But it was to the effect that he was divinely commanded to give
her away; and this he did next morning!
(Rawlins. Herod. IV. 67; Amm. Marcell. XXXI. 2; Delvio, Disq. Magic.
558; Mendoza, Hak. Soc. I. 47; Doolittle, 435-436; Hist. of
Genghizcan, pp. 52-53; Preston's al-Hariri, p. 183; P. della V. II.
865-866; Vigne, I. 46; D'Ohsson, I. 418-419).
[1] [On the Chinese divining-twig, see Dennys, Folk-lore of China,
57. - H. C.]
[2] [With reference to this passage from Rubruck, Mr. Rockhill says
(195, note): "The mode of divining here referred to is apparently the
same as that described by Polo. It must not however be confounded with
rabdomancy, in which bundles of wands or arrows were used." Ammianus
Marcellinus (XXXI. 2. 350) says this mode of divination was practised
by the Alans. "They have a singular way of divining: they take
straight willow wands and make bundles of them, and on examining them
at a certain time, with certain secret incantations, they know what is
going to happen." - H. C.]
CHAPTER L.
THE BATTLE BETWEEN CHINGHIS KAAN AND PRESTER JOHN.
[Illustration: Death of Chinghiz Khan. (From a miniature in the Livre des
Merveilles.)]
And after both sides had rested well those two days, they armed for the
fight and engaged in desperate combat; and it was the greatest battle that
ever was seen. The numbers that were slain on both sides were very great,
but in the end Chinghis Kaan obtained the victory. And in the battle
Prester John was slain. And from that time forward, day by day, his
kingdom passed into the hands of Chinghis Kaan till the whole was
conquered.
I may tell you that Chinghis Kaan reigned six years after this battle,
engaged continually in conquest, and taking many a province and city and
stronghold. But at the end of those six years he went against a certain
castle that was called CAAJU, and there he was shot with an arrow in the
knee, so that he died of his wound. A great pity it was, for he was a
valiant man and a wise.[NOTE 1]
I will now tell you who reigned after Chinghis, and then about the manners
and customs of the Tartars.
NOTE 1. - Chinghiz in fact survived Aung Khan some 24 years, dying during
his fifth expedition against Tangut, 18th August 1227, aged 65 according
to the Chinese accounts, 72 according to the Persian. Sanang Setzen says
that Kurbeljin Goa Khatun, the beautiful Queen of Tangut, who had passed
into the tents of the conqueror, did him some bodily mischief (it is not
said what), and then went and drowned herself in the Karamuren (or
Hwang-ho), which thenceforth was called by the Mongols the Khatun-gol, or
Lady's River, a name which it in fact still bears.
