This was known also in Europe as Carabaga, Calabra, etc. It is
mentioned under the former name by Marino Sanudo, and under the latter,
with other quaintly-named engines, by William of Tudela, as used by Simon
de Montfort the Elder against the Albigenses: -
"E dressa sos Calabres, et foi Mal Vezina
E sas autras pereiras, e Dona, e Reina;
Pessia les autz murs e la sala peirina."[9]
("He set up his Calabers, and likewise his Ill-Neighbours,
With many a more machine, this the Lady, that the Queen,
And breached the lofty walls, and smashed the stately Halls.")
Now, in looking at the Chinese representations of their ancient mangonels,
which are evidently genuine, and of which I have given some specimens
(figs. I, 2, 3), I see none worked by the counterpoise; all (and there are
six or seven different representations in the work from which these are
taken) are shown as worked by man-ropes. Hence, probably, the improvement
brought from the West was essentially the use of the counterpoised lever.
And, after I had come to this conclusion, I found it to be the view of
Captain Fave. (See Du Feu Gregeois, by MM. Reinaud and Fave, p. 193.)
In Ramusio the two Polos propose to Kublai to make "mangani al modo di
Ponente"; and it is worthy of note that in the campaigns of Alauddin
Khilji and his generals in the Deccan, circa 1300, frequent mention is
made of the Western Manjaniks and their great power. (See Elliot, III.
75, 78, etc.)
Of the kind worked by man-ropes must have been that huge mangonel which
Mahomed Iba Kasim, the conqueror of Sind, set in battery against the great
Dagoba of Daubul, and which required 500 men to work it. Like Simon de
Montfort's it had a tender name; it was called "The Bride." (Elliot, I.
120.)
Before quitting this subject, I will quote a curious passage from the
History of the Sung Dynasty, contributed to the work of Reinaud and Fave
by M. Stanislas Julien: "In the 9th year of the period Hien-shun (A.D.
1273) the frontier cities had fallen into the hands of the enemy
(Tartars). The Pao (or engines for shooting) of the Bwei-Hwei
(Mahomedans) were imitated, but in imitating them very ingenious
improvements were introduced, and pao of a different and very superior
kind were constructed. Moreover, an extraordinary method was invented of
neutralising the effects of the enemy's pao. Ropes were made of
rice-straw 4 inches thick, and 34 feet in length. Twenty such ropes were
joined, applied to the tops of buildings, and covered with clay. In this
manner the fire-arrows, fire-pao, and even the pao casting stones of 100
Lbs. weight, could cause no damage to the towers or houses." (Ib.
