April 25th. We left here and arrived, in the evening, at a town with a castle called Aitomir, built entirely of timber. Leaving this place, we travelled on the whole of the 29th through forests, which were very dangerous, from being infested with discontented men of all conditions. Not having found a lodging at night, we were obliged to sleep in this forest without anything to eat, and I had to mount guard all night.
On the 30th, we came to Beligraoch, a white castle, used as a dwelling by the king, where we lodged in great discomfort.
On the 1st of May, 1474, we arrived at a city called Chio or Magraman, beyond the confines of the above-mentioned Russia. It is governed by a Catholic Pole, named Pammartin, who, when he had heard of my arrival from the king’s guides, provided me with very bad quarters, for the country, and sent me provisions, which were very acceptable. This city is on the confines of Tartary, and is frequented by merchants who bring furs from High Russia, and pass in caravans to Capha, but are often captured by the Tartars. The country abounds in bread and meat. It is the custom of the people to work from morning to tierce, and then to spend the rest of their time till night in caves, frequently quarrelling like drunkards.
May 2nd. Pammartin sent many of his gentlemen to invite me to dine with him. After the proper salutations had been exchanged, he made me great offers, and informed me that he had been commanded by his sovereign, to treat me with honour, protect me from every danger, and give me the means of passing through Tartary as far as Capha. I thanked him, and begged him to do so; when he said that he was expecting an ambassador from Lithuania, with presents for the Emperor of the Tartars, and that the emperor was going to send two hundred Tartar horsemen as an escort. He recommended me, therefore, to wait for this ambassador, in whose company I might pass in safety, which I resolved to do. We sat down to dinner, which was exceedingly well prepared and abundant, and I received most honourable attention. There were present a bishop, brother to the governor, and many gentlemen; and there were also several singers, who sang during the repast. I was made to remain at table a very long time, to my great annoyance, as I required rest more than anything else. When dinner was over, I took leave of his lordship, and went to my lodgings, which were in the town, the governor remaining in his quarters at the castle, which was constructed of wood. There is a river, called Danambre in their language, and Leresse in ours, which passes by the town and flows into the Mar Maggiore. We waited here ten days for the arrival of the Lithuanian ambassador. On the morning we were about to depart, the governor wished that we should hear Mass, although I had previously told him that I had done so. When Mass was over we embraced each other, and Pammartin made me shake hands with the ambassador, whom he requested, with much warmth, to consider me as the person of his own king, and conduct me in safety to Capha. The ambassador replied that the command of His Majesty the King should be observed, and that I should be treated in the same manner as if I were the king himself. And with this I took leave of the governor, thanking him to the best of my ability, as he deserved, for the great honour he had done me. During the time I staid here I often received provisions. I presented the governor with a German saddle-horse, which was one of those I had brought from Mestre; and, as the others were entire horses, he wished me to leave them there, and take horses of the country. The king’s guides were the best of company, and I treated them with courtesy.
On the 11th, we left here with the ambassador. I was on a carriage, which I had used since I left the king, on account of a bad leg, which prevented me from riding on horseback. We journeyed until the 9th (?), when we arrived at a village called Cercas, which also belonged to the said king. Here we remained till the 15th, when the ambassador heard that the Tartars had arrived; we then left Cercas in their company, and entered upon a desert country.
On the 15th, we reached the above-mentioned river, which we had to cross. This river separates Tartary from Russia towards Capha, and, as it was more than a mile in breadth and very deep, the Tartars began to cut timbers, which they tied together, and covered with branches to form a raft, and our things being placed on it the Tartars entered the river holding on to their horses’ necks, while our raft was attached to their tails by cords. Thus mounted, the horses were driven across the river, which we passed by the help of God. How great our peril was, I leave my readers to consider,—in my opinion it could not have been greater. When we had landed on the opposite bank, every one put his things in order, and we remained the whole day with the Tartars. Some of the Tartar chiefs eyed me closely, and I appeared to be the subject of many surmises among them. We set out from the river and travelled through the desert country, suffering many discomforts of every kind. And as we were passing through a wood, the ambassador sent to tell me, by his interpreter, that the Tartars felt it their duty to conduct me to their emperor. He said that, as they had heard of the rank I held, I could not be allowed to pass Capha without being previously presented to their emperor. At this I was very much annoyed, so I urged my case to the interpreter, begging him to remember the promise which had been made as much to Pammartin as to the King of Poland, and I promised to give him a sword. Saying he would serve me, and bidding me take comfort, he returned to the ambassador, and repeated what I had said. He then sat down to drink with the Tartars, whom he assured with many words that I was a Genoese, and the affair was arranged by means of fifteen ducats: before hearing this, however, I was in great anxiety. In the morning we rode on and travelled till the 24th, with much hardship, having passed a day and a night without water, came to a pass where the ambassadors and the Tartars had to take the road to a castle called Chercher, where the Tartar emperor was staying. A Tartar was here appointed to accompany me to Caphà, and I took leave of the ambassador. Although we were alone and in constant fear lest the Tartars should send after us, I was well pleased to be free from those confounded dogs who smelt of horse-flesh to such a degree that there was no standing near them. Travelling with my guide, we lodged, in the evening, in the open air among some Tartar carts with their skin covering. Many of the Tartars immediately surrounded us, and wished to know who we were: on hearing from our guide that I was a Genoese, they presented me with sour milk.
On the morning of the 26th, we left here before daybreak, and, about the hour of Vespers, entered the town of Caphà, thanking our Lord God, who had taken pity on our trouble. Having gone secretly to a church, I sent the interpreter to our consul, who immediately sent his brother to tell me to stay till the evening and then to come secretly to one of his houses in the town, which I did. At the appointed time we came to the consul’s house, where we were well received, and where I met Ser Polo Ogniben, who had been sent by our Illustrious Signory three months before me.