The way discovered by water by us Thomas Southam &
John Sparke, from the towne of Colmogro, by the
Westerne bottome of the Baie of S. Nicholas, unto the
citie of Novogrod in Russia
, containing many particulars
of the way, and distance of miles, as hereafter foloweth.
Anno 1566.
WE departed from Colmogro about 10. of the clocke afore
noone in a Lodia or Barke, which we hired to bring us
along the coast to a place called Soroka, & in the sayd
barke we hired 6. mariners, and a boy to conduct us to the
place before rehearsed.
The Lodia or barke was of the burden of 25. tunnes
or thereabout, wherewith we valed downe the river of
Dwina, the winde being then calme, unto a monasterie
called S. Michael where we were constrained to anker
because of a contrary wind which there met us.
From Colmogro to this monasterie are 50. versts or
miles of Russia
, at which place we taried till the 21. day
in the morning, and then having the wind somewhat
faire, we set saile and departed thence.
21 We departed from the monasterie of S. Michael,
having the wind somwhat faire, and arrived at
Rose
Island, over and against the monasterie of S. Nicholas,
the 22. day at 2. of the clocke in the morning, which is 35.
miles distant from the monasterie of S. Michael. By
reason of contrary wind and tide we were constrained to
tary there all that day.
23 We departed from the monasterie of S. Nicholas at
7. of the clocke in the evening, & came to an anker at the
Beacons, & continued there until halfe an houre past 10.
of the clocke, and then set from thence, the wind being
South: our course was West until 5. of the clock in the
morning, when as we came to an anker against Newnox
towne, where we continued until the 25. day.
The sayd towne of Newnox is from the monasterie of
S. Nicholas 35. miles.
25 We departed from Newnox haven at one of the
clocke in the after noone, the wind at South and Southeast, and our course Northwest and by West.
The point of Tolstick which is the headland before the
entrance of Newnox haven, and the headland of Sevsemski
lie next Southeast and by South, Northwest and by North.
We came to an anker there this day at 4. of the clock in
ye afternoone, being from Newnox haven 15. miles, where
we continued in harbour til the 27. day of the moneth, by
reason of contrary winds.
27 We departed from Sevsemski in the morning at 5. of
the clocke, the wind next at East and by North, and our
course Northwest and by West.
The said land of Sevsemski & the headland going into
Owna river lieth East and by South, west and by North,
and between them is 25. miles.
This day at Sunne set we came to an Island called
Sogisney passing betwixt it & the maine, with the wind at
South and by East, our course was West and by South,
being 85. miles from
Owna river.
Being past the said Island 10. miles, the wind came
contrary, whereupon we returned to the
Island of Sogisney, where we remained until the 29. day.
29 The 29. day we departed from Sogisney aforesayd,
at 5. of the clocke in the afternoone, the wind at East
northeast, & our course was Southwest & by west, passing
by an Island called Anger, being 30. miles from Sogisney,
and keeping on our course, we came by the headland of an
Island called Abdon, being from the
Island of Anger 15.
miles, where we found many rocks: and if the great
providence of God had not preserved us, wee had there
perished, being fallen amongst them in the night time, and
our pilot none of the perfectest, which was contrary to his
profession as we found it.
But whosoever will travell that way must either keepe
hard aboord the shore, for that there is a chanell which
goeth along the coast within the rocks, or els give the
headland a birth of 6. miles at the least, and so goe a
seaboord all: for there are ledges of rocks that lie five
miles from the headland.
We gave the headland a birth of 3. miles, notwithstanding there lay two rockes two miles to sea boord of
us, so that we were inclosed with them, and sate upon the
highest of them : but it pleased God to make it calme, and
give us the day also, or els we had miscaried.
30 We departed from the headland of the
Island of
Abdon, at 4. of the clocke in the morning, directing our
course West, and at 10. of the clocke before noone, we
arrived at a monasterie named Solofky, which is 15. miles
from Abdon.
At this monasterie we continued untill the 31. day of
this moneth. We had here delivered us by the chiefe
monkes of the monasterie, their letter and house seale,
and a servant of theirs to conduct us safely through the
dangerous river of Owiga.
The people of all those parts are wild, and speake
another kind of language, & are for the most part all
tenants to the monasterie. The effect of the letter was,
that they should be ready to helpe and assist us in all
dangerous places, and carie our boats and goods over land
in places needfull, as in deed they did, as hereafter shall
appeare.
