They Fix These To Their Saddles, Along With Their Other
Baggage, And Tie The Whole To Their Horse's Tail, Sitting
Upon the whole
bundle as a kind of boat or float; and the man who guides the horse is made
To swim in a similar manner, sometimes having two oars to assist in rowing,
as it were, across the river. The horse is then forced into the river, and
all the other horses follow, and in this manner they pass across deep and
rapid rivers[1]. The poorer people have each a purse or bag of leather well
sewed, into which they pack up all their things, well tied up at the mouth,
which they hang to the tails of their horses, and thus swim across.
[1] This mode of passing over rivers, though carefully translated, is by no
means obviously described. I am apt to suppose that the leathern bags,
besides holding the apparel and other valuables, were large enough to
be blown up with air so as to serve as floats, like those used by the
ancient Macedonians; a practice which they may have learnt from the
Scythians. The Latin of Vincentius Beluacensis appears to have been
translated from the French original of Carpini, from the following
circumstance: What is here translated their other baggage is, in the
Latin, alias res duriores; almost with certainty mistakenly rendered
from the French leurs autres hardes. - E.
SECTION XVIII.
How the Tartars ought to be resisted.
No single kingdom or province can resist the Tartars, as they gather men
for war from every land that is subjected to their dominion; and if any
neighbouring province refuses to join them, they invade and lay it waste,
slaughtering the inhabitants or carrying them into captivity, and then
proceed against another nation. They place their captives in the front of
battle, and if they do not fight courageously they are put to the sword.
Wherefore, if the princes and rulers of Christendom mean to resist their
progress, it is requisite that they should make common cause, and oppose
them with united councils. They ought likewise to have many soldiers armed
with strong bows and plenty of cross-bows[1], of which the Tartars are much
afraid. Besides these, there ought to be men armed with good iron maces, or
with axes having long handles. The steel arrow-heads should be tempered in
the Tartar manner, by being plunged, while hot, into water mixed with salt,
that they may the better be able to penetrate the armour of the Tartars.
Our men ought likewise to have good swords, and lances with hooks to drag
them from their saddles, which is an easy matter; and ought to have good
helmets and armour of proof for themselves and horses: And those who are
not so armed ought to keep in the rear of those who are, to discharge their
arrows and quarrels over the heads of their companions.
Our armies ought to be marshalled after the order of the Tartars, already
described, and under the same rigorous laws of war. Whoever betakes himself
to plunder before victory is perfectly ascertained, should suffer death.
The field of battle ought to be chosen, if possible, in a plain, where
every thing may be seen around. The army should by no means be drawn up in
one body, but in many divisions, not too distant. One band ought to be
dispatched against those who first advance, while another remains prepared
to assist in time of need. Scouts ought to be sent out on every side, to
give notice of the approach of the enemy; that band may always be sent to
meet band as they come on, as the Tartars are always anxious to surround
their enemies. Each band ought however to be cautious not to pursue too far
when their enemies fly, lest they fall into a snare or ambush, as the
Tartars fight more by stratagem than by main force; and this the rather,
that our people may not fatigue their horses, in which we do not abound,
while the Tartars always have such numbers that they seldom remount one
horse, till after three or four days rest. Should even the Tartars retire
towards their own country, our army ought by no means to retreat or
separate; as they often practise this stratagem to delude their enemies and
induce them to divide, and then return suddenly to destroy the country at
their pleasure. Our generals ought to keep their troops day and night on
the alert, and always armed, ready for battle; as the Tartars are always
vigilant like the devils, and are ever devising how to commit mischief.
Finally, when a Tartar falls from his horse in battle, he ought immediately
to be taken or slain; as when on foot even they are excellent archers, and
destructive to men and horses[2].
[1] The word here used in the Latin, balistais, is probably
corrupted in transcription for balistariis; and may either mean
cross-bow-men, or men for working balistae, the ancient artillery, if
the expression be allowable. Arcubalistarii is the appropriate middle
age Latin for men armed with cross-bows. - E.
[2] Our good minorite seems in this chapter to have studied the
old proverb, fas est ab hoste doceri; but except in the leading
political advice of the section, he might have been better employed in
following the adage of ne sutor ultra crepidam. - E.
SECTION XIX.
Of the Journey of Friar John de Plano Carpini, to the First Guard of the
Tartars[1].
Setting out, by command from the apostolic See, upon our journey to the
Tartars, lest there might arise danger from their proximity to the church
of God, we came first to the king of Bohemia, with whom we were acquainted,
and who advised us to travel through Poland and Russia, because he had
kinsmen in Poland, through whose assistance we might be enabled to travel
in Russia; and he supplied us with recommendatory letters and passports,
giving us free passage as his charges through his dominions, whence we
proceeded to the court of Boleslaus, duke of Silesia, his nephew, who was
likewise known and friendly to us.
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