444 ROBINSON CRUSOE.

and unfit for use ; and more especially being so very remote,
and so difficult to send troops thither for its defence: for we
were yet above two thousand miles from Muscovy, properly so
called.

After this, we passed several great rivers, and two dreadful
deserts ; one of which we were sixteen days passing over, and
which, as I said, was to be called no man’s land 3 and, on the
13th of April, we came to the frontiers of the Muscovite do-
minions, I think the first town, or fortress, whichever it may
be called, that belonged to the Czar of Muscovy, was called
Arguna, being on the west side of the River Arguna.

I could not but discover an infinite satisfaction that I was
So soon arrived in, as I called it, a Christian country, or, at
least, in a country governed by Christians ; for though the Mus-
covites do, in my opinion, but just deserve the name of Chris-
tians, yet such they pretend to be, and are very devout in theif
way. It would certainly occur to any man who travels the
world as I have done, and who had any power of reflection,
what a blessing it is to be brought into the world where the
name of God and a Redeemer js known, adored, and wor-
shipped ; and not where the people, given up by Heaven to
strong delusions, worship the devil, and prostrate themselves
to stocks and stones ; worship monsters, elements, horrid-shaped
animals, and statues or images of monsters, Not a town or
city we passed through but had their pagodas, their idols, and
their temples, and ignorant people worshipping even the works
of their own hands. Now we came where, at least, a face of
the Christian worship appeared ; where the knee was bowed to
Jesus ; and whether ignorantly or not, yet the Christian religion
was owned, and the name of the true God was called upon and
adored ; and it made my soul rejoice to see it, I saluted the
brave Scots merchant I mentioned above with my first acknowl-
edgment of this; and taking him by the hand, I said to him,
“ Blessed be God, we are once again amongst Christians.” He
smiled and answered, “Do not rejoice too soon, countryman ;
these Muscovites are but an odd sort of Christians ; and but
for the name of it, you may see very little of the substance for
some months farther of our journey.” “ Well,” says I, “but stil}
it is better than Paganism and worshipping of devils.” ‘Why,
I will tell you,” says he ; “ except the Russian soldiers in the
garrisons, and a few of the inhabitants of the cities upon the
toad, all the rest of this country, for above a thousand mil
farther, is inhabited by the worst and most ignorant of Pagans,
And so, indeed, we found it,