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112
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[APRIL, 1884.
he added : "For crossing high mountains and the river Tsian, met the Merkit chief there, traversing broad rivers, employ the season and gave him battle; having completely annihiwhen your horses are in good condition. Be lated the Myerki he returned."" careful of your warriors. Do not, unless it be This notice, as usual, corresponds with that necessary, waste your time on the way in hunt of the Muhammadan writers. They tell us ing. Do not let your warriors bridle their how Khudua oy Khudu, the brother of the horses or use backbands. They will not, Merkit chief, Tukhta, with the latter's three therefore, be able to ride them at full speed. sons, Jilaun, Jiyak and Khultukan Mergen, had If any one disobeys your command who is collected a fresh army and were engaged in known to me, bring him to me. If unknown plundering. Thereupon Chinghiz, in the year to me, execute him on the spot. If by the 1216, despatched Subutai Bahadur, and as he favour of heaven you should overtake the had to traverse a very mountainous district, he children of Tokhtoa, kill them. When I was supplied him with carts strengthened with young three Merkit tribes tried to capture me, iron. He was also joined by the Kunkurat and thrice pursued me round the mountain Tughachar, who had been left by Chinghiz with Burkhan. This unfriendly race has now retired, a body of 2,000 men to guard his home when using contemptuons words. I have made you he set out for China. The two having united an iron waggon, and entrusted to you the task their forces, encountered Khudu and his of pursuing them to the utmost limits. You nephews on the river Jem, and inflicted a terrible will be far away, but it will be the same as if defeat upon them, in which Khuda and two you were near me. Heaven will protect you of his nephews were killed. The third, Khulon the way." This is dated in the Yuan-ch'ao. tukhan, who was a famous archer, whence his pi-shi, but no doubt wrongly, in the year 1205. surname of Mergen, was captured and taken
The Yuan-shi contains two special biographies to Jachi, the eldest son of Chinghiz Khan. of Subatai, which, like the other biographies Wishing to see some proof of his skill, Kholtuin that work, are very unsatisfactory, and in kan shot two arrows, the first of which hit the fact contradictory. The notices of this expedi- mark, while the second split the former in two. tion contained in them have been abstracted by Juchi, charmed with his skill, sent an express Palladius. In one of them we read that, as the to ask his father to grant him his life, but he strong Melili" would not surrender, Chinghiz, replied, "the Merkit race is of all peoples the in the year 1216 (?) when he was in the Blackmost objectionable. The son of Tukhta is an Forest on the river Tula, sent Subutai against ant who in time will become a serpent and them. Alicho went in advance with 100 men, an enemy of the state. I have conquered so and pretended to run away. In 1219 (P) the many kings and defeated so many armies that Mongol army arrived at the river Chian" and we can well spare a man," and he ordered defeated the Melili. Their two leaders were Juchi to put him to death." taken prisoners. Their chief, Khodu, fled into When he heard of this defeat of the Merkits, Kincha, Subutai followed and defeated the according to the Muhammadan historians, Kincha in Juigu." The other biography says the Khuarezm Shah Muhammad set out for that in the year 1216 Subatai defeated the Jend, not far from which the fight took Melili at the river Chian, and followed their place. Having reinforced his troops, he adchief Juigu (?)**
vanced with them, and at length came upon a The Huang-yuan says that in the year 1217 battlefield still cumbered with corpses between Chinghiz sent the great chief Subutai-badu, the rivers Kaili (?) and Kaimich," (?) among having fitted with iron the wheels of his which was a Merkit who was still living, kibitka, to the tribe Myerki. Having united
who informed him the Mongols had won the himself with the previously despatched division day and retired again. Muhammad went in of 3,000 men under Tokhuchara, he reached pursuit and overtook them the following
*i. e. Merkits. * Id. pp. 111 and 112. + Chui:
Kipelak. * Written Yü-yü by Bretschneider, Notices, etc., p. 174, note 308.
" Yuan-ch'ao-pi-shi, note 491. Perhaps Juiga is a
corruption of Chui.
• Op. cit. p. 190. 50 Erdmann, pp. 332 and 333 ; D'Ohsson, vol. I, pp. 156, 156. Tubakat-1-Nasiri, pp. 980-982 notes
si Abalghazi says between the Kabli and Kamaj.
