But Baatu Reproached Him For Daring To Use His Name
In His Cups, And Ordered His Head To Be Immediately Struck Off.
On my arrival at the court of Mangu-khan, I learnt, that the before
mentioned Germans had been removed from the jurisdiction of Baatu to a
place named Bolac, a months journey to the east of Talus, where they were
employed to dig for gold, and to fabricate arms.
In the before mentioned
town we learnt that Talas was near the mountains behind us, at the distance
of six days journey. From the before mentioned village near the
mountains[3], we went directly eastwards, coasting these mountains; and
from that time we travelled among the immediate subjects of Mangu-khan, who
in all places sang and danced in honour of our guide, because he was the
messenger of Baatu; it being the custom for the subjects of Mangu-khan to
receive the messengers of Baatu in this manner, and reciprocally, the
subjects of Baatu shew like honour to the messengers of Mnngu; yet the
subjects of Baatu are more independently spirited, and do not evince so
much courtesy. A few days afterwards, we entered upon the mountains where
the Cara-Catayans used to dwell, where we found a large river which we had
to pass in boats. We afterwards came to a cultivated valley, in which were
the ruins of a castle, which had been surrounded by walls of mud or earth.
After this we came to a large village called Equius, inhabited by
Mahometans, who spoke Persian, although so far removed from Persia.
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