Page:Hakluytus Posthumus or Purchas His Pilgrimes Volume 12.djvu/41

 Twentie dayes travell in the Wildernesse, with scarcitie of water.

Another Gulfe of the Caspian Sea.

Will de Rubricis describeth this River of Ardok, cap. 4.

in the Wildernesse from the Sea side without seeing Town or habitation, carryins: provision of victuals with us for the same time, and were driven by necessitie to eate one of my Camels and a Horse for our part, as other did the like: and during the said twentie dayes we found no water, but such as we drew out of the old deepe Wells, being very brackish and salt, and yet sometimes passed two or three dayes without the same. And the fift day of October ensuing, we came unto a Gulfe of the Caspian Sea againe, where we found the water very fresh and  sweet: at this Gulfe the Customers of the King of Turkeman met us, who tooke custome of every five and twentie one, and seven ninths for the said King and his brethren, which being received they departed, and we remayned there a day after to refresh our selves.

Note, that in times past there did fall into this Gulfe the great River Oxus, which hath his springs in the Mountaines of Paraponisus in India, and now commeth not so farre, but falleth into another River, called Ardock, which runneth toward the North, and consumeth himselfe in the ground, passing under the ground above five hundred miles, and then issueth out againe and falleth into the Lake of Kithay.

Sellizure, or Shayzure.

Letters of safe conduct.

We having refreshed our selves at the foresaid Gulfe, departed thence the fourth day of October, and the seventh day arrived at a Castle, called Sellizure, where the King, called Azim Can, remayned with three other of his brethren, and the ninth day I was commanded to come before his presence, to whom I delivered the Emperours Letters of Russia : and I also gave him a Present of a ninth, who entertayned me very well, and caused me to eate in his presence as his brethren did, feasting me with flesh of a wilde Horse, and Mares milke without Bread. And the next day he sent for me againe, and asked of me divers questions, as well touching the affaires of the Emperour of Russia, as of our Countrey and Lawes, to which I answered as I thought good : so that at my departure he gave mee his Letters of safe conduct.