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DECEMBER, 1881.)
CHINGHIZ KHAN AND HIS ANCESTORS.
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lie down early and get up late; but he never was late among the warriors." Then Tayang reached the summit of the mountain.
Chamukha, as his antecedents might suggest, now deserted the Naimans, and sent word to Chinghiz what he had told Tayang, adding that the latter, having heard his words, was distracted with fear. He suggested that his men should burry up the mountain irregularly, for no one had spirit to fight, and added that he had himself abandoned them.
Chinghiz seeing it was already late, contented himself with surrounding the mountain Nachu. During the night the Naimana determined to escape. Men and horses, however, fell over the precipices, and many were killed. The next day Tayang was captured. Guchuluk succeeded in escaping. This narrative, with its peculiar touches of romance, reads, as Palladius says, like some popular legend worked up by the author.
In the Yuan-shi we are told that when Tayang was at the Khankai Mountains he was joined by Tokhto, the chief of the Merkit, by Alin, a chief of the Kirais, Khushuk Bedsi, a chief of the Taisi-Uirat, together with the tribes Durbot Tatar, Khatagin and Saljus. It says that it was a loose troop horse which strayed from the Mongol camp to that of the Naimang, which let them know by its poor condition that the Mongol army was not in a state fit to fight, and which induced Tayang to suggest a retreat that his enemies might be enticed to pursue him. This pusillanimous policy was resented by the Naiman chiefs, who suggested that Tayang should give place to his wives if he were not bolder. It also says that when Chamukha saw the strength of the Mongol army, he.exclaimed, “Of old the Naimans were to the Mongols as a ewe to its unborn lamb, but now is their strength small and not as formerly." He thereupon withdrew his contingent. The general who reproyed Tayang for his timidity is here called Khulusu betsi. According to the Yuan-shi the battle lasted from dawn until sunset when Tayang himself was slain and his men were broken. Darkness overtook the retreating Naimans, many of whom were killed in falling over the precipices, while many others
were slain and made prisoners, and the hordes Durbot Tatar, Khatagin and Saljus submitted to the conqueror." De Mailla calls the Taishi. Uirat of the Yuan-shi Tiehiouela, and adds the Pieki to the other tribes, but this seems to be a corruption of Bedse or Bigi, and to be a mistaken use of Khushuk's second name. According to the Huang-Yuan it was when Tayang reached the river Orkhon that he was joined by Toto, the leader of the Merkit, by Jaajanbo, the brother of Wang Khân, with Alun Taishi, and also by Khudukhua begi, the leader of the Uirat, and by Chamukha, with the Durban Tatar, the Khatagin and Sanjin ;'* otherwise there is nothing new in this account. According to Rashidu'd-din the Altai was & river on the borders of the Kinegkhait. He says it was a thin horse with a worn-out saddle that escaped to the Naiman camp and calls the chief who reproved Tayang and quoted his father's bravery, Khuri Subaju, and says that having done so he withdrew from the assembly. He tells us further that Tayang himself was wounded in the battle, and withdrew with Khuri Subaju and some others to a height. In vain his officers tried to rouse him and urged him to renew the fight. He was too weak from loss of blood. Khuri Subaju, determined to restore his fortune, led back the soldiers who had gathered again about the standard, to the fight. He then with the other chiefs again approached his master, saying "O Tayang, how much longer will you fly like a woman P Halt but once, and let us fight the enemy, and fall or conquer." Tayang heard him, but was silent. He again addressed him : "Oh Tayang Khân, your wives, especially your beloved Gurbyesu Khatun, have all arrayed themselves in full parade, have set your house in order, and await your arrival, rise, and let us go." Still he remained silent. Again he spoke out: "Oh Tayang Khân, the women at your command have decked themselves in their choicest robes, especially Gurbyesu Khatun, whose costume equals in value that of a Chinese parure, and they await your imperial return. All is ready for you. Do arouse and come."
These phrases did not move him, but he curled himself up together. Thereupon as all his
0 Yuan-ch'ao-pi-shi, pp. 103-109. 90 Hyacinthe, pp. 31-33; Douglas, pp. 45-47.
Op. cit., tom. IX, pp. 37-39.
63 i. e. Saljuit. 53 Op. cit., pp. 178 and 179. # D Ohsson writes the name Kurissu-Baju.
