Being engaged under orders
from him on distant expeditions to conquer divers countries and provinces.
If he had waited to summon all his troops, the multitude assembled would
have been beyond all belief, a multitude such as never was heard of or
told of, past all counting. In fact, those 360,000 horsemen that he got
together consisted merely of the falconers and whippers-in that were about
the court![NOTE 1]
And when he had got ready this handful (as it were) of his troops, he
ordered his astrologers to declare whether he should gain the battle and
get the better of his enemies. After they had made their observations,
they told him to go on boldly, for he would conquer and gain a glorious
victory: whereat he greatly rejoiced.
So he marched with his army, and after advancing for 20 days they arrived
at a great plain where Nayan lay with all his host, amounting to some
400,000 horse. Now the Great Kaan's forces arrived so fast and so suddenly
that the others knew nothing of the matter. For the Kaan had caused such
strict watch to be made in every direction for scouts that every one that
appeared was instantly captured.
