Book Title: Indian Antiquary Vol 12
Author(s): Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications

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Page 328
________________ 286 THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY. submission of the Buriads is considered by Schmidt to be the same event as the submission of the Kirghises mentioned in an earlier paper. He would identify Oroju Shegushi with the Urus Inal of the Kirghises, there men. tioned as sending presents of falcons, but I do not see how this can be probable. The Kirghises did not live on lake Baikal, while the Buriats, who still do so, no doubt did so then also, and it seems to me the statement clearly refers to the Mongolian Buriats, and not to the Turkish Kinghises. It probably refers to some early event in the life of Chinghiz. We now reach the Saga about Manchuria, to which I referred. The Altan Topchi says that Dsanchun, the ruler of the Jurchis, called Wangchuk Khaghan by Ssanang Setzen, having noticed that Chinghiz Khân was hawking between the rivers Olkho and the Ulia, fled. Chinghiz sent an army in pursuit, but as there was no ford over the Ula, the sons of Khasar Anchi-Andu-shara and GaldsaguChing-Taiji," coupling together 20,000 geldings by the rings of their reins, with a shout drove them into the water, and thus got over. They proceeded to lay siege to Dsan-chun's capital, and demanded as the price of their withdrawal 10,000 sparrows, Ssanang Setzen says 10,000 swallows and 1,000 cats. They then made some kiebung, which they fastened to the birds and some wadding to the cats, and then fired it. They then let them loose. The birds flew to their nests while the cats jumped from roof to roof. The town being thus fired, surrendered. Dsanchun remarked, "What a wonder? What cats!" Chinghiz Khân married his daughter Balakhai," who, it is said, died on her way home."" [OCTOBER, 1883. Tsagan, as a sign of his submission, brought his daughter Khulun," in a boat, and gave her as a marriage gift, a kibitka covered with panther skins, and made over to Chinghiz the tribes of Bukha and Solongod. Noticing that Bukha Tsaghan Khân did not cross the river Chinghiz bade him go over if what he took with him was tribute. So anxious was he to complete the marriage rite that, in spite of the objection of his grandees that it was not etiquette to do so, he nevertheless completed the marriage ceremony with Khulan on the high road. This notice is certainly puzzling. According to every other anthority, as we have seen, Dair Ussun, the father of Khulun, was the Dair Ussun, chief of the Merkits, and not of the Solongod, and we are bound to follow them. It will be noticed that Ssanang Setzen actually calls the Solongod here Solongos-Merged. To continue the story, however, we are told that Chinghiz remained among the Solongod for three years.. Thereupon Arghassun Khorchin, who had been left in charge of his home," wanting to know the cause of his delay, set out on the red horse, Gurbelgu-dsegerdi, and compassed a three months' journey in thrice twentyfour hours. When he arrived he inquired after the health of the chief. The nobles told him he was well. Chinghiz then asked him after, the health of his wife, children, nobles and people. Arghassun replied:-" Thy wife and children are well, as to what appertains to thy great people I know not what it thinks. I only know it gets itself skins and food for its hungry mouth. As to the whole of thy people I can only say it wants water and snow for its thirsty mouth. I don't know what thy Mongol people think." Chinghiz Khân, not understanding these enigmatical phrases, told him to explain. He therefore went on:-"It is said that the bird salbar(?) lays its eggs on the tree sala (P), and trusting to the tree sala it allowed the predatory bird sar (?) to destroy its nest and eat its eggs and fledglings. It is Chinghiz Khân, we are told, now went on a campaign against the Solongod living in the east. The river Unegen had overflowed its banks, for which reason he halted when he reached it, and sent an envoy to the ruler of the Solongod to say he had come to demand tribute. The Solongod ruler -Bukha 81 Seanang Setzen says between the Olkho and the Ula. The former is no doubt the Olkui, which rises in the Soyolji mountains, a branch of the Khing-gan, about lat. 47 N., see D'Ohsson, vol. I, p. 64. The Ula is probably the Nonni Ula. Seanang Setzen says Andun-Ching-Taiji, son of Toklangha Baghatur Taiji. 85 Seanang Setzen says 10,000 horses were so coupled. This is a doubtful word, it probably means tinder. Schmidt reads the corresponding word in Saanang Setzen as cotton-wool. In the thatch. se Called Salikhai by Seanang Setzen. Altan Topchi, pp. 133 and 134; Seanang Setzen, p-75. 88 Seanang Setzen says Khulan was the daughter of Dair-Ussun, of the Solongos Merged. Altan Topchi, p. 134; Seanang Setzen, pp. 75 and 77. 90 Seanang Setzen calls him Arghassun Khurohi, the lute player. 91 Seanang Setzen says he had been sent by Chinghiz's first wife Burte Jujin.

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