Massa's report on the Russian road into Siberia, 'in Tartary'
A Dutch merchant's 1612 report, from Russian informants, on how Muscovy was taking over Siberia and the Samoyed and Tungus lands 'in Tartary'.
Full title Description and geographical delineation of the discovery of the strait ... together with the Russians route into Siberia and Tartary and a description of the Samoyed land (Latin edition of the Dutch 1612 tracts)
Isaac Massa (1586-1643), a Haarlem merchant who lived in Moscow from 1601 to 1609, secretly gathered Russian accounts and a Russian map of the routes into Siberia. The Amsterdam map-maker Hessel Gerritsz printed them in 1612, in Dutch and Latin, beside tracts on Hudson's strait and De Quirós's southern continent. Massa never went to Siberia himself: he tells how Russian merchants and officials found the way, founded forts and towns, and brought Samoyeds, Tungus and 'Tartars' under the Tsar. The corpus has the Latin 1612 and 1613 prints and two copies of the 1878 facsimile edition with F. J. Millard's English translation.
How they knew
From informants
Who “Tartar” means here
Mostly the Siberian Tatars along the Tura, Tobol and Irtysh, who live beside Russians and Samoyeds; also traders from 'Tartary' further south and the Tatars remembered at Tomsk. 'Tartary' itself is the whole northern Asian region where the Samoyed and Tungus lands lie.
Why read it
It is the earliest printed Western report of Russian Siberia, and it shows that in 1612 'Tartary' simply meant the unknown north of Asia that Muscovy was just then exploring and settling.
Watch out
Second-hand throughout: Massa relies on Russian informants and says his sources risked death for sharing state secrets. The English is an 1878 translation of the Dutch.
Tomsk: a new Russian castle on a site named by the Tartars
Editorial contextBoris Godunov ordered a town built on the upper Ob, and 'a fine castle was built with some other houses'. The Russians later heard that many Tartars had lived there, that the Tartars had named the place for its pleasantness, and that they had a king called Altijn. So the source credits the Russians with the building and the Tartars only with the earlier settlement and the name.
a fine castle was built with some other houses, so that it is now a fine city, called Toom, for they heard afterwards, that many Tartars had lived there, and it was reported those Tartars had given the city that name on account of its pleasantness. These Tartars had a king over them called Altijn
Isaac Massa's description of Siberia, as printed by Hessel Gerritsz in 1612 (English translation by F. J. Millard in the 1878 facsimile edition)
Editorial contextTobolsk, founded by the Russians in 1587, is described as the capital of the Siberian towns, seat of the Tsar's viceroy, where tribute from both sides of the Ob is collected and sent to Moscow. Tartars come from the south from far inside Tartary to trade. Massa adds a pointed comparison: would that the 'cruel Spaniards' had taken America as peacefully.
From Tinnen one reaches Tobolsca, the capital of the Siberian cities; there is the seat of Siberia and the supreme Viceroy of the Muscovites … Also Tartars from the south come at a great distance from Tartary, and many other nations who gradually arrive there, in proportion as the fame of the country spreads wider.
Isaac Massa's description of Siberia, as printed by Hessel Gerritsz in 1612 (English translation by F. J. Millard in the 1878 facsimile edition)
Editorial contextMassa describes how Moscow secured Siberia: strongholds were built in the plain along the Ob from big beams cut in the nearby forests, then filled with clay, and garrisoned. Settlers followed, and mixed communities of Poles, Tartars, Russians and others grew into towns. A plain account of Russian-built wooden forts, not inherited cities.
First some castles were built, for which large beams were supplied from the neighbouring forests and then filled up with clay; then these strongholds were filled with soldiers, while many people were sent thither daily, and in time, formed large communities composed of Poles, Tartars, Russians and other nations.
Isaac Massa's description of Siberia, as printed by Hessel Gerritsz in 1612 (English translation by F. J. Millard in the 1878 facsimile edition)
Editorial contextOn the route down the Tura below Verkhoturye, Massa notes that the country is now inhabited by Tartars and Samoyeds who live by keeping cattle and also have boats. On the page before he mentions 'wild Tartars and Samoyeds' in the Ural forests who hunt costly furs for the Muscovites.
This place is now inhabited by Tartars and Samoyeds, who keep cattle as a means of subsistence, and have boats besides.
