him, that not only during his stay in _Muscovy_, he found his Eyes much
Impair'd, by being reduc'd frequently to Travel in the Snow, but that the
Weakness of his Eyes did not Leave him when he left that Country, but has
follow'd him into these Parts, and yet continues to Trouble him. And to
this doth agree what I as well as others have observ'd, namely, that when I
Travell'd by Night, when the Ground was all cover'd with Snow, though the
Night otherwise would not have been Lightsome, yet I could very well see to
Choose my way. But much more Remarkable to my present purpose is that,
which I have met with in _Olaus Magnus_,[8] concerning the way of
Travelling in Winter in the _Northern_ Regions, where the Days of that
Season are so very Short; for after other things not needfull to be here
Transcribed: _Iter_, says he, _Diurnum duo scilicet montana milliaria (quæ
12 Italica sunt) consiciunt. Nocte verò sub splendissima luna, duplatum
iter consumunt aut triplatum. Neque id incommodè fit, cum nivium
reverberatione lunaris splendoris sublimes & declives campos illustret, ac
etiam montium præcipitia ac noxias feras à lorgè prospiciant evitandas_.
Which Testimony I the less Scruple to allege, because that it agrees very
well with what has been Affirm'd to me by a Physician of _Mosco_, whom the
Notion I have been Treating of concerning Whiteness invited me to ask
whether he could not See much farther when he Travell'd by Night in
_Russia_ than he could do in _England_, or elsewhere, when there was no
Snow upon the Ground; For this Ingenious Person inform'd me, that he could
See Things at a farr greater Distance, and with more Clearness, when he
Travell'd by Night on the _Russian_ Snow, though without the Assistance of
Moon-shine, than we in these Parts would easily be perswaded. Though it
seems not unlikely to me, that the Intenseness of the Cold may contribute
something to the considerableness of the Effect, by much Clearing the Air
of Darkish Steams, which in these more Temperate Climates are wont to
Thicken it in Snowy weather: For having purposely inquir'd of this Doctor,
and consulted that Ingenious Navigator Captain _James_'s Voyage hereafter