Bessarabia

Sources from old books

1695. Thesaurus geographicus a new body of geography by Abel Swall and Tim. Child.

BESSARABIA, Bessarabia, together with part of PODOLIA and HUNGARY.

BESSARABIA is a very large Province of Europe, lying between Podolia, Moldavia and the Mouth of the River Danube, along the Coasts of the Black-Sea, to the North of Bulgaria. It is a Marshy Country, and inhabited chiefly by the Dobrussian Tartars. Its Principal Towns are these, viz.

TEKIN or Tigina, a large City and the Capital of the whole Province of Bessarabia, seated on the River Niester toward the Frontiers of Podolia, at the distance of 100 miles from Jazy to the North east.

KILIA-NOVA, a strong Town on the Danube, about 60 miles from Bialogrod to the South-west and 230 from Constantinople to the North.

BIALOGROD, or Akierman, a considerable Fortress on the Niester, and the chief Town of the Principality of Budziack, 42 miles from Ockzakow to the South-west, and 270 from Constantinople to the North.

OCZAKOW or Ockziakow, Axiace, is situated at the Fall of the River Borysthenes or Niester into the Euxine-Sea, 44 miles from Bialogrod to the North-east, and 290 fron Constantinople to the North. It is a Town of much Strength, having a Castle for its defence, which is garrisoned by the Turks, altho the Inhabitants are Precopensian Tartars. It was founded by Vitolaus Duke of Lithuania, and first peopled by his Subjects, giving its Name to the Neighbouring Tartars, who very much infest Podolia, Lithuania and Poland, insomuch that the King hath been sometimes obliged to pay them Tribute, to prevent their Incursions: Nevertheless the Polanders gave them a fatal Overthrow, A. D. 1644.

The Grand Signior, in like manner, still retains in his Possession some Places in Podolia, a Province in Poland, particularly,

CAMINIECK or Kaminieck Clepidava, Caminecia aut Camienicum, a very strong Town of the Ʋkraine, and the Capital of Podolia, being distant 72 miles from Zockzow to the North-west, 116 from Lemburg almost to the South-east, 280 from Cracow to the East, and 290 from Warsaw. It is a Bishop's See, subject to the Metropolitan of Lemburg, and remarkable for its advantagious Scituation on a steep Rock, near the Banks of the River Smortzyck, which a little lower falls into the Niester. The Turks made several Attempts in vain on this strong Hold, but having sustained much Damage by Fire, A. D. 1669. and afterward by a sharp Siege, in 1672. it was at last forced to submit to the Ottoman Yoke, the Polanders being then engaged in a Civil War among themselves, and the Town in an ill condition of Defence. It was blockt up by the Cossacks, under their General Motula, in the Month of April 1687. and the Polanders made Preparations to attack it in September following; but on the Approach of a numerous Army of Turks and Tartars, they were both oblig'd to Retire. Again, the Polish Forces encamping in the Neighbourhood made a kind of Blockado in 1688. and in 1689. having received fresh Recruits from Lithuania, invested the Place, and began a formal Attack on August 20th, but their Enterprize proving likewise unsuccessful, they raised the Siege in September next ensuing.

BAR, a Town of very great Strength on the River Row, in the Palatinate of Caminieck. It is as yet subject to the Dominion of the Turks, and stands on a Hill amidst the Marshes, about 70 miles from Caminieck to the North East, and 54 from Braslaw to the North-west.

As for those Towns in HƲNGARY that were not long-a-go possessed by the Turks, and have been lately reduced to the Emperor's Obedience; The Reader may find a Particular Account of them in the Description of that Kingdom.