lost, and all that I had.  The loss of my effects did not lie so near me (though they were very considerable) as the thoughts of falling into the hands of such barbarians, at the latter end of my journey, after so many difficulties and hazards as I had gone through; and even in sight of our port, where we expected safety and deliverance.  As for my partner, he was raging:  he declared, that to lose his goods would be his ruin; and he would rather die than be starved; and he was for fighting to the last drop.

The young lord, as gallant as ever flesh shewed itself, was for fighting to the last also; and my old pilot was of the opinion we were able to resist them all, in the situation we then were in:  and thus we spent the day in debates of what we should do; but towards evening, we found that the number of our enemies still increased:  perhaps, as they were abroad in several parties for prey, the first had sent out scouts to call for help, and to acquaint them of their booty; and we did not know but by the morning they might still be a greater number; so I began to inquire of those people we had brought from Tobolski, if there were no other, or more private ways, by which we might avoid them in the night, and perhaps either retreat to some town, or get help to guard us over the desert.

The Siberian, who was servant to the young lord, told us, if we designed to avoid them, and not fight, he would engage to carry us off in the night to a way that went north towards the river Petraz, by which he made no doubt but we might get away, and the Tartars never the wiser; but he said, his lord had told him he would not return, but would rather choose to fight.  I told him, he mistook his lord; for that he was too wise a man to love fighting for the sake of it; that I knew his lord was brave enough by what he had shewed already; but that his lord knew better than to desire to have seventeen or eighteen men fight five hundred, unless an unavoidable necessity forced them to it; and that if he thought it possible for us to escape in the night, we had nothing else to do but to attempt it.  He answered, if his lord gave him such order, he would lose his life if he did not perform it.  We soon brought his lord to give that order, though privately, and we immediately prepared for the putting it in practice.

And first, as soon as it began to be dark, we kindled a fire in our little camp, which we kept burning, and prepared so as to make it burn all night, that the Tartars might conclude we were still there; but, as soon as it was dark, that is to say, so as we could see the stars, (for our guide would not stir before) having all our horses and camels ready loaded, we followed our new guide, who, I soon found, steered himself by the pole or north star, all the country being level for a long way.