In This Region We Saw Vines Growing, And Drank Twice Of Their Wines.
SECTION XXV
Of the Execution of Ban, and concerning the residence of certain Germans.
The next day we came to another village nearer to the mountains, which, I
understood, were called Caucasus, and that they reached from the eastern to
the western sea, even passing the Caspian to the west. I likewise inquired
concerning the town of Talas, in which, according to Friar Andrew [1],
there were certain Germans in the service of one Buri and I had formerly
made inquiries concerning them at the courts of Sartach and Baatu[2]. But I
could only learn, that their master, Ban, had been put to death on the
following occasion. This Ban happened to have his appointed residence in
inferior pastures, and one day when drunk, he said to his people, that
being of the race of Zingis as well as Baatu, whose brother or nephew he
was, he thought himself entitled to feed his flocks on the fine plains of
the Volga as freely as Baatu himself. These speeches were reported to
Baatu, who immediately wrote to the servants of Ban to bring their lord
bound before him. Then Baatu demanded whether he had spoken the words,
which were reported, and Ban acknowledged them, but pled that he was drunk
at the time, and it is usual among the Tartars to forgive the words and
actions of drunk men. 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. On the
day following, having passed those Alps which descend from the high
mountains towards the south, we entered a most beautiful plain, having high
mountains upon our right hand, and a sea or lake on our left, which is
fifteen days journey in circumference[4]. This plain is watered or
irrigated at will, by means of streams descending from these mountains, all
of which fall into the before mentioned lake. In the subsequent summer we
returned by the north side of this lake, where likewise there are great
mountains[5]. In this plain there used to be many towns; but most of these
have been destroyed by the Tartars, that the excellent lands around them
might be converted into pastures for their cattle. We still found one large
town named Cailac, in which was a market frequented by many merchants; and
we remained fifteen days at this place, waiting for one of Baatu's scribes,
who was to assist our guide in the management of certain affairs at the
court of Mangu. This country used to be called Organum[6], and the people
Organa, as I was told, because the people were excellent performers on the
organ[7] or lute; and they had a distinct language and peculiar manner of
writing. It was now entirely inhabited by the Contomanni, whose language
and writing are used by the Nestorians of these parts. I here first saw
idolaters, of whom there are many sects in the east.
[1] The person here alluded to was a monk named Andrew Luciumel, who had
been sent ambassador, by the pope, to the emperor of the Mongals, in
1247 or 1248, with the same views as in the missions of Carpini and
Asceline at the same period; but of his journey we have no account
remaining. - E
[2] It is exceedingly difficult, or rather impossible, to trace the steps
of the travels of Rubruquis, for want of latitudes, longitudes, and
distances, and names of places. After passing the Volga and Ural or
Jaik, he seems to have travelled east in the country of the Kirguses,
somewhere about the latitude of 50 deg.. N. to between the longitudes of
65 deg.. and 70 deg.. E. then to have struck to the south across the Kisik-tag
into Western Turkestan, in which the cultivated vale may have been on
the Tshui or the Talas rivers. - E
[3] Probably near the north side of the Arguin or Alak mountains. - E.
[4] This position of Rubruquis is sufficiently distinct: Having ferried
over the river Tshui, and crossed the Jimbai mountains, the route now
lay between the Alak mountain on his right, or to the south, and the
lake of Balkash or Palkati Nor, to the left or north. - E.
[5] The Kisik-tag, which he had before passed in descending into Western
Turkestan. - E.
[6] This absurd derivation of the name of the country and people, is
unworthy of credit. Organum was probably the country called Irgonekan
or Irganakon by Abulgari; and the word signifies a valley surrounded
by steep mountains, exactly correspondent with the description in the
text.
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