Note, that at our being at the monasterie, there was
no Abbot for the place as then chosen: for 15. dayes
before our arrival there, the Abbot was sent for by the
Emperour, and made Metropolitane of the realme, as he
now is. The number of monkes belonging to the monasterie are at the least 200.
31 Wee departed from the monasterie of Solofky, as is
aforesayde, to a faire stone house of theirs, which is 5.
miles from the monasterie, lying from it South and by
West.
1 We departed from the Stone
house at 3. of the clocke
in the morning: our course was West for 60. versts, and
then passing betwixt divers and sundry rocks, with many
small Islands round about us for the space of 20 miles,
keeping most commonly the same course still, we then
shaped a new course, and yet sundry times shifting, but
we alwayes kept the Southwest, and neerest of all South
southwest, until we came within two miles of the entrance
of the river Owiga where we were to beare in, West and
by North.
From the river Owiga, to the Islands and rocks before
mentioned, are 20. miles.
We arrived about 4. of the clocke in the after noone
within the river of Owiga, at a place named Soroka, at
which place we forsooke our barke or Lodia, & continued
there in making provision for small boates to carie us up
the river untill the 3. day of the same.
3 We departed from Soroka at two of the clocke in
the afternoone, with 3. boats and 12. men to rowe, and
set the foresaid boates up the river of Owiga, which we
hired.
We went this day 7. miles to a place called Ostrove,
where we lay all night, but in the way 4. miles from
Soroka, at a place where the water falleth from the rocks,
as if it came steepe downe from a mountain, we were
constrained to take out our goods and wares out of the
said boats, and caused them to be caried a mile over land,
and afterwards also had our boates in like sort caried or
drawen over land by force of men which there dwelled,
being tenants to the monasterie aforesaid.
And when our boats were come to the place where our
wares were laid, we lanched our boats and laded our
wares againe, and went to the place before named, where
we continued and remained that night.
We departed from Ostrove in the morning before Sunne
rising, rowing and setting up the river 5. miles, where we
came to a place whereas we were againe constrained to
take out our wares, and to carie them and our boats three
miles over land, so that with rowing, drawing and setting,
we went this day 7. miles more to a place called Sloboday,
where we lay all night.
5 We departed from Sloboday in the morning at Sunne
rising, and at sixe of the clocke in the afternoone, we
came to a village called Paranda, which is from Sloboday
30. miles, where wee remained all that night.
6 We departed from Paranda at 6. of the clocke in the
morning, and all that day what with setting and drawing
our boats, we went but 11. miles, for we twise unladed our
wares, & drew our boats overland, in one place a mile &
an halfe, in another place as it were the eight part of a
mile, and so we came to a place called Voyets, where we
taried all that night.
7 We departed from Voyets at 4. of the clocke in the
morning, & so came to an Ozera or lake, called after the
name of the river, & unto a place called Quequenich, wee
rowed all this day, and came thither by one of the clock
in the afternoone, which is 25. miles from Voyets, and
there we remained all night to hire men and boats to
care us forward on our journey.
Here departed backe from us the servant which we had
at the Monasterie, being sent by the monkes to go thus
far with us. And after that he had hired the boats and
taken the mens names that should conduct us, & given
them charge to deliver us with all things in safetie, at a
place being a litle towne called Povensa, then hee departed
from us without taking any reward for his paines, for so
he was charged and commanded by the monkes.
8 We departed from Quequenich at sunne rising, &
all that day rowed upon the lake amongst many Islands.
The inhabitants doe there report that there are as many
Islands in their lake, as there are dayes in the yeere. In
the evening we came to a village named Tellekina, which
is 60. miles from Quequenich.
9 We departed from Tellekina in the morning at 5. of
the clocke, and so entring into a river, we went that day
13. miles. In one place we caried our boates and goods
overland 3. miles. At evening we came to a place called
Oreiche na maelay, where we lay all night.
10 Wee departed thence at 5. of the clocke in the
morning, and so rowing, came to a place where the river
ended, being 20. miles distant from the place where wee
lay all night, at which place wee forsooke our boates and
unladed our wares, and sent a man to the towne of
Povensa, which was seven mile off, for horses to cary us
and our wares to the said place. The horses came, and
we laded our goods, and at sixe of the clocke in the afternoone wee arrived at the towne of Povensa, with all things
in safetie.
