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APRIL, 1885.
CHINGHIZ KHAN AND HIS ANCESTORS.
119
was watched." The siege had lasted for twelve beyond that they were somewhere in Ghur, I months when Saadi, who had been attacking cannot identify. Seistan, as I have described, arrived with a | This completes the account we can give at reinforcement, and the attack became more present of the Mongol campaign in the mounvigorous. Meanwhile a pestilence broke out | tain country of Ghur, which is almost entirely inside the fortress from the people constantly derived from the Tabakdt-i-Nasiri. It will not having to eat dried flesh, pistachio nuts and be inopportune to conclude with a characteristic clarified butter. The place had held out for anecdote, showing what manner of men these 16 months, and so many of the garrison had were before whom the stupendous difficultiex been carried off that but 50 persons remained of campaigning in this most difficult country alive, and of these 20 had swollen feet, one of were overcome. The story is told of the Chief the symptoms of the pestilence. A fugitive above mentioned, and whose name is given as informed the Mongols of this, who thereupon Uklan the Juzbi by Raverty." made an assault. The garrison, we are teld, Minhaj-i-Saraj tells us that on one occasion threw their gold and silver treasures and other Habashii-Abd-ul Malik Saur-Zarrad, to whoni valuables into the wells which they filled up with the Mongols had given the title of Khusrau of large stones and then burnt the rest. They Ghur, having returned to Ghur from Talikan then opened the gateway, drew their swords, with Chinghiz Khân's permission, reported that threw themselves upon the Mongols, and were on a certain occasion when seated in the preslaughtered. About 10 farsangs from Kalyun, sence of the great conqueror Uklan the Juzbi and within sight of it, was another fortress, and other Noyans, Uklan being the highest in named Fiwar of Kadas, and Minhaj-i-Saraj rank, someone brought in two Mongols who tells us if strange horsemen should reach the had fallen asleep at their posts the night before. base of the former in the day the people there Uklan asked who had brought them, upon made a smoke and at night lighted a fire