64 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1666 being as they say, in some places a hundred fathom.

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

64 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1666

being as they say, in some places a hundred fathom. A litle of from that
lake, wherein the monastery standeth, is another of the same bignes, be-
twixt which a channel. Out of this last floweth a brooke or river which
emptyeth itself into the Msta, as all the other rivers and brookes here about.
From hence wee jorneyed over hills to the river Grimatsa, fyve verst.
On each side of this river are many kurgans,* where they say that the battel
betwixt the masters and the servants was fought in the end of Tamerlanes
warr. A litle further wee passed along in a most pleasant road, haveing
the river Polumet on our left hand, and hills covered with woods on our
right hand. Haveing rode ten verst, wee crossed the river Grimatza
againe, where it falleth in the Polumet, and so in company of the river
Polmnet to Yasulbitsa, a village, fyve verst. Here I dined. Then setting
forward, I crossed the river Polumet and Yarmy, ten verst, which the river
Polumet receiving falleth in the river Pola, and this in the lake llmen,
fyfteen verst above the ... ; then to the village Rechina, fyve verst,
and to the yame or stage Kresty, where getting fresh horses, and makeing
no stay, wee rode along the river Cholova. Crossing it diverse tymes, wee
came to the river Mosnia, twenty verst, which crossing, wee came to the
village Wina, fyve verst, and to Sajantsova, ten verst, where wee lodged
all night.
July?. Haveing gott fresh horses wee came to the village and monastery
Lustow, three verst, and to the village Krasna Stanky, twelve verst, through
woods and bad bridged ways to the river Nissa, ten verst, which runneth
here south, and then turning, falleth in the lake llmen twenty fyve verst
above Novogrodt. Wee crossed this river by a float, and then came to
Brunlts, fyve verst ; where takeing boat, wee went downe the river Msta to
Novogrod, thirty verst, where getting a quarter, I lodged all night.
July 8. About midday, haveing gone over in a large boat, wee sailed up the
river V'olcha to the lake llmen. This lake is in some places forty verst
broad, and about fyfty long. It is said that seventy rivers fall therein, the
chieife whereof are Msta, Poniedielna, Lowat, Vergot, Solona, Czarna,
Verunda, Mpsiaga, Veresa, Pollst. Wee passed by many pleasant villages
on the right hand, and came late to the river Mpsiaga, and so to the river
Solonia, up which to the village Saltzee, which is seventy verst from Novo-
grodt, whither wee came in the morning.

* [Barrows, or earthen mounds.]