My Only Comfort
Was, That I Had Secretly Removed The Bible And Some Other Books, On Which I
Set A Great Store, When I First Discovered Their Covetous Intentions; But I
Did Not Venture To Abstract The Psalter, Because It Was So Particularly
Distinguished By Its Beautifully Gilded Illuminations.
When the person came
who was appointed to be our guide to the court of Baatu, I represented to
Him the necessity of leaving our other carts behind, as we were to travel
post; and on this being reported to Coiat, he consented to take charge of
these, and of our servant. Before leaving the residence of Sartach, Coiat
and other scribes desired that we should by no means represent their lord
to Baatu as a Christian, but as a Moal: for though they believe some things
concerning Christ, they are very unwilling to be called Christians, which
they consider as a national appellation; and they look upon their own name
of Moal as worthy to be exalted above all others. Neither do they allow
themselves to be called Tartars: as that is the name of another nation,
according to the information I received at this place. Leaving the station
of Sartach, we travelled directly eastwards for three days, on the last of
which we came to the Etilia or Volga, and I wondered much from what regions
of the north such mighty streams should descend.
SECTION XIX.
Of the Reverence shewn by Sartach, Mangu-khan, and Ken-chan, to the
Christians.
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