Beauplan.
Then follows Richow seated in the same manner on a Mountain. This is a place of consequence, and deserves to be fortify'd, because the River there is easy to pass.
Lower yet is Tretemirof a Monastery of Russians, seated amidst Precipices, encompass'd with inaccessible Rocks. Thither it is the Cossacks convey their best Goods; there is another Ferry over the River.
A League from thence, on the other side, you come to Pereaslaw, a Town that seems not to be very antient, because standing low, yet very considerable for its situation, naturally strong, and there might easily be built a considerable Citadel, to serve as a place of Arms against the Muscovites and Cossacks. The place has about 6000 Houses, and the Cossacks keep a Regiment there.
Lower towards Russia is Kaniow, a very antient Town and Castle, in which a Regiment of Cossacks always keeps Garison, and there is a Ferry.
Below still on the other side are Bobunska, and Domonton, places of small note.
Lower yet, and still on the side of Russia; stands Cirkacze a very antient City, well seated, and easy to be fortify'd. I have seen it in its splendor, when it was in a manner the Center of the Cossacks places of refuge, the General residing there; but we burnt it in the Year 1637, on the 18th of December, two days after we had gain'd a Victory over the said Cossacks. During that War they kept a Regiment of theirs in this place, and there is a Ferry upon the River.
Further yet are Borowiche, Bougia, Woronowka; and on the other side Czerehin, about a quarter of a League from Ambrowa; as also Krilow, on the Russian side upon the River Ttazemien, a League from the Boristhenes.
Lower still on the side of Muscovy is Kremierkzow; there are some antient Ruins, on which I design'd a Castle in the Year 1635. This place is very pleasant and convenient to live in, and is the last Town, for beyond it is all a Desert Country.
River Pseczol. A League below it is the mouth of Pseczol, a River abounding in Fish; and beyond it on the side of Russia is a little River they call Omelnick, which falls into the Boristhenes, and is very full of Crayfish.
Lower on the same side is another little River, call'd Drug Omielnik, like the other very full of Crayfish. Opposite to it is Worsko, a good large River, abounding in Fish, and runs into the Nieper; and on the same side is Orel, still richer in Fish than the others. At the mouth of this River it was I saw above 2000 Fishes taken at one draught of a Net, the least of which was a foot long.
Lakes. On the other side, which is next Russia, there are several Lakes, so very full of Fish, that the great quantity which dies for want of room in that standing water, causes an extraordinary corruption, which infects the very Water. They call those places Zamokam, about which I have seen Dwarf Cherry-trees two foot and a half high, or thereabout, which bear very sweet Cherries, as big as Plums, but are not ripe till the beginning of August. There are whole Thickets of these little Cherry-trees, very thick, and sometimes half a League in length, but not above two or three hundred paces over. It is pleasant at that time of the Year to see those little Groves of Cherry-trees, whereof there are many in the Plains, and for the most part in the bottom of Valleys.
There are also abundance of Dwarf Almond-trees, but wild, and the Fruit very bitter; nor are there such numbers as to make one of those little Woods, as there is of the Cherries, which are as good as if they were cultivated. I must confess that my curiosity prevailing with me to transplant some of those Cherry and Almond-trees to Bar, my usual place of Residence, the Fruit grew bigger, and better relish'd, and the Tree outgrew its natural smallness. Above those places is a small River, call'd Demokant, full of Crayfish, above nine Inches long. There they gather Water-nuts, which are like Water-Colthrops, very good to eat boil'd.
Lower still is Romanow, which is a fort of a Mount where the Cossacks sometimes meet to consult together, and bring their Troops into a Body. It would be a convenient and pleasant place to build a Town.
Islands on the Boristhenes. Below this is an Island half a League long, and 150 Paces over, which in Spring is overflow'd, they call it Romanow; several Fishermen from Kiow and other places put in there. At the end of this Island, the River has its full breadth, without being any more divided or stop'd by Islands. For which reason the Tartars are not afraid to pass over there, being in no danger of Ambushes, especially above the Island.
Lower still on the Russian side, is a place call'd Tarenski Rog, one of the pleasantest I ever saw to live in, and of great consequence to build a Fort, which would command the River; for there it has itsfull