Isaac Massa's description of Siberia, as printed by Hessel Gerritsz in 1612 (English translation by F. J. Millard in the 1878 facsimile edition)
Old maps of Tartary drawn before even the Russians knew it
Editorial contextIn his preface Gerritsz attacks a German doctor, Helisaeus Röslin, who claimed ships could sail round Nova Zembla to Cathay. Röslin's 'absurdities', he says, rest on maps of Tartary drawn in very old times, when the Russians themselves did not know the country. A sharp early warning that the big 'Tartary' of old maps was guesswork.
This was also done by a certain Heliseus Röslin, a doctor of Hanau … in which (after many absurdities which he grounds on the maps drawn of Tartary from very old times, when the Russians themselves were unacquainted with it) he says: that the nearer the pole the warmer it is in summer time
Hessel Gerritsz, preface to the 1612 Dutch tracts (English translation by F. J. Millard in the 1878 facsimile edition)
Editorial contextThe Latin title page of Gerritsz's 1612 collection announces Isaac Massa's description of the Samoyed and Tungus regions 'lying in Tartary', recently acquired by the Muscovite empire, with a Russian map translated into Latin. Here 'Tartary' is simply the name of the far north-east of Asia, not a kingdom.
Isaac Massa of Haarlem's description of Samoyedia and Tingoesia, regions lying in Tartary to the east beyond the Vaygach Strait, and recently acquired by the Muscovite Empire
Working translation
Original wording
Isaaci Massae Harlemensis Samoiediae atque Tingoessae, regionum ad Orientem ultra Fretum Weygats in Tartaria sitarum, nuperque Imperio Moscovitico adquisitarum descriptio
Hessel Gerritsz, title page (Latin version by R. Vitellius)
The golden old woman and the monstrous people beyond the Ob
Editorial contextGerritsz explains that earlier knowledge of the road to the Ob came from a Russian itinerary published by Herberstein, into which 'innumerable fables' had been mixed: the Zolotaya Baba or golden old woman with her children, and monstrous people beyond the Ob. He offers Massa's newer information as a correction.
a travel from the Moscow to Colmogro, described by the Russians and thence on Petzora where the nations received the Christian faith in the year 1518, and further to the Ovy, and still a little further onward, in which innumerable fables have been mixed up of Slatababa, the golden old woman with her children, and the monstruous people beyond the Oby.
Hessel Gerritsz, preface to the 1612 Dutch tracts (English translation by F. J. Millard in the 1878 facsimile edition)
Editorial contextTungus sent east by the Russians met strangers who, by signs, said that thunder and a great noise of people were often heard across a river they called Pesida, repeating 'om-om'. The Muscovites decided this must be the sound of bells, and Massa guessed it was the edge of Cathay. A lovely example of how rumour pushed the map of 'Tartary' eastward.
only by signs and gestures, they made out so much that thunder was often heard on the other side by their saying: om-om; and also a dreadful noise and rumour of human beings; they pointed to the river, saying: Pesida … From the words om-om, the Muscovites afterwards came to the conclusion, that it must be the sound of bells
Isaac Massa's description of Siberia, as printed by Hessel Gerritsz in 1612 (English translation by F. J. Millard in the 1878 facsimile edition)
About unknown people reported by Tungus and Tartar guides
Keep in mind
Third-hand rumour interpreted by signs; nothing was found.
The fine print
How we know
informant testimony Written down from what informants reported.
informant testimony: Massa, resident in Moscow 1601-1609, wrote down Russian accounts of the routes into Siberia and the Samoyed country and copied a Russian map; Gerritsz compiled and printed them
Research notes
Massa credits Russian informants and a Russian map; Gerritsz reprinted with his own additions; the 1878 reprint by S. Muller Fz. supplies the Dutch text and an English translation by F. J. Millard. Multiple 1612/1613 states differ (Muller essay).
Also a map source: the Massa Siberia map (Caerte van t Noorderste Russen, Samojeden ende Tingoesen landt) is printed in the tracts; sample image not separately verified.
Why it matters
Earliest printed Western European report and map of the Russian routes into Siberia and the Ob basin, explicitly labelled Tartary; the base for the Siberian portions of the Hondius and Blaeu Russia maps. Shows how much of "Tartary" in 1612 rested on Russian informants transmitted by a Dutch merchant.