Nayan all this while was taking it quietly in his camp, and
his generals did not venture to attack the Emperor, suspecting an
ambuscade. Liting then took ten resolute men, and on approaching the
General's camp, caused a Fire-Pao to be discharged; the report caused a
great panic among Nayan's troops, who were very ill disciplined at the
best. Meanwhile the Chinese and Tartar troops had all come up, and Nayan
was attacked on all sides: by Liting at the head of the Chinese, by
Yusitemur at the head of the Mongols, by Tutuha and the Emperor in person
at the head of his guards and the troops of Kincha (Kipchak). The
presence of the Emperor rendered the army invincible, and Nayan's forces
were completely defeated. That prince himself was taken, and afterwards
put to death. The battle took place in the vicinity of the river Liao, and
the Emperor returned in triumph to Shangtu" (207). The Chinese record
given in detail by Pauthier is to the like effect, except as to the Kaan's
narrow escape, of which it says nothing.
As regards the Fire-Pao (the latter word seems to have been applied to
military machines formerly, and now to artillery), I must refer to Fave
and Reinaud's very curious and interesting treatise on the Greek fire (du
Feu Gregeois). They do not seem to assent to the view that the arms of
this description which are mentioned in the Mongol wars were cannon, but
rather of the nature of rockets.
[Dr. G. Schlegel (T'oung Pao, No. 1, 1902), in a paper entitled, On the
Invention and Use of Fire-Arms and Gunpowder in China, prior to the
Arrival of Europeans, says that "now, notwithstanding all what has been
alleged by different European authors against the use of gunpowder and
fire-arms in China, I maintain that not only the Mongols in 1293 had
cannon, but that they were already acquainted with them in 1232." Among
his many examples, we quote the following from the Books of the Ming
Dynasty: "What were anciently called P'ao were all machines for hurling
stones. In the beginning of the Mongol Dynasty (A.D. 1260), p'ao
(catapults) of the Western regions were procured. In the siege [in 1233]
of the city of Ts'ai chow of the Kin (Tatars), fire was for the first
time employed (in these p'ao), but the art of making them was not handed
down, and they were afterwards seldom used." - H. C.]
CHAPTER V.
HOW THE GREAT KAAN CAUSED NAYAN TO BE PUT TO DEATH.
And when the Great Kaan learned that Nayan was taken right glad was he,
and commanded that he should be put to death straightway and in secret,
lest endeavours should be made to obtain pity and pardon for him, because
he was of the Kaan's own flesh and blood.
