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August, 1884.]
CHINGHIZ KHÅN AND HIS ANCESTORS.
225
and the greater part of them were slaughtered The pursuing Mongols chased them even into the town, some of them entering it through the Kabilan or Kalanian Gate with the retreating crowd. Abulghazi says they advanced as far as the Tenureh Gate. Erdmann tells us the best authorities calculate that 100,000 perished on this occasion, which must be an immense exaggeration. The main army of the Mongols soon after arrived, and proceeded to attack the city. They first summoned it, promising it easy terms if it submitted, Juchi telling the people that his father had made the place over to him, and he wished to prevent its being destroyed, and had given orders that his men were to refrain from pillage. The more prudent people were for submitting, more especially as the Khuârezm Shâh had sent them word from Absukun counselling them not to resist, but the governor notwithstanding sent back & defiant answer, encouraged no doubt by the fact that the town was garrisoned by over 50,000 troops. The Mongols accordingly planted their battering engines and pounded the city almost incessantly, using wooden balls soaked in water made out of the neighbouring mulberry-trees in lieu of stones, which were scarce there. Meanwhile they also plied the garrison liberrally with threats and fair promises. Having tried ineffectually to fill up the ditch they determined to drain it by cutting a canal and thus lay it dry. The 3,000 men who were employed in this work were attacked suddenly by the garrison, and all perished, but the work went on, & guard was set over the workmen, and the ditch was at length drained and was then filled up with earth, straw, and faggots, but the garrison behaved bravely, assault after assault was given in vain, and great losses were sustained on either side. The prolonged siege, which had lasted more than six months, and the severe losses, caused trouble in the Mongol camps, and led to much dispating between the princes Juchi and Jagatai. On this being reported to Chinghiz he superseded them, and gave the supreme command to their younger brother, Ogotai, who, by his tact and discretion once more restored discipline. He then ordered a general assault, during which
the houses in the town were fired by stink-pots. The garrison still kept up the fight in the streets, even the women and children taking part in it. This went on for seven days. Driven at length into three districts of the city and terribly harassed by the Mongols, they sent word that they were willing to surrender, and sent the chief of police out with a message, "We have suffered from your severity, it is time we should test the quality of your mercy." "How," said Juchi in a rage, "can they say they have felt our severity when by their resistance they have destroyed so many of our soldiers? It is we who have felt their severity, and will now let them taste ours." Orders were given for the citizens to go out of the place, and the artizans and handicraftsmen were put aside and sent off to Tartary, the young women and boys were divided as slaves, while the rest of the inhabitants were distributed among the soldiers and remorsely killed. Juveni and Rashid tell us each Mongol soldier had 24 Khuârezmians to execute. After this butchery, they pillaged what remained of the town, and then submerged it by opening the dyke which restrained the waters of the Oxus, and all those who had hid away in their houses perished. In the sack of other towns, says Ibn-al-Athir, some of the inha. bitants escaped, either by hiding away or fleeing or lying down among the corpses; but at Khuárezm those who escaped the sword of the Tartars were drowned in the waters of the Jihun." Abulghazi adds that at this time there was at Urgenj a celebrated Sheikh named Nadjmad. dîn-Kubra, son of Omar of Khiva. The Mongol princes sent word to him to leave the city with his family, so that he might not be trampled under the horses' feet. The Sheikh answered that he was not alone, but had relatives and servants with him. They told him he might take ten people with him. He said he had more than ten. They then told him to take a hundred. He replied he had more than that, upon which they increased the number to a thousand. But his answer was, In happier days I knew this people, whose friend I was. How can I desert them now in their misfortune. The Mongols soon after arrived at his door, and, after sending several of them to hell, says
Abulghasi, p. 118 ; Abulfaraj, Chron. Syr, p. 488; Erdmann, p. 410 and note 815.
6 D'Ohsson, vol. I, p. 269. ** D'Ohsson, vol. I, pp. 269-270.