This towne of Povensa standeth within one mile of the
famous lake or Ozera of Onega, which is 320. miles
long, and in some places 70. miles over. But where it
is narrowest it is 25. miles over, being fed with many
goodly rivers which fall into it. Hard aboord the shore
within 6. miles, you shall have 40. and 45. fathoms of
depth.
Here it is to bee noted that from this place of Povensa
unto the village of Soroka downe those dangerous rivers
which wee came through, at no time of the yeere can or
may any man cary or transport any goods that come
from Novogrod, or the Narve, and such other places:
for in the Sommer it is impossible to cary downe any
wares by reason of the great fals of water that doe
descend from the rockes. Likewise in the Winter by
reason of the great force and fall of waters which make
so terrible raises, that in those places it never freezeth,
but all such wares as come from Novogrod to Povensa,
are transported by land to a place called Some in the
Winter, which Some standeth on the sea side, as doth
Soroka. The ready way from Povensa by land to this
place of Some, with the distance of miles I will shew
hereafter.
12 We departed from Povensa at 9. of the clocke in
the morning, with 2. smal boats which we hired to cary
us to a place called Tolvo upon the lake of Onega, being
50 miles from Povensa, where we arrived the 13. day
in the morning, where wee bought a boate that caried
us and all our wares from thence to the Citie of Novogrod.
14 We departed from Tolvo at 3. of the clocke in the
afternoone, and at the evening arrived at a certaine Island
named Salasalma, upon the said lake 7. miles from Tolvo,
and by reason of contrary windes we there taried untill
the 16. day of this moneth.
16 We departed from Salasalma, at 8. of the clocke in
the morning, and came to an Island the 17. day in the
morning, named Vorronia, where wee continued by reason
of contrary winds, untill the 21. day of the said moneth,
and it is 60. miles from Salasalma.
21 We departed from
Vorronia Island two houres
before day, and arrived at S. Clements Monasterie at 2.
of the clocke in the after noone, being from Vorronia
48. miles.
22 We departed from S. Clements Monasterie at the
breake of the day, having a faire wind all a long the lake:
we sailed without striking of saile until two houres within
night, and then entred into a river called Swire, at a
Monasterie called Vosnessino Christo, five miles from the
entrance of the river, where we taried al night. It is
from S. Clements Monastery 160. miles: the streame of
that river went with us.
23 Wee departed from Vosnessino Christo before Sunne
rising, and valed downe the river sometime sailing, and
sometime rowing, so that this day wee went 90. miles and
lay at night at a place called Vassian.
24 Wee departed from Vassian at the breake of the
day, and came to a place called Selucax, where we lay all
night, and is 10. miles from Vassian.
25 We departed from Selucaxe at 4 of the clocke in
the morning, and entred upon the
Lake of Ladiskaie, the
winde being calme al that day saving 3. houres, and then
it was with us, so that we sailed and rowed that day
10. miles, along upon the said lake, and entred into the
river of Volhuski, which river hath his beginning 20.
miles above Novogrod, and runneth through the midst of
the Citie, and so falleth into this lake, which is farre
longer then the lake of Onega, but it is not so broad.
This lake falleth into the sea that commeth from the
Sound: where any vessel or boat, having a good pilot,
may goe through the Sound into England.
As soone as we were entred into the river, we came to a
Monasterie called S. Nicholas Medved, where we lay all
that night.
26 Wee departed from S. Nicholas Medved, at five of
the clocke in the morning, rowing and drawing our boates
all day, and came at night to another Monasterie called
Gosnopoli, which is 30 miles from S. Nicholas Medved,
where we lay all that night.
27 We departed from Gosnopoli at 6. of the clocke in
the morning, and at evening came to a place called
Moislave, where we lay all night, being 46. miles from the
Monasterie of Gosnopoli.
28 We departed from Moislave, and the saide day at
night came to a place called Grussina, 35. miles from
Moislave where we lodged.
29 Wee departed from Grussina in the morning, and
the same day at evening came to a place called Petroe
Svetoe, where we lay all night, being 40 miles from
Grussina.
30 We departed from Petro Svetoe in the morning,
and at two of the clock in the afternoone we arrived at the
Citie of Novogrod, being twentie miles from Petroe
Svetoe. Here we found William Rowlie Agent to the
company, who was there stayed with all his company, and
was not licenced to depart thence for the Mosco, by
reason that the plague was then in the Citie of Novogrod.
