and with
broad split Boards, pinned together with woodden Pins, as thatched for
coverture. In ten Villages you shall scarce find ten Iron Nails, except it
be in some extraordinary Man's House. For their Towns, _AEcopolis, Letch,_
and _Donko,_ have Rampires made of that woodden Walled fashion, double,
and betwixt them Earth and Stones, but so latched with cross Timber, they
are very strong against any thing but Fire; and about them a deep Ditch,
and a Palizado of young Firr Trees; but most of the rest have only a great
Ditch cast about them, and the Ditches Earth, is all their Rampire; but
round, well environed with Palizadoes. Some have some few small pieces of
small Ordnance, and Slings, Calievers, and Muskets, but their generallest
Weapons are the _Russe_ Bows and Arrows; you shall find Pavements over
Bogs, only of young Firr-Trees, laid cross one over another, for two or
three hours Journey, or as the Passage requires, and yet in two days
Travel, you shall scarce see six Habitations. Notwithstanding to see how
their Lords, Governours, and Captains are civilized, well attired and
accoutred with Jewels, Sables, and Horses, and after their manner with
curious Furniture, it is wonderful; but they are all Lords or Slaves,
which makes them so subject to every Invasion.
* * * * *
{MN-1} _The description of_ Cambia, _and his passage to_ Russia.
{MN-2} _His Observations in his Journey to_ Transilvania, _through the
midst of_ Europe.
In _Transilvania,_ he found so many good Friends, that but to see, and
rejoyce himself (after all those Encounters) in his Native Country, he
would ever hardly have left them, though the mirrour of vertue their
Prince was absent. Being thus glutted with content, and near drowned with
Joy, he parted high _Hungaria_ by _Fileck, Tocka, Cassovia,_ and
_Underorowoay,_ by _Ulmicht_ in _Moravia,_ to _Prague_ in _Bohemia;_ at
last he found the most gracious Prince _Sigismundus,_ with his Colonel at
_Lipswick_ in _Misenland,_ who gave him his Pass, intimating the service
he had done, and the Honours he had received, with fifteen hundred Ducats
of Gold to repair his Losses: With this he spent some time to visit the
fair Cities and Countries of _Dresden_ in _Saxony, Magdeburgh_ and
_Brunswick; Cassel_ in _Hessen; Wittenberg, Vilum,_ and _Minekin_ in
_Bavaria; Augsburg,_ and her Universities; _Hama, Frankford, Mentz,_ the
_Palatinate; Worms, Spires,_ and _Straburg;_ passing _Nancie_ in _Lorain,_
and _France_ by _Paris_ to _Orleans,_ he went down the River of _Loyer,_
to _Angiers,_ and imbarked himself at _Nantz_ in _Britain,_ for _Bilbao_
in _Biskay_ to see _Burgos-Valladolid,_ the admired Monastery of the
_Escurial, Madrid, Toledo, Corduba, Cuedyrial, Sivil, Cheries, Cales,_ and
St. _Lucas_ in _Spain._
* * * * *