Thus Nayan had no warning of his coming
and was completely taken by surprise; insomuch that when the Great Kaan's
army came up, he was asleep in the arms of a wife of his of whom he was
extravagantly fond. So thus you see why it was that the Emperor equipped
his force with such speed and secrecy.
NOTE 1. - I am afraid Marco, in his desire to impress on his readers the
great power of the Kaan, is here giving the reins to exaggeration on a
great scale.
Ramusio has here the following explanatory addition: - "You must know that
in all the Provinces of Cathay and Mangi, and throughout the Great Kaan's
dominions, there are too many disloyal folk ready to break into rebellion
against their Lord, and hence it is needful in every province containing
large cities and much population, to maintain garrisons. These are
stationed four or five miles from the cities, and the latter are not
allowed to have walls or gates by which they might obstruct the entrance
of the troops at their pleasure. These garrisons as well as their
commanders the Great Khan causes to be relieved every two years; and
bridled in this way the people are kept quiet, and can make no
disturbance. The troops are maintained not only by the pay which the Kaan
regularly assigns from the revenues of each province, but also by the vast
quantities of cattle which they keep, and by the sale of milk in the
cities, which furnishes the means of buying what they require. They are
scattered among their different stations, at distances of 30, 40, or 60
days (from the capital); and had Cublay decided to summon but the half of
them, the number would have been incredible," etc.
[Palladius says (p. 37) that in the Mongol-Chinese documents, the Mongol
garrisons cantoned near the Chinese towns are mentioned under the name of
Aolu, but no explanation of the term is given. - H. C.]
The system of controlling garrisons, quartered at a few miles from the
great cities, is that which the Chinese followed at Kashgar, Yarkand, etc.
It is, in fact, our own system in India, as at Barrackpur, Dinapur,
Sikandarabad, Mian Mir.
CHAPTER IV.
OF THE BATTLE THAT THE GREAT KAAN FOUGHT WITH NAYAN.
What shall I say about it? When day had well broken, there was the Kaan
with all his host upon a hill overlooking the plain where Nayan lay in his
tent, in all security, without the slightest thought of any one coming
thither to do him hurt. In fact, this confidence of his was such that he
kept no vedettes whether in front or in rear; for he knew nothing of the
coming of the Great Kaan, owing to all the approaches having been
completely occupied as I told you. Moreover, the place was in a remote
wilderness, more than thirty marches from the Court, though the Kaan had
made the distance in twenty, so eager was he to come to battle with Nayan.
And what shall I tell you next? The Kaan was there on the hill, mounted on
a great wooden bartizan,[NOTE 1] which was borne by four well-trained
elephants, and over him was hoisted his standard, so high aloft that it
could be seen from all sides. His troops were ordered in battles of 30,000
men apiece; and a great part of the horsemen had each a foot-soldier armed
with a lance set on the crupper behind him (for it was thus that the
footmen were disposed of);[NOTE 2] and the whole plain seemed to be
covered with his forces. So it was thus that the Great Kaan's army was
arrayed for battle.
When Nayan and his people saw what had happened, they were sorely
confounded, and rushed in haste to arms. Nevertheless they made them ready
in good style and formed their troops in an orderly manner. And when all
were in battle array on both sides as I have told you, and nothing
remained but to fall to blows, then might you have heard a sound arise of
many instruments of various music, and of the voices of the whole of the
two hosts loudly singing. For this is a custom of the Tartars, that before
they join battle they all unite in singing and playing on a certain
two-stringed instrument of theirs, a thing right pleasant to hear. And so
they continue in their array of battle, singing and playing in this
pleasing manner, until the great Naccara of the Prince is heard to sound.
As soon as that begins to sound the fight also begins on both sides; and in
no case before the Prince's Naccara sounds dare any commence fighting.
[NOTE 3]
So then, as they were thus singing and playing, though ordered and ready
for battle, the great Naccara of the Great Khan began to sound. And that
of Nayan also began to sound. And thenceforward the din of battle began to
be heard loudly from this side and from that. And they rushed to work so
doughtily with their bows and their maces, with their lances and swords,
and with the arblasts of the footmen, that it was a wondrous sight to see.
Now might you behold such flights of arrows from this side and from that,
that the whole heaven was canopied with them and they fell like rain. Now
might you see on this side and on that full many a cavalier and man-at-
arms fall slain, insomuch that the whole field seemed covered with them.
From this side and from that such cries arose from the crowds of the
wounded and dying that had God thundered, you would not have heard Him!
For fierce and furious was the battle, and quarter there was none
given.[NOTE 4]
