Evert Ysbrants Ides, also called Isbrand Ides, was a Holstein-born merchant living in Moscow. The tsars Ivan and Peter sent him as their envoy to the Kangxi emperor of China, three years after the Treaty of Nerchinsk had fixed the border between the two empires. He left Moscow in March 1692, reached Peking in November 1693, and was back in Moscow at the start of 1695.
From Vologda he follows the Sukhona river north to Veliky Ustyug, then goes on through Solvychegodsk and the Komi country toward the Kama.
327 April to 14 May 1692
Solikamsk
Solikamsk, Perm Krai
The winter road over the Urals by Verkhoturye is closed by the thaw. Ides waits here, then takes boats down the Kama to go up the Chusovaya instead.
425 May 1692
Chusovaya River
Chusovaya river, in the Ural hills · rough position
After twelve days of towing the boats upstream, Ides lands among the Voguls, today's Mansi, whom he calls the first Siberian Tartars. He spends a night with them and asks about their houses and their religion.
Editorial contextAs soon as he crosses from Europe into Asia, Ides meets his first 'Siberian Tartars' on the Chusovaya river and names them Wogulski. These are the Voguls, today's Mansi, who speak an Ugric language and are not Turkic Tatars at all. The passage shows how 'Tartar' worked for travellers: it meant almost any native, non-Russian people east of the Urals.
we came too, and touched at a pleasant Shoar on the 25th of May, amongst the first Siberian Tartars, called Wogulski. … But the Wogulskian Tartars to which this River led us, are stupid Heathens
Editorial contextIdes lodged a night with the Voguls and asked about their religion. Once a year they go into the woods, kill one animal of each kind, hang the carcass on a tree and bow to it, then feast; and they saw no reason to pray more often. On the same page he notes that a good hunting dog was laid to rest in its own little wooden hut raised on four props of earth.
Their whole Religious Worship consists in making an Offering according to their Custom once each Year: When they go in crouds into the Woods, and kill one of each Species of Beasts … they flea off the Skins, hang up the Carcass on a Tree, and fall prostrate to the Earth, and in their way, Pray to it … What need of Praying any oftner than once a Year, say they?
Editorial contextThe Vogul 'Tartars' lived in square log rooms like Russian peasant huts, with an open hearth instead of an oven. Once the fire burned down to coals, they sealed the smoke-hole with a sheet of ice, which kept the heat in and let daylight through. Wide benches around the walls served as seats by day and beds by night.
Their Dwellings are quadrangular wooden Rooms, like those of the Russian Peasants; only instead of Ovens they use Hearths, on which they burn Wood, and dress their Victuals. The Smoak-hole which is in the Roof, is covered with Ice, as soon as the Wood is burnt to a Coal, which keeps the warmth in the Room, and the light strikes through the bright and clear Ice.
He reaches the capital of Siberia by way of Utka, Nevyansk and Tyumen, and stays three weeks. He describes the Russian upper town and the Tatar lower town, visits a mosque, and writes down the story of Yermak's conquest.
Editorial contextIdes reached Tobolsk, the capital of Siberia, on 1 July 1692. The upper town on the hill was Russian, strengthened by a stone monastery with watchtowers; the lower town along the Irtysh belonged to Muslim Tatars and Bukharan merchants who traded up the river to the Kalmyks and on to China. He adds that several thousand Tatars served the tsar as horsemen.
Tobolesk: Which City, besides its own strength, is re-inforced with a large Stone Cloyster, with high Watch-Towers, which may pass for a Fortification. This place is situate on a high Hill … the bottom of which along by the River Rhitisch, is inhabited by the Mahometan Tartars and Buchars, which drive a great Trade up the Rhitisch or Irtis, into the Kalmakian Territories, and carry their Goods to China.
Editorial contextWith the governor's help, Ides was allowed into a Tatar mosque, which he says outsiders were normally not shown. It was plain: large open windows and carpets on the floor, nothing more. Worshippers left their shoes at the door and sat in rows; the imam wore white calico and a white turban. He adds that the chief mullah was an Arab, and that anyone who could read Arabic was highly respected.
Metschets, called by other Authors Mosques, or Churches, had large Windows round them, all which were set open: The Floor was covered with Tapistry, besides which there was no other Ornament. All Persons at their entrance leave their Shoes or Slippers at the Door … The chief Priest sat there, in a white Calico Habit, and a white Turkish Turbant on his Head.
Editorial contextIdes retells the conquest of Siberia about a century after it happened. The Cossack outlaw Yermak, backed by the Stroganov family, sailed up the rivers, razed Tyumen and took the town where a twelve-year-old 'Tartarian Prince' lived, sending him captive to Moscow. The prince's grandson, Ides says, still lived in Moscow with the title 'Siberian Czarevitz'. Yermak later drowned in his heavy armour during a Tatar night attack.
advanced up the River Tobol to Tobolska, where then resided a Tartarian Prince, aged about twelve Years, whose Name was Altanai Kutzjumowitz (whose Grandson at present lives at Muscow, and is honoured with the Title of the Siberian Czarewitz.) This City he likewise attacqued and took with small loss, after which he carried the Prince Prisoner to Muscow
Hearsay a century after the events. The Tatar capital Yermak took in 1582 was Isker (Sibir); Tobolsk itself was founded by the Russians nearby in 1587, so Ides compresses the story.
