We still found one large
town named Cailac, in which was a market frequented by many merchants; and
we remained fifteen days at this place, waiting for one of Baatu's scribes,
who was to assist our guide in the management of certain affairs at the
court of Mangu. This country used to be called Organum[6], and the people
Organa, as I was told, because the people were excellent performers on the
organ[7] or lute; and they had a distinct language and peculiar manner of
writing. It was now entirely inhabited by the Contomanni, whose language
and writing are used by the Nestorians of these parts. I here first saw
idolaters, of whom there are many sects in the east.
[1] The person here alluded to was a monk named Andrew Luciumel, who had
been sent ambassador, by the pope, to the emperor of the Mongals, in
1247 or 1248, with the same views as in the missions of Carpini and
Asceline at the same period; but of his journey we have no account
remaining. - E
[2] It is exceedingly difficult, or rather impossible, to trace the steps
of the travels of Rubruquis, for want of latitudes, longitudes, and
distances, and names of places. After passing the Volga and Ural or
Jaik, he seems to have travelled east in the country of the Kirguses,
somewhere about the latitude of 50 deg.. N. to between the longitudes of
65 deg.. and 70 deg.. E. then to have struck to the south across the Kisik-tag
into Western Turkestan, in which the cultivated vale may have been on
the Tshui or the Talas rivers. - E
[3] Probably near the north side of the Arguin or Alak mountains. - E.
[4] This position of Rubruquis is sufficiently distinct: Having ferried
over the river Tshui, and crossed the Jimbai mountains, the route now
lay between the Alak mountain on his right, or to the south, and the
lake of Balkash or Palkati Nor, to the left or north. - E.
[5] The Kisik-tag, which he had before passed in descending into Western
Turkestan. - E.
[6] This absurd derivation of the name of the country and people, is
unworthy of credit. Organum was probably the country called Irgonekan
or Irganakon by Abulgari; and the word signifies a valley surrounded
by steep mountains, exactly correspondent with the description in the
text. - Forst.
[7] The Contomanni or Kontomanians, were probably a Mongal tribe,
originally inhabiting the banks of the Konta or Khonda, who had
afterwards settled on the banks of the river Ili and lake of Balkash.
- Forst.
SECTION XXVI.
How the Nestorians and Mahometans are mixed with Idolaters.
In the first place arc the Jugurs, whose country borders upon the land of
Organum among the mountains towards the east, and in all their towns
Nestorians and Mahometans are mixed among the natives.
