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"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.
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