The boats go down the Irtysh to this posting station, where the Irtysh meets the Ob. From here the embassy works its way up the Ob past Surgut and Narym, then up the Ket.
712 October 1692
Yeniseisk
After five hungry weeks on the Ket, with the river about to freeze, Ides crosses overland from Makovsk to Yeniseisk. He waits here until the roads are frozen hard enough for sledges.
He travels by sledge up the Tunguska and Angara rivers, passing the fort at Bratsk on 1 February, and rests a short while at Irkutsk.
910 March 1693
Lake Baikal
Southern Lake Baikal · rough position
Ides leaves Irkutsk on 1 March and finds the lake frozen hard. He crosses the ice by sledge to the eastern shore and goes on to Udinsk, where he waits until 6 April for camels and horses.
The embassy stays some weeks to gather camels, horses, oxen and food for the crossing to China. Ides describes the mounted Tungus around the town, their yurts and their mare's milk spirit.
Editorial contextAround Nerchinsk the mounted Tungus lived in portable huts they called jurten (yurts): a frame of jointed wooden poles that could be packed and carried whenever they moved, covered with hair and other material, with a smoke-hole at the top and the fire in the middle. Ides says religion was much alike 'throughout all great Tartary' up to the Mongols.
They all live in Hutts, called in their Language Jurten, the inside of which is composed of wooden Poles jointed together, that whenever they are willing to remove their Dwellings, as they frequently do, they may conveniently pack and carry them altogether. This wooden work when set up is thatched all over with Hair and Rubbish, except only the Smoak-hole left open at the top.
Editorial contextThe same people drank water, or black brick tea boiled with mare's milk and butter, and they distilled a clear spirit from mare's milk called arak. Ides records the method: boil fresh milk, sour it with old milk, stir it hourly, then distil it twice in sealed pots joined by a reed. He notes that Siberian cows gave no milk once the calf was weaned, which is why mare's milk was so important.
They also draw off a sort of Brandy from Mares-Milk, which they call Kunnen, or Arak, and is distilled in the following manner. The New-Milk is first boiled, then put into a Fat, to which is added some Stale-Milk, and this mixture is stirred every Hour … then it is fit to drink, being as clear, and strong, as Malt Spirits, and very soon intoxicates.
Argun river, on the border of Russia and China · rough position
Ides reaches Argunsk, the last Russian fort, on 3 August and fords the Argun on 8 August. On the road from Nerchinsk he notes many old, fallen stone castles in the valleys.
Editorial contextTravelling from Nerchinsk toward the Argun, Ides saw hundreds of old, half-fallen castles of rough stone scattered through the valleys. His Tungus guides said warriors built them long ago, when Mongols and 'Western Tartars' raided the old kingdom of Nieucheu (the Jurchen or Manchu country). Iron-bound wagon wheels and millstones had also been dug up, which Ides took as a sign that a settled people once farmed and worked there.
In several scattered places in the Valleys, I observed hundreds of old, and partly fallen Castles, built with Rock-stones, which, as the Tunguzians told me, were built by several Warriours long since, when the Mongalian and Western Tartars made joint incursions into this Kingdom of Nieucheu. … And it is not long since that Waggon Wheels bound with Iron, and large Milstones were found in this Country
About Tungus informants; Mongol and 'Western Tartar' raiders
Keep in mind
Ides saw the ruins himself, but the story of who built them comes from his Tungus guides, and the idea that the Nieucheu people once lived there is his own guess.
After crossing the Khingan hills by the Yal river, he is met by a Chinese official near the Naun river. He rests among the Daur people at the place he calls Xixigar and leaves on 28 September.
13October 1693
Taimingzingh
Probably the ruined Liao city at Ningcheng, Inner Mongolia · rough position
Riding south for days without seeing a house, the embassy passes two deserted walled cities. At the second Ides studies a tall eight-sided brick tower with carved figures, and stone lions and tortoises lying among the ruins.
Editorial contextAfter days of travel without seeing a single house, the embassy passed two deserted walled cities. At the second, Taimingzingh, stood two towers, the larger an octagon faced in brick, with carved stone panels telling 'several Histories' set on all eight sides. The description fits the octagonal brick pagodas that still stand at ruined towns of the Khitan Liao dynasty (907-1125) in this part of Inner Mongolia, though Ides himself gives no date or builder.
we reached another old desolate City, called Taimingzingh, fortified with a square Wall, and necessary Bulwarks: There are in it two Towers or Turrets, one very high and the other less: The largest was an Octagon, whose Front was built with Brick, and about ten Fathom from the Ground there was on each of the eight sides Stones placed, in which were carved several Histories.
Editorial contextLooking at the carvings on the ruined tower, Ides saw kings seated cross-legged, crowned queens with folded hands, and attendants with rays around their heads 'as Saints are commonly painted'. From the haloes he concluded that Christians must have built the tower. Other panels showed warriors with pikes 'after the Chinese manner' and figures with 'hideous Diabolical Visages'. Seated, haloed, crowned figures with guardians are typical of Buddhist pagoda reliefs, so this is Ides's own guess, not a local tradition.
