▁of ▁Ang lo - S ax on ▁England ) ▁and ▁for ▁the ▁pre history ▁of ▁the ▁Tur ks ▁and ▁other ▁ste ppe ▁pe op les . ▁ ▁He ▁travel led ▁to ▁Nov gor od ▁with ▁the ▁Rus ' ▁and ▁compiled ▁books ▁rel ating ▁his ▁own ▁travel s , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁second - hand ▁knowledge ▁of ▁the ▁Kh az ars , ▁Mag y ars , ▁S lav s , ▁Bulg ars ▁and ▁other ▁pe op les . ▁ ▁He ▁wrote ▁of ▁a ▁ 1 0 th - century ▁city ▁of ▁the ▁Rus ': ▁" As ▁for ▁the ▁Rus , ▁they ▁live ▁on ▁an ▁island ▁… ▁that ▁takes ▁three ▁days ▁to ▁walk ▁round ▁and ▁is ▁covered ▁with ▁thick ▁under g row th ▁and ▁for ests ; ▁… ▁They ▁har ry ▁the ▁S lav s , ▁using ▁ships ▁to ▁reach ▁them ; ▁they ▁carry ▁them ▁off ▁as ▁slaves ▁and ▁… ▁sell ▁them . ▁They ▁have ▁no ▁fields ▁but ▁simply ▁live ▁on ▁what ▁they ▁get ▁from ▁the ▁S lav ' s ▁lands ▁… ▁When ▁a ▁son ▁is ▁born , ▁the ▁father ▁will ▁go ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁new born ▁baby , ▁sword ▁in ▁hand ; ▁throwing ▁it ▁down , ▁he ▁says , ▁' I ▁shall ▁not ▁leave ▁you ▁with ▁any ▁property : ▁You ▁have ▁only ▁what ▁you ▁can ▁provide ▁with ▁this ▁weapon .' " ▁▁ ▁His ▁impression ▁of ▁the ▁Rus ' ▁seems ▁to ▁be ▁very ▁fav ou rable : ▁" They ▁carry ▁clean ▁clothes ▁and ▁the ▁men ▁ad orn ▁themselves ▁with ▁bra ce lets ▁and ▁gold .