Of the Court of Zagathai, and how the Christians drink no Cosmos.
Next morning, we met the carts of Zagathai, laden with houses, and I
thought that a great city was travelling towards us. I was astonished at
the prodigious droves of oxen and horses, and the immense flocks of sheep,
though I saw very few men to guide them; which made me inquire how many men
he had under his command, and I was told he had not above 500 in all, half
of whom we had already passed at another station. Then the servant who
conducted us, informed me that it was requisite for us to make a present to
Zagathai, and desired us to stop while he went forwards, to announce our
arrival. It was then past three o'clock, and the Tartars unladed their
houses near a certain water. After this, the interpreter of Zagathai came
to us, and learning that we had not been before among them, he demanded
some of our victuals, which we gave him; he also required to have some
garments, as a reward for his trouble in interpreting for us to his master;
but we excused ourselves on account of our poverty. He then asked us what
we intended to present to his lord, when we shewed him a flaggon of wine,
and filled a basket with biscuit, and a platter with apples and other
fruits; but he was not satisfied, as we had not bought him some rich
stuffs.
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