Others shew us several Figures seeming to represent Queens folding their Hands together, with their Servants on each side: The Queens having Crowns on their Heads, and the other being adorned with Rays or Lustres, as Saints are commonly painted, and also folding their Hands: all which hints that this Tower must needs be built by Christians.
Stone lions, giant tortoises and a vanished Tartar king
Editorial contextInside the ruined city lay heaps of brick, life-size stone statues, gravestones, stone lions and huge stone tortoises, and hares ran in through the four empty gates. Ides guessed a khan had once lived there. His Chinese companions said that many centuries earlier a Tartar king called Utaichan ruled here until a Chinese king drove him out. In the hills nearby he saw brick turrets that he took for old Tartar tombs.
Several large heaps of Bricks lay in the City, besides a great many Stone Statues, as big as the Life, of Men, and Idols, Grave-Stones, great Stone Lions, and Tortoises of an uncommon largeness … The Chinese relate that many hundred Years past Utaichan, a Tartarian King, governed here, but was conquered and driven out of his Country by a Chinese King.
Ides enters the city with ninety riders and is received by the Kangxi emperor, who has a gold cup of kumis handed to him. He stays the winter, sees the New Year festival, and notes that Manchu 'Tartars' live inside the walls.
Editorial contextAt his audience in Peking, after questions translated by the Jesuit Gerbillon, Ides was handed a gold cup of 'Tartarian Liquor called Kumis' by the Kangxi Emperor himself, through the viceroy. The attendants told him it was a spirit made from mare's milk. His whole retinue was then served the same drink. The steppe drink had a place of honour at the Manchu court.
Upon which he gave the Viceroy a Gold Cup of Tartarian Liquor called Kumis, in order to hand it to me; which with due respect I accepted, and having tasted, returned it. This Kumis according to the report of the Attendants is a sort of Brandy distilled from Mares Milk.
Editorial contextDuring the New Year festival Ides noticed that women rode openly through the streets on donkeys and in carts, some ladies smoking pipes in public. He explains this by the fact that the walled inner city of Peking was lived in by 'Tartars', meaning the conquering Manchus, while the Chinese had to live around the walls and in the suburbs, where the markets were.
The Women never appear in publick in all China, except the Province of Peking only, and more especially the City, which is inhabited by Tartars; the Chinese being obliged to live all about the City Wall, and the Suburbs, where all the chief Markets, and publick Places of Sale, are.
Editorial contextIdes calls the Kangxi Emperor 'King of China and Tartary' and 'an East Tartar, or Mongalian', and says he favours his own people over the Chinese. On the next page he adds that a Chinese man seeking high office had to 'naturalize himself a Mansur or Tartar', and that most people inside Peking's walls were Tartars. Here 'Tartar' means the Manchus.
The present … or King of China and Tartary, is an East Tartar, or Mongalian, born in Nieucheu, near the River Sagahen Oula, or Amoer: He governs his Subjects very well, tho' he doth not heartily love the Chinese, but on all occasions prefers his own Nation before them
From Nerchinsk he returns by Udinsk, Irkutsk, Yeniseisk, the Ket and the Ob. He rests three weeks at Tobolsk and then takes the winter road over the Urals by Verkhoturye.
How sure is the line? The Russian towns and the dates come from Ides's own book and are firm, but the stretch from the Argun across Manchuria and eastern Inner Mongolia to the Great Wall is rough, because he names few places there that can be fixed today. The line joins the stops. It is not the exact road.
What is still uncertain (9 notes)
All dates are as printed in the 1706 English edition, which follows the old Russian calendar. Some day numbers are damaged in the scan I checked, so a few are given only to the month.
The day he left Peking reads as the 19th of February 1694 in the scanned text, but the digit is damaged. Some reference works give his return to Moscow as 1 February 1695, while the 1706 text says the first of January.
Taimingzingh is placed at the ruined Liao Central Capital at Ningcheng (Daming), which has a tall eight-sided brick pagoda with carved figures and a smaller one. The name and the towers fit, but Ides's count of travel days from the Naun seems short for that distance, so the match is likely rather than certain.
Ides does not name the gate where he passed the Great Wall. The towns he names next, which look like Jizhou and Tongzhou, point to the Xifengkou road, but this is my inference. On the return he says he went out by 'Galgan', so the two crossings may not be the same.
His 'Xixigar' was a frontier settlement beside the newly built town on the Naun river. I have placed it at modern Qiqihar, which is approximate.
The Vogul landing place on the Chusovaya is not named. It was some days below Utka, so the point is a rough position on the middle river.
The passage calling the emperor an 'East Tartar' comes from the closing survey (page 109), not the Peking chapters. I put it at Peking because it is Ides's own remark about the emperor and the city.
The date of the audience with the emperor is unclear in the scan (11th or 12th to 14th of November 1693), so the stop gives no day for it.
There are 18 stops, two over the suggested 16, because the return leg needed at least two waypoints to keep the line on the real route.