The Whole Of This House
Can Be Easily Pulled Down And Taken To Pieces, Like A Tent, And Readily Set
Up again, as it is all built of cane, and very light; and when it is
erected, it is fastened
By two hundred silken ropes, after the manner of
tent cords, to prevent it from being thrown down by the winds. Every thing
is arranged in this place for the pleasure and convenience of the khan, who
spends three months here annually, in June, July, and August; but on the
twenty-eighth day of August he always leaves this, to go to some other
place, for the performance of a solemn sacrifice. Always on the twentieth
day of August, he is directed by the astrologers and sorcerers, to sprinkle
a quantity of white mares milk, with his own hands, as a sacrifice to the
gods and spirits of the air and the earth, in order that his subjects,
wives, children, cattle, and corn, and all that he possesses, may flourish
and prosper. The khan has a stud of horses and mares all pure white, nearly
ten thousand in number; of the milk of which none are permitted to drink,
unless those who are descended from Zingis-khan, excepting one family,
named Boriat, to whom this privilege was granted by Zingis, on account of
their valour. These white horses are held in such reverence, that no one
dare go before them, or disturb them in their pastures.
There are two sects of idolatrous priests, called Chebeth and Chesmu, who
ascend the roof of the palace in the midst of storms, and persuade the
people they are so holy, that they can prevent any rain from falling on the
roof.
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