Caidu With All His Host, Amounting To 60,000 Horse, Engaged The Kaan's Two
Barons, Those Cousins Of His, Who Had Also A Great Force Amounting To More
Than 60,000 Horsemen, And There Was A Great Battle.
In the end the Barons
were beaten, and Caidu and his people won the day.
Great numbers were
slain on both sides, but the two brother Barons escaped, thanks to their
good horses. So King Caidu returned home swelling the more with pride and
arrogance, and for the next two years he remained at peace, and made no
further war against the Kaan.
However, at the end of those two years King Caidu assembled an army
composed of a vast force of horsemen. He knew that at Caracoron was the
Great Kaan's son NOMOGAN, and with him GEORGE, the grandson of Prester
John. These two princes had also a great force of cavalry. And when King
Caidu was ready he set forth and crossed the frontier. After marching
rapidly without any adventure, he got near Caracoron, where the Kaan's son
and the younger Prester John were awaiting him with their great army, for
they were well aware of Caidu's advance in force. They made them ready for
battle like valiant men, and all undismayed, seeing that they had more
than 60,000 well-appointed horsemen. And when they heard Caidu was so near
they went forth valiantly to meet him. When they got within some 10 miles
of him they pitched their tents and got ready for battle, and the enemy
who were about equal in numbers did the same; each side forming in six
columns of 10,000 men with good captains. Both sides were well equipped
with swords and maces and shields, with bows and arrows, and other arms
after their fashion. You must know that the practice of the Tartars going
to battle is to take each a bow and 60 arrows. Of these, 30 are light with
small sharp points, for long shots and following up an enemy, whilst the
other 30 are heavy, with large broad heads which they shoot at close
quarters, and with which they inflict great gashes on face and arms, and
cut the enemy's bowstrings, and commit great havoc. This every one is
ordered to attend to. And when they have shot away their arrows they take
to their swords and maces and lances, which also they ply stoutly.
So when both sides were ready for action the Naccaras began to sound
loudly, one on either side. For 'tis their custom never to join battle
till the Great Naccara is beaten. And when the Naccaras sounded, then the
battle began in fierce and deadly style, and furiously the one host dashed
to meet the other. So many fell on either side that in an evil hour for
both it was begun! The earth was thickly strewn with the wounded and the
slain, men and horses, whilst the uproar and din of battle was so loud you
would not have heard God's thunder! Truly King Caidu himself did many a
deed of prowess that strengthened the hearts of his people. Nor less on
the other side did the Great Kaan's son and Prester John's grandson, for
well they proved their valour in the medley, and did astonishing feats of
arms, leading their troops with right good judgment.
And what shall I tell you? The battle lasted so long that it was one of
the hardest the Tartars ever fought. Either side strove hard to bring the
matter to a point and rout the enemy, but to no avail. And so the battle
went on till vesper-tide, and without victory on either side. Many a man
fell there; many a child was made an orphan there; many a lady widowed;
and many another woman plunged in grief and tears for the rest of her
days, I mean the mothers and the araines of those who fell.[NOTE 2]
So when they had fought till the sun was low they left off, and retired
each side to its tents. Those who were unhurt were so dead tired that they
were like to drop, and the wounded, who were many on both sides, were
moaning in their various degrees of pain; but all were more fit for rest
than fighting, so gladly they took their repose that night. And when
morning approached, King Caidu, who had news from his scouts that the
Great Kaan was sending a great army to reinforce his son, judged that it
was time to be off; so he called his host to saddle and mounted his horse
at dawn, and away they set on their return to their own country. And when
the Great Kaan's son and the grandson of Prester John saw that King Caidu
had retired with all his host, they let them go unpursued, for they were
themselves sorely fatigued and needed rest. So King Caidu and his host
rode and rode, till they came to their own realm of Great Turkey and to
Samarcand; and there they abode a long while without again making war.
[NOTE 3]
NOTE 1. - The names are uncertain. The G.T. has "one of whom was called
Tibai or Ciban"; Pauthier, as in the text.
The phrase about their being Kaidu's kinsmen is in the G.T., "qe
zinzinz (?) meisme estoient de Caidu roi."
NOTE 2. - Araines for Harims, I presume. In the narrative of a merchant
in Ramusio (II. 84, 86) we find the same word represented by Arin and
Arino.
NOTE 3. - The date at the beginning of the chapter is in G.T., and
Pauthier's MS. A, as we have given it. Pauthier substitutes 1276, as that
seems to be the date approximately connecting Prince Numughan with the
wars against Kaidu. In 1275 Kublai appointed Numughan to the command of
his N.W. frontier, with Ngantung or 'Antung, an able general, to assist
him in repelling the aggressions of Kaidu.
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