Next Morning The Ends Of My Toes Were So
Frostbit By The Extreme Cold Of The Country, That I Could No Longer Go
Barefooted.
From the time when the frost begins, it never ceases till May,
and even then it freezes every night and morning, but thaws with the heat
of the sun during the day.
If they had much wind in that country during
winter, as we have, nothing could live there; but they have always mild
weather till April, and then the winds rise; and at that season, while we
were there, the cold rising with the wind, killed multitudes of animals. In
the winter little snow fell there; but about Easter, which was that year in
the latter end of April, there fell so great a snow, that the streets of
Caracarum were so full, it had to be carried out in carts.
[1] The country on the Onon and Kerlon, in Daouria, or the land of the
Tunguses. - Forst.
SECTION XXXII.
The Introduction of Rubruquis to Mangu-khan.
The people brought us from the court ram-skin coats, and breeches of the
same, with shoes, which my companion and interpreter accepted, but I
thought the fur garment which I brought from Baatu was sufficient for me.
On the 5th of January, we were brought to the court, and some Nestorian
priests, whom I did not know to be Christians, came and asked me which way
we worshipped; to which I said, that we worshipped to the east. The reason
of their making this demand was, that we had shaven our heads by the advice
of our guide, that we might appear before the khan after the fashion of our
country, which made the Nestorians take us for Tuinians or idolaters. On
being demanded what reverence we would pay to the khan, I said, that though
as priests, dedicated to God, the highest in our country did not suffer us
to bow the knee, yet we were willing to humble ourselves to all men for the
sake of the Lord. That we came from a far country, and with permission,
would first sing praises to God, who had brought us hither in safety, and
should afterwards do whatever might please the khan; providing he commanded
nothing that was derogatory to the worship and honour of God. Then they
went into the presence, and reported what we had said, and they brought us
before the entrance of the hall, lifting up the felt which hung before the
decor, and we sung A solis ortus cardine, &c.
When we had sung this hymn, they searched our bosoms, to see that we had no
concealed weapons, and they made our interpreter leave his girdle and knife
with one of the doorkeepers. When we came in, our interpreter was made to
stand at a sideboard, which was well supplied with cosmos, and we were
placed on a form before the ladies. The whole house was hung with cloth of
gold, and on a hearth, in the middle, there was a fire of thorns, wormwood-
roots, and cowdung. The khan sat upon a couch covered with a bright and
shining spotted fur, like seal's skin. He was a flat-nosed man, of middle
stature, about forty-five years of age, and one of his wives, a pretty
little young woman, sat beside him; likewise one of his daughters, named
Cerina, a hard-favoured young woman, with some younger children, sat on
another couch next to them. The house had belonged to the mother of Cerina,
who was a Christian, and the daughter was mistress of this court, which had
belonged to her deceased mother, We were asked whether we would drink wine
of caracina, which is a drink made of rice, or caracosmos, or ball,
which is mead made of honey; for they use these four kinds of liquor in
winter. I answered, that we had no pleasure in drink, and would be
contented with what he pleased to order; on which we were served with
caracina, which was clear and well flavoured like white wine, of which I
tasted a little out of respect. After a long interval, during which the
khan amused himself with some falcons and other birds, we were commended to
speak, and had to bow the knee. The khan had his interpreter, a Nestorian;
but our interpreter had received so much liquor from the butlers at the
sideboard, that he was quite drunk; I addressed the khan in the following
terms:
"We give thanks and praise to God, who hath brought us from such remote
parts of the world, to the presence of Mangu-khan, on whom he hath bestowed
such great power; and we beseech our God to grant him a long and prosperous
reign. Having heard that Sartach was become a Christian, the Christians of
the west, especially the King of the French, were much rejoiced, and sent
us onto him with letters, testifying that we were servants of the Lord, and
entreating him to permit us to abide in his country, as it is our office to
teach men the law of God. Sartach sent us forwards to his father Baatu, and
he hath sent us to you, to whom God hath given great dominions upon the
earth; we therefore entreat your highness to permit us to continue in your
country, that we may pray to God for you, your wives, and children. We have
neither gold nor silver, nor precious jewels to offer, but we present
ourselves to do you service, and to pray to God for you. At least, be
pleased to permit us to remain till the cold be past, as my companion is so
weak, that he cannot travel on horseback without danger of Ms life." His
answer was to this effect: "Even as sun sheds his beams everywhere, so our
power, and that of Baata, extend everywhere around, so that we have no need
of your gold or silver." I entreated his highness not to be displeased at
me for mentioning gold and silver, as I spoke in that manner only to evince
our desire to do him honour, and to serve him in heavenly things.
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