Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation, by Richard Hakluyt

Distances of certaine places in Russia.

The way from Saint Nicholas Baie to Mosco.	versts
To Colmogro	100
To Vstiug	500
To Totma	250
To Vologhda	250
All by the riuer of Dwina	1100
To Yenslaue	180
To Rostoue	60
To Pecaslaue	60
To Mosko	120
By land East and West	440

The way from Mosko to Smolensko.	versts
To Moram	300
To Smolensko	200

The way from Mosko to Nouogrod.	versts
To Ottuer	180
To Torzhoke	60
To Wisnouolloko	60
To Nouogrod	150
Southeast and Northwest	450

The way from Nouogrod to Narue	versts
To Teseua	50
To the Friers	60
To Yria Niagorod	40
To Narue	15
Southwest and Northeast	165

From Nouogrod to Vobsky, is 180. versts by East.

The way from Vobski to Ry in Liefland.	versts
To Newhouse	50
To Gouen on the borders	|
To Wenden	|
To Trecado	| Al is 200
To Newslot	| versts.
To Rie	|

The way from Mosco to Astracan.	versts
To Costrom
To Nisnoaogrod
To Cazan
To Astracan in all is 2800 versts

The way from Vologhda to Narue.	versts
To Belozerco	140
To Batag	80
To Witergen	40
To Ladiski	60
To Onega lake	80
To Oher	90
To Narue	180
Southwest and Northeast 770 versts

To go with a small boat within the land from S. Nicholas to Wardhouse.	versts
To Newnox riuer	|
To Ousca Gouba	|
To Lobshanga	|
To Oust Nauelocki	| To Wardhouse
To Orlouanos	| in
To Solusca Monasterie	| all 800.
To Candelox	| versts
To Oust Colla	| Northwest
To Zhemaker	| and Southeast
To Poganna Volocki	|
To Chibe Nanolocke	|
To Kegor	|

The way from Colmogro to Mixemske Sloboda, where the Samoeds keep their Mart.	versts
To Vst Pinnego	|
To Palango	|
To Vescom	|
To Soyaua	| Al is 230 versts
To Coula	|
To Nendega	|
To Lampas	|
To Sloboda	|

The way to Vromo from Mazemske Sloboda, where the Losh hides are gotten.	versts
To Lampas	| All is 115. versts
To Pogorel	| Northeast and
To Zapolle	| Southwest.
To Vromo	|

The way and distances from Saint Nicholas, to the Caspian Sea.

If you goe straight from Saint Nicholas, to the Caspian Sea, you must goe to Vologhda by water, as by the easiest passage, and that is accomplished, passing day and night, in foureteene dayes and foureteene nights, in boates cut out of a tree: (the boates are called Stroogs) 1100. versts it is.

By horse and sleds in 8. dayes you may passe it in Winter. In Summer the way is dangerous by meanes of marishes and bogs, and not safely then to be passed. Then from Vologhda to Yeraslaue 180. versts ouer land. This Yeraslaue standeth vpon the riuer of Volga, 180. versts I say distant from Vologhda.

To the Caspian sea are 2700. versts from Yeraslaue.

So from S. Nicholas to the Caspian sea, are 3800. 80. versts.

The iourney from S. Nicholas to Yeraslaue is accomplished in foureteene dayes by water, and two dayes by land. 16. dayes.

From thence to Astracan men trauell by water in 30. dayes and 30. nights.

So between S. Nicholas and the Caspian sea, are 46. dayes iourney.

There passe downe Volga euery Summer, 500. boats great and smal, from all the vpper parts of the riuer, whereof some be of 500. tunne. They go for Minerall salt and for Sturgeon.

The salt lieth in rocks (and is whitish red, and in fine sand) as it were 30. miles from Astracan toward the Caspian sea. They dig it themselues and pay nothing for it, but to the prince a peny a pood, viz. 40. pound waight.

Fishing for Sturgeon for 3 moneths. The Sturgeon which they call Ocetera is taken fiftie miles on this side Astracan. Along the riuer the space of 20. miles, they make their booties in plaine grounds, and fish for the space of three moneths, viz. from the end of May till, the end of August, and hauing salt they vse to salt them.

The riuer is there 5. or 6. miles broad, but with some Islands. The riuer below Yeraslaue, where it is most narrow, is a mile broad from side to side.

The riuer runneth vpon red clay, all woods of birch and oke on the riuer sides, saue about the townes of the fishing places.

Dwina from S. Nicholas to Vstiug runneth all on chalke and sand: the fish are sweete and fat The Mene a fish with a great head a foot long breedeth about Vologda, and is fat and delicate.

Between Vobsko and Nouogrod, the space of an 180. miles, groweth flax: the whole soile in length is so imploied, and as much in breadth: this is vpon a flat soile.

The hempe groweth about Smolensko vpon the Polish border, 300. miles in compasse: much of the soile is so imploied.

The Englishmen in making of cables set on worke 100 men in Russia. Of this hempe they bring in Winter to Vologda and Colmogro, and we set in worke in making of cables aboue 100 men.

The Russians do spin and hachell it, and the English tarre it in threed and lay the cable. And one cable of those is woorth two of Danzick, because the Danzickers put in old cable and rotten stuffe, which in fowle weather is found of no strength.

Sosnoua tree excellent for the cure of the wolfe. Sosnoua, a tree that cureth the wolfe with the shauings of the wood, groweth in these parts, and of the barks they make ropes as big as a mans arme for their boats.

The Samoeds lacking linnen make handkerchiefs and towels of the very wood of this tree. The wood of this tree is as heauie as hollie, and the shauings tough.

The description of Rose Island. Rose Island in S. Nicholas Baie is full of Roses damaske and red, of violets and wild Rosemarie: This Island is neere 7. or 8. miles about, and good pasture, and hath the name of the roses.

The snow here about the midst of May is cleared, hauing bin two moneths in melting, then the ground is made dry within 14. dayes after, and then the grasse is knee high within a moneth. Then after September the frost commeth in, the snow is a yard deepe vpon plaine ground. The Island hath Firre and Birch, and a faire fresh spring neere the house built there by the English.