Then they put us to our choice whether we would have carts and oxen, or pack horses to transport our carriages [i.e., luggage]. And the merchants of Constantinople advised me not to take carts of the citizens of Soldaia [Sudak, a Crimean port] but to buy covered carts of mine own (such as the Russians carry their skins in) and to put all our carriages, which I would daily take out, into them: because if I should use horses, I must be constrained at every bait to take down my carriages, and to lift them up again upon sundry horses’ backs and besides that, I should ride a more gentle pace by the oxen drawing the carts. Wherefore, contenting myself with their evil counsel, I was travelling into Sartach two months which I could have done in one, if I had gone by horse. I brought with me from Constantinople (being by the merchants advised so to do) pleasant fruits, muscadel wine, and delicate bisket bread to present unto the governours of Soldaia, to the end I might obtain free passage: because they look favourably upon no man which commeth with an empty hand....
We took our journey therefore about the kalends of June, with four covered carts of our own and with two other which we borrowed of them, wherein we carried our bedding to rest upon in the night, and they allowed us five horses to ride upon. For there were just five persons in our company; namely, I myself, and my associate, friar Bartholomew of Cremona, and Goset the bearer of these presents, the man of God Turgemannus, and Nicholas my servant, whom I bought at Constantinople with some part of the alms bestowed upon me. Moreover they allowed us two men, which drave our carts and gave attendance unto our oxen and horses. There are forty castles between Korsova and Soldaia every one of which have their proper languages: amongst whom there were many Goths, who spake the Dutch tongue ... they repair thither out of all Russia for salt.... The third day after we were departed out of Soldaia, we found the Tartars. Among whom being entered, methought I was come into a new world.
Chapter II
They have in no place any settled city to abide in.... For in the winter they descend into the warm regions southward. And in the summer they ascend into the cold regions northward. In winter when snow lieth upon the ground, they feed their cattle upon pastures without water, because then they use snow instead of water. Their houses wherein they sleep they ground upon a round foundation of wickers artificially wrought and compacted together: the roof whereof consisteth in like [sort] of wickers, meeting above into one little roundell out of which roundell ascendeth upward a neck like unto a chimney, which they cover with white felt.... The said felt on the neck of their house they do garnish over with beautiful variety of pictures.... For they spend all their coloured felt in painting vines, trees, birds and beasts thereupon. The said houses they make so large that they contain thirty foot in breadth. For measuring once the wheel ruts of one of their carts, I found it to be 20 feet over; and when the house was upon the cart, it stretched over the wheels on each side five feet at the least. I told 22 oxen in one team, drawing a house upon a cart, eleven in one order according to the breadth of the cart, and eleven more before them: the axletree of the cart was of a huge bigness like unto the mast of a ship. And a fellow stood in the door of the house, upon the forestall of the cart, driving forth the oxen.... When they take down their dwelling houses they turn always the door towards the south. One woman will guide 20 or 30 carts at once, for their countries are very plain and they bind the carts with camels or oxen one behind another. And there sits a wench in the foremost cart driving the oxen, and all the rest follow on a like pace. When they chance to come at any bad passage they let them loose, and guide them over one by one: for they go a slow pace, as fast as a lamb or an ox can walk....
Chapter XXIII
Some days we had change of horses twice or thrice in a day. Sometimes we travelled two or three days together, not finding any people, and then we were constrained not to ride so fast. Of twenty or thirty horses we had always the worst, because we were strangers. For everyone took their choice of the best horses before us. They provided me always of a strong horse, because I was very corpulent and heavy: but whether he ambled a gentle pace or no, I durst not make any question. Neither yet durst I complain, although he trotted full sore. But everyone must be contented with his lot as it fell.
Chapter XXIV
Of hunger and thirst, cold and weariness there was no end. For they gave us no victuals but only in the evening. In the morning they used to give us a little drink, or some sodden millet to sup off. In the evening they bestowed flesh upon us ... and every man had a measured quantity of broth to drink.... In the beginning our guide highly disdained us, and it was tedious unto him to conduct such base fellows. Afterward, when he began to know us somewhat better he directed us on our way by the courts of rich Moals [? Moghuls], and we were requested to pray for them. Wherefore had I carried a good interpreter with me, I should have had opportunity to have done much good.... And they marvelled exceedingly that we would receive neither gold, nor silver, nor precious and costly garments at their hand....
Chapter XXVII
They begin to write at the top of their paper drawing their lines right down: and so they read and multiply their lines from the left hand to the right.... They burn their dead, according to the ancient custom, and lay up the ashes on the top of a Pyramid....