We Then Sorrowfully Parted, The Clerk Returning To
The Court Of Sartach, While We Remained Following The Court Of Baatu.
On
Assumption eve, 14th August, our clerk arrived at the court of Sartach, and
the next day the Nestorian priests were seen adorned in the vestments of
which they had deprived us.
[1] The Greater Bulgaria of our author seems to comprehend the provinces of
Astracan and Casan in Russia. - E.
SECTION XXII.
The Journey to the Court of Mangu-khan.
From the audience we were conducted to the dwelling of a person who was
ordered to provide us in lodging, food, and horses; but as we had no
presents to give, he treated us with great neglect. We travelled along with
Baatu, down the banks of the Volga for five weeks, and were often so much
in want of provisions, that my companion was sometimes so extremely hungry
as even to weep. For though there is always a fair or market following the
court, it was so far from us, that we, who were forced to travel on foot,
were unable to reach it. At length, some Hungarians, who had for some time
been looked upon as priests, found out, and relieved our distresses. One of
these was able to sing with a loud voice, and being considered by his
countrymen as a kind of priest, was employed at their funerals; the other
had been decently instructed in the Latin grammar, so that he understood
whatever we spoke to him deliberately, but was unable to make answer. These
men were a great consolation to us, as they supplied us with flesh and
cosmos. They requested some books from us, and it grieved me much that we
could not comply, having only one bible and a breviary. But I made them
bring some ink and paper, and I copied out for them the Hours of the
blessed Virgin, and the Office for the Dead. It happened one day that a
Comanian passing by saluted us in Latin, saying Salvete domini. Surprized
at this unusual salutation, I questioned him how he had learnt it, and he
told me he had been baptized in Hungary by our priests, who had taught him.
He said, likewise, that Baatu had inquired many things at him respecting
us, and that he had given him an account of the nature and rules of our
order. I afterwards saw Baatu riding with his company, who were the whole
of his subjects that were householders or masters of families, and in my
estimation they did not exceed 500 men.[1]
At length, about the Holyrood, 14th September, or festival of the
exaltation of the Holy Cross, there came to us a certain rich Moal, whose
father was a millenary or captain of a thousand horse, who informed us that
he had been appointed to conduct us. He informed us that the journey would
take us four months, and that the cold was so extreme in winter, as even to
tear asunder trees and stones with its force.
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