On
This Account It Was Proposed To Pass Over To The Other Side Of The River,
And To Travel Towards The Straits Between The Don And The Wolga, Which
Are About Five Days Journey From Citracan, After Which It Was Presumed We
Should Be Out Of Danger.
Our baggage was accordingly carried across the
river on rafts, and Marcus desired me to keep always along with him and
the Tartar ambassador, named _Auchioli_.
I and my interpreter accordingly
set out about mid-day along with the ambassador, to go to the place where
the boats waited for us, which was about twelve miles from the city, our
other companions having already gone there. On our arrival about sunset,
while I prepared to go into one of the boats on purpose to cross the
river, Marcus seemed suddenly struck with an extraordinary panic, and
commanded the interpreter and me to take to flight instantly to avoid
inevitable danger. We mounted therefore immediately, having likewise a
Russian woman along with us and a Tartar guide of a most horrible aspect,
and set out at full speed. In this manner we followed our guide the whole
of that night and part of the next day, without being ever allowed to
stop. I frequently asked our guide, by means of my interpreter, what was
the reason of all this, and where he proposed to carry me? At length he
explained the cause of Marcus having made us set off, with such
precipitation; as the khan had sent an order to examine all the boats,
and he was apprehensive they would have detained me as a slave if I had
been found.
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