They marched for many days without any adventure to
speak of, and at last they reached a great plain which extends between the
Iron Gates and the Sea Of Sarain.[NOTE 2] In this plain he pitched his
camp in beautiful order; and I can assure you there was many a rich tent
and pavilion therein, so that it looked indeed like a camp of the wealthy.
Alau said he would tarry there to see if Barca and his people would come;
so there they tarried, abiding the enemy's arrival. This place where the
camp was pitched was on the frontier of the two kings. Now let us speak of
Barca and his people.[NOTE 3]
NOTE 1. - "Que marcesoit a le un et a le autre;" in Scotch phrase,
"which marched with both."
NOTE 2. - Respecting the Iron Gates, see vol. i. p. 53. The Caspian is here
called the Sea of Sarain, probably for Sarai, after the great city on
the Volga. For we find it in the Catalan Map of 1375 termed the Sea of
Sarra. Otherwise Sarain might have been taken for some corruption of
Shirwan. (See vol. i. p. 59, note 8.)
NOTE 3. - The war here spoken of is the same which is mentioned in the very
beginning of the book, as having compelled the two Elder Polos to travel
much further eastward than they had contemplated.
Many jealousies and heart-burnings between the cousins Hulaku and Barka
had existed for several years. The Mameluke Sultan Bibars seems also to
have stimulated Barka to hostility with Hulaku. War broke out in 1262,
when 30,000 men from Kipchak, under the command of Nogai, passed Derbend
into the province of Shirwan. They were at first successful, but
afterwards defeated. In December, Hulaku, at the head of a great army,
passed Derbend, and routed the forces which met him. Abaka, son of Hulaku,
was sent on with a large force, and came upon the opulent camp of Barka
beyond the Terek. They were revelling in its plunder, when Barka rallied
his troops and came upon the army of Abaka, driving them southward again,
across the frozen river. The ice broke and many perished. Abaka escaped,
chased by Barka to Derbend. Hulaku returned to Tabriz and made great
preparations for vengeance, but matters were apparently never carried
further. Hence Polo's is anything but an accurate account of the matter.
The following extract from Wassaf's History, referring to this war, is a
fine sample of that prince of rigmarole:
"In the winter of 662 (A.D. 1262-1263) when the Almighty Artist had
covered the River of Derbend with plates of silver, and the Furrier of the
Winter had clad the hills and heaths in ermine; the river being frozen
hard as a rock to the depth of a spear's length, an army of Mongols went
forth at the command of Barka Aghul, filthy as Ghuls and Devils of the
dry-places, and in numbers countless as the rain-drops," etc. etc.
(Golden Horde, p. 163 seqq.; Ilchan. I. 214 seqq.; Q.R. p. 393
seqq.; Q. Makrizi, I. 170; Hammer's Wassaf, p. 93.)
CHAPTER XXVI.
HOW BARCA AND HIS ARMY ADVANCED TO MEET ALAU.
<+>(Barca advances with 350,000 horse, encamps on the plain within 10
miles of Alau; addresses his men, announcing his intention of fighting
after 3 days, and expresses his confidence of success as they are in the
right and have 50,000 men more than the enemy.)
CHAPTER XXVII.
HOW ALAU ADDRESSED HIS FOLLOWERS.
<+>(Alau calls together "a numerous parliament of his worthies"[1] and
addresses them.)
[1] "Il asemble encore sez parlemant de grand quantites des buens homes."
CHAPTER XXVIII.
OF THE GREAT BATTLE BETWEEN ALAU AND BARCA.
<+>(Description of the Battle in the usual style, with nothing
characteristic. Results in the rout of Barca and great slaughter.)
CHAPTER XXIX.
HOW TOTAMANGU WAS LORD OF THE TARTARS OF THE PONENT.
You must know there was a Prince of the Tartars of the Ponent called
MONGOTEMUR, and from him the sovereignty passed to a young gentleman
called TOLOBUGA. But TOTAMANGU, who was a man of great influence, with the
help of another Tartar King called NOGAI, slew Tolobuga and got possession
of the sovereignty. He reigned not long however, and at his death TOCTAI,
an able and valiant man, was chosen sovereign in the place of Totamangu.
But in the meantime two sons of that Tolobuga who was slain were grown up,
and were likely youths, able and prudent.
So these two brothers, the sons of Totamangu, got together a goodly
company and proceeded to the court of Toctai. When they had got thither
they conducted themselves with great discretion, keeping on their knees
till Toctai bade them welcome, and to stand up. Then the eldest addressed
the Sovereign thus: "Good my Lord Toctai, I will tell you to the best of
my ability why we be come hither. We are the sons of Totamangu, whom
Tolobuga and Nogai slew, as thou well knowest. Of Tolobuga we will say no
more, since he is dead, but we demand justice against Nogai as the slayer
of our Father; and we pray thee as Sovereign Lord to summon him before
thee and to do us justice. For this cause are we come!"[NOTE 1]
(Toctai agrees to their demand and sends two messengers to summon Nogai,
but Nogai mocks at the message and refuses to go. Whereupon Toctai sends a
second couple of messengers.)
NOTE 1. - I have not attempted to correct the obvious confusion here; for
in comparing the story related here with the regular historians we find
the knots too complicated for solution.
In the text as it stands we first learn that Totamangu by help of Nogai
kills Tolobuga, takes the throne, dies, and is succeeded by Toctai.
