1661] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 41 Captaine Fortes and Ensigne Martin

Passages from the diary of General Patrick Gordon of Auchleuchries : A.D. 1635-A.D. 1699"

1661] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 41

Captaine Fortes and Ensigne Martin. Wee crossed the river Niemcn at
Vilsk, where wee lodged all night ; and the next day to Kiadany. This
towne belongeth to the family of tlie Radzivills, where is the pubhck exer-
cize of tlie Protestant religion, and, because of that, many Scotsmen here
livcing, by one whereof wee lodged, and being welcomed by some of our
countreymen with a hearty cup of strong meade, it did so cnflame my blood,
that the same night a hott feaver seized me. The next day I caused blood
to be let. Towards night I gott ease, and slept indifferent well.

The next day, being Sunday, I went to church, where the feaver againe
seized me, so that I was not able to heare out the devotion, and with much
ado gott to my lodging. The feaver continued very violent, with a delirium.
On Tuesday, by the help of a glister, I gott ease. On Wednesday I kept
bed till noone, and then rose. On Thursday wee diued by Maior Karstares,
were very kindly entertained, and not pressed with drinking. On Fridday,
haveing bought akaless to sitt in, wee tooke jorney, and lodged in a village,
a mile and a halfe from Kiadany. Tn the morning Maior Karstares sent a
note with a long gunne to me, desireing to have my tent, which I sent to
him. We dined in a towne called Novymiasto, and the next day to Len-
kova, where was a market day. Wee dined, and, setting forward, came to
Gemelly, the best towns of Samogitia, where wee lodged ; and came the
next day to Bowsky, a towne belonging to "the Duke of Churland, where
findmg Dutch people and good beer, wee made merry, and took a guide to
show us over the river [Aa] without the towne. At the confluence of the
two rivers Mussa and [Niemen], is a castle well situate and fortifyed for a
siege. Wee lodged in a krue, where wee had of the same Bawskyes beer,
and made merry among ourselves.

The next day wee rose early, dined by the way, and crossing the river
Dwina came to Riga, and tooke up lodging in the suburb without the Sand
Port ; where hearing that the Generall Duglas was gone but two or three
[houres] befor towards Derpt, and that he was to lodge two miles from Riga,
being very desirous to have seen him, and to ask his advice concerning my
going to Kusseland, (for I was upon the repenting the whole way from Var-
schow, as Captaine Menezes also), so that, if he had but diswaded me (which
he was sure to do) I was resolved not to go further, unles it had been to put
Colonell Crawfuird in a sure place, and then returne. But, to my great