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CHINGHIZ KHAN AND HIS ANCESTORS.
JUNE, 1881.]
make slaves of the remainder. After the consultation Belgutei, who had been present, was accosted by a Tartar named Yekejeryan, who asked him what their business had been. Upon which either in bravado or thoughtlessness be frankly told him. The news was speedily conveyed to the Tartars, who took possession of their mountain stronghold. Chinghiz ordered it to be destroyed-a work which cost his people much trouble, but when it was captured they duly put to death all the men not less than an axle wheel, but as each of the Tartars had armed himself with a knife, in the process the Mongols lost a considerable number of lives. Chinghiz was naturally much irritated with Bel gutei, whose rash disclosures had caused the death of so many people, and he ordered that in future he was not to be admitted to council meetings when important business was being discussed, but to remain outside and decide in brawls and quarrels and in matters of stealing. He and Chinghiz Khân's uncle Daritai (who had perhaps shared in the indiscretion) were only to be admitted after the other councillors had drunk a skin of kumiz. At this time Chinghiz married Yesugan, the daughter of Yekejeryan, who obtained considerable influence over him. She told him she had an elder sister called Yesui, who was worthy to be a king's wife. She said. further that the latter had been recently married, and that she did not know her whereabouts. Chinghiz replied, "If she be really a beauty I will order her to be found; but when she is found, will you surrender to her your place ?" She said she would. Chinghiz thereupon ordered Yesui to be searched for. She was found in a wood, where she had hidden herself with her husband. The latter fled, and she became one of Chinghiz Khan's wives." On one occasion Chinghiz was drinking outside his tent with Yesui and Yesugan, when he heard a deep sigh. He became suspicious that one of his wives was love-making, and ordered Mukuli and his other companions to their tents. After they had gone, there remained behind a young man. Chinghiz asked him who he was. "I am the husband of Yesui, who escaped when she was captured." He said
ordered that in the event of the town being captured all the inhabitants higher than an axle tree should be killed; or as another version has it, all the males above 3 years old. Op. cit., note 252.
i. e. as to an elder sister. "Pailadius says that according to usage Yesui is called
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"I thought I should not have been noticed in the crowd." Chinghiz said "Yonare a descendant of my enemies, and have come here to spy," and he chopped off his head. Neither the Yuan-shi nor the Kang-mu give any additional facts about this Tartar campaign. Rashida'd-din dates it in the same year, i.e. 598 A. H., 1202 A. D. He puts the battle on the river 01k hui Seljieljut, on which site D'Ohsson has a valuable note. He says the river Ulkui takes its rise in lat. 47 on Mount Soyolki or Soyolji, which is a branch of the Khinghan range separating Mongolia and Manchuria. Before losing itself in a small lake of the Gobi, the Ulkui receives a tributary called the Soyolji." This small lake is the Chantu Nor' of the maps. In his special article on the Tartars, Rashida'd-din would have us believe that Chinghiz Khân made a general slaughter of the hated tribe, and even ordered pregnant women to be cut open. He calls the Tartar wives of Chinghiz respectively Mesulun and Mesuketor Bisulan and Besakat.50 Ssanang Setzen calls them Jissu and Jissuken and says they were daughters of the Tartar Yeke Tsoro. Many of Chinghiz Khân's followers also married Tartar maidens and adopted Tartar children. Chinghiz gave his brother 1,000 Tartars to put to death. He only killed 500, and at the request of his wife spared the rest. Among those who escaped the general massacre many became famous afterwards. One of these was called Khutukhu Noyan, also known as Shiki Khutukhu. He was adopted by Chinghiz Khân's favourite wife Burtê and used to call her Terigun-eke or Beriganegeh and Sain-egeh, while he called Chinghiz Echige or Ijeh. Chinghiz called him Arik beki or Akha, and gave him a rank co-ordinate with that of his sons. As we shall see, he caused the Mongols a severe defeat near Bamian, but he survived this many years and lived to the age of 82. His favourite motto was "Fear not, and speak the truth;" and his reputation for justice was quoted by judges even down to the 14th century. When he was only a boy of 11 or 12, or as others said of 15, he secured the special favour of Chinghiz by a
Khanshi of the third IIorde; and Yesugan, Khanshi of the fourth or last.
Yun-ch'ao-pi-shi, pp. 79 and 80.
10 Op. cit., vol. I, p. 64 note.
so Berezine, vol. 1, p. 57; Erdmann, p. 180. 1 Op. cit., p. 83.
