Page:Busbecq, Travels into Turkey (1744).pdf/251

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

he called Stega, Thirty Treithyen, Forty Furdeithien, an Hundred Sada, a Thousand Hazer. He also sung us a Song in that Language, which began thus:

Wara wara ingdolou:
Scu te gira Galizu.
Hæmisclep dorbiza ea.

Whether these People be Goths or Saxons, I cannot tell; If Saxons, then, I suppose, they were transplanted thither in the time of Charles the Great, who dispersed that Nation into many remote Countries, as appears by the Cities of Transilvania, which to this day are inhabited by Saxons; and possibly he might transplant the rest of the Nation as far as Tauric Chersonese, where they still retain the Christian Religion, though surrounded by the Enemies of it: But if they are Goths, then I judge they chose their Inhabitants there next to the Getes, and perhaps most of that Tract of Land between the Gothick Isle and Procopia, (as now 'tis called) was heretofore inhabited by Goths. Hence we read of the Names of sundry Goths, as West-Goths, and East or Ostro-Goths, who over-ran the World with their Victory, and were the great Seminary of Multitudes of Barbarians. This is all I could hear of these Procopiensians concerning the Tauric Chersonese.

Let me now tell you something of the City and Country of Cathay, which I learned of a certain Turkish Pilgrim, who use to travel over the World on account of Religion, and to worship God on high Mountains and desert Places. He had travelled over a great part of the East-Country, where he was acquainted with the Portuguese;