Having Received Our
Gifts, We Were Conducted To The Orda Or Tent Of The Duke Corrensa, And
Instructed To Bow
Our left knee thrice before his door, taking great care
not to set our feet on the threshold; and when
Entered, we were to repeat
on our knees the words which we had said before. This done, we presented
the letters of the Pope; but the interpreter whom we had hired at Kiow, was
not able to explain them sufficiently, nor could any one be found equal to
the task.
From this place post-horses were appointed to conduct us with all speed to
duke Baatu, under the guidance of three Tartars. This Baatu is the most
powerful prince among them, next to their emperor. We began our journey to
his court on the first Tuesday in Lent, and riding as fast as we could
trot, though we changed our horses twice or thrice every day, and often
travelled in the night, it was Maunday Thursday before we accomplished our
journey. The whole of this journey was through the land of Comania, which
is all an uniform plain, watered by four large rivers. The first of these
is the Dnieper or Boristhenes; on the Russian side of which the dukes
Corrensa and Montij march up and down, the latter, who marches on the other
side of the plains, being the more powerful of the two[1]. The second
river is the Don, or Tanais of the ancients, on the banks of which a
certain prince, named Tirbon, sojourns, who is married to the daughter of
Baatu. The third and largest is the Volga or Rha, on which Baatu resides.
The fourth is the Jaik or Rhymnus, on each bank of which a millenary
commands. All these descend southwards in winter to the sea, and travel in
summer up these rivers, towards the northern mountains. All these rivers,
especially the Volga, abound in fish, and run into the great sea, from
which the arm of St George extends past Constantinople[2]. While on the
Dnieper, we travelled many days upon the ice; and on the shore of the sea
we found the ice three leagues broad. Before our arrival at the residence
of Baatu, two of our Tartars rode on before, to give him an account of what
we had said to Corrensa.
[1] It is difficult to understand the ambiguity here used, unless we
suppose that the station of Montij was on the right bank of the
Dnieper; while certainly that of Corrensa was on the left or
north-east bank. - E.
[2] The Euxine and Caspian are here confounded as one sea. It is scarcely
necessary to observe, that the Dnieper and Don run into the Euxine,
while the Volga and Jaik, or Ural, are discharged into the Caspian.
- E.
SECTION XXII
The Reception of Carpini at the Court of Baatu.
When we arrived at the residence of Baatu, in the land of Comania, we were
ordered to pitch our tent a full league from his station, and when we were
to be introduced at his court, we were informed that it was previously
necessary for us to pass between two fires. We refused this at first, but
were told there was no danger, and that it was only precautionary, in case
we intended any mischief to their lord, or should have brought poison along
with us, as the fire would remove all evil. On which we complied, that we
might remove all suspicion of any such sinister intentions. After this,
when we came to the orda, we were questioned by Eldegay, the agent of the
prince, respecting the gifts we meant to offer; and making the same reply
we had given at the court of Corrensa, our gifts were offered and accepted;
and having declared the object of our journey, we were introduced into the
presence, making our obeisances, and were admonished respecting the
threshold, as formerly mentioned. We then rehearsed our former oration on
our knees, and produced our letters, and requested the aid of interpreters
to translate them. These were sent us on Good Friday, and, with their
assistance, our letters were carefully translated into the Russian,
Tartarian, and Saracen languages, and presented to Baatu, who read them
with attention. We were then conducted back to our lodging, but no food was
given us, except a little millet in a dish, on the first evening of our
arrival.
Baatu carries himself with great magnificence, having porters, and all
other officers, after the manner of the emperor, and sits in an elevated
place, like a throne, along with one of his wives. Some of his brothers,
and sons, and nobles, sit below him, on benches, and all others on the
ground, behind the rest, the men being on his right, and the women on his
left. He uses some beautiful and large linen tents, which formerly belonged
to the king of Hungary; and no person, however great, presumes to enter his
tent without leave, except his own family. At this interview we were seated
on his left hand, but on our return from the emperor, we were placed on the
right. A table stands near the door of the tent or house, on which there is
abundance of drink, in golden and silver vessels. Neither Baatu, nor any of
the Tartar princes, drink in public, without having singers and harpers
playing before them. When he rides, there is a small tent, canopy, or
umbrella, carried over his head, on the point of a spear; and the same is
done to all the Tartar princes and their wives. Baatu is extremely
courteous to his people, yet is held in great awe; he is exceedingly
sagacious, crafty in war, and inexorably cruel in battle, and has been long
experienced in the conduct of warlike enterprises.
SECTION XXIII.
The Journey through the Land of Comania, and of the Kangittae.
On Easter eve we were again called to the court, and Eldegay, whom we have
mentioned before as the agent of Baatu, came out to us from the tent,
saying that we must go forwards to the court of their emperor:
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