On Our Arrival, These Merchants
Advised Me To Be Cautious Of What I Said; For, As They Had Already Reported
That I Was An Ambassador, If I Should Now Say The Contrary, I Should Be
Refused A Free Passage.
Upon this, I addressed myself to the lieutenants of
the city, because the captains had gone with the tribute to Baatu, and were
not yet returned:
Saying, "We have heard in the Holy Land, that your lord
Sartach[6] had become a Christian, which hath greatly rejoiced all the
Christians, and especially the most Christian King of the French, who is
there in pilgrimage, fighting against the Saracens, that he may redeem the
Holy Land out of their hands: Wherefore, I desire to go to Sartach, that I
may carry him letters from the king my master, in which he gives him
intelligence of importance to all Christendom." They received us
graciously, and entertained us hospitably in the cathedral church; The
bishop had been at the court of Sartach, and told me many good things
concerning him, which I did not find afterwards to be true. They then gave
us our choice, either to have carts drawn by oxen, for carrying our
baggage, or sumpter horses; and the Constantinopolitan merchants advised me
to purchase covered carts, like those in which the Russians carry their
peltry, in which I should put every thing which was wanted for daily use;
because, if I were to take packhorses, I should be constrained to pack and
unpack at every baiting place, and that besides, I should ride more easily
in the carts than on horseback. By following their evil advice, I was two
months in travelling to Sartach, which I might have accomplished in one on
horseback. I had brought with me from Constantinople fruits of various
kinds, muscadel wine, and delicate biscuits, to present to the captains,
that I might obtain free passage, having been advised by the merchants,
that these persons gave a very cold reception to such as applied to them
empty handed. The governors or captains being absent, I caused all these
things to be packed up in one of the carts, being informed that they would
be acceptable presents to Sartach.
We began our journey about the beginning of June, having four covered carts
of our own, and two others which they furnished to us, in which we carried
our bedding, and we were allowed five riding horses for ourselves, our
company consisting of five persons; viz. myself and my companion, Friar
Bartholomew of Cremona, Goset, the bearer of these letters, the man of God
Turgeman[7], and a servant or slave, named Nicholas, whom I had purchased
at Constantinople, out of the alms we had received. The people of Soldaia
likewise allowed us two men to drive our carts, and to take care of our
horses and oxen.
There are several lofty promontories on the shore of Casaria, between
Kersova[8] and the mouth of the Tanais; and there are forty castles between
Kersova and Soldaia, at almost each of which a distinct language is spoken;
and among these are many Goths who speak the Teutonic language[9]. Beyond
these mountains, towards the north, extends a most beautiful wood, in a
plain, which is full of springs and rivulets; and beyond this wood is an
extensive plain, continuing for five days journey to the northern extremity
of this province, where it contracts into a narrow space, having the sea on
the east and west, and a great ditch is drawn between these two seas.
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