Unto him we delivered all the wares that wee brought
from Colmogro, for by the way we sold not a peny
worth, the people of the countrey every where be so
miserable.
The right way to bring and transport wares from
Novogrod to
Rose Island into S. Nicholas bay, where
our Ships yeerely lade, with the distance of miles from
place to place, is as followeth:
- 20 Miles from Novogrod to Petroe Svetoe.
- 40 Miles from thence to Grusina.
- 35 Miles from thence to Moislave.
- 46 Miles from thence to the Monasterie Gosnopoli.
- 15 Miles from thence to Ladega towne.
- 15 Miles from thence to Selvnaz over the lake of
Ladega, albeit there be many villages all along the lake.
- 180 Miles from Ladega towne up the river of Swire,
unto the Monasterie of Vosnessino Christo, albeit there
are many villages upon the river: for within every five
or sixe miles you shall have villages or small townes.
- 160 Miles from Vosnessino Christo to S. Clements
Monastery, albeit there be many villages all along the
lake of Onega.
- 48 Miles from thence to Voronia.
- 67 Miles from thence to Tolvo towne: and there are
divers villages al along the lake where the carriers may
lie, and have meate for man and horse.
- 50 Miles from thence to Povensa, where Onega lake
endeth.
The way from Povensa to Some towne is this:
- 30 Miles from Povensa to Mastelina.
- 10 Miles from thence to Tellekina.
- 30 Miles from thence to Tolvich.
- 35 Miles from thence to Carraich.
- 20 Miles from thence to Varnich.
- 10 Miles from thence to Ostrovo.
- 5 Miles from thence to Lapina.
- 20 Miles from thence to Some it selfe.
Note, that from the Citie of Novogrod unto the towne
of Some is 936. miles, and from the towne of Some unto
the Monasterie of S. Nicholas or
Rose Island, over and
against where our Ships do ride, is just as many miles as
is Soroka village from S. Nicholas, as the Russes doe
accompt it, as also we do judge it, namely 325. miles.
So that from Novogrod to S. Nicholas road, is by our
accompt 1261. miles or versts.
Furthermore it is to be noted that all such wares as
shall be bought at Novogrod, and sent to Some towne,
must be sent by sled way in the Winter: for if any ware
should be sent from Novogrod by water in the spring of
the yeere after the yce is gone, then must the said wares
remaine at Povensa towne al that Summer, by reason that
in the Summer there is no way to goe from Povensa unto
Some towne.
At Povensa there are many warehouses to be hired, so
that if there were as much goods as ten ships could cary
away, you might have warehouses to put it in: but if
there should remaine much ware all the Summer, to be
caried in the Winter to Some towne, then horses are not
easily to be gotten at that place to cary it thither: so that
your wares once bought at Novogrod, you must have
cariers there to cary it to the towne of Some by Sleds,
whereof you may there have 2000. if you will, by the
report of the Russes.
For from Novogrod yerely there go many Sleds in the
Winter to fetche salt from Some, with carriers and emptie
Sleds there to buy it, and to bring it to Novogrod to sell
it in the market or otherwise.
From Novogrod unto Some towne you may have a
pood of wares carried for eight pence or nine pence: but
in any wise your wares must bee sent from Novogrod by
the sixt of January, so that the wares may bee at Some
by Candlemas, or soone after: for if your wares should
tary by the way untill the 15. of February when the
Sunne is of some power, then is it dangerous: for the
heate of the Sunne in the day causeth the deepe lakes of
Ladega, and specially of Onega to cleave: and if there
should come then a sudden thaw, as oftentimes in that
time of the yeere doeth, then doe these lakes open and
breake, whereby many men are lost, and both men and
horse drowned, although other rivers do remaine frozen a
long time after.
In the towne of Some also there are many warehouses,
whereof we cannot be destitute for the reposing of our
wares, as also as many barkes as you wil to transport your
wares from thence to S. Nicholas road, and that for three
pence a poods caryage: so that from the Citie of Novogrod unto S. Nicholas road you may have wares caried
for two altines. The pood commeth unto 23. altines the
tunne.
Provided alwayes, that you buy your wares there your
selfe, and send it thence: for there is no hope that the
natives will bring their wares from Novogrod to Some, in
hope to sell unto us, considering the great trade that they
have at the Narve, which is within 180 miles off them.
Written by Thomas Southam a servant
to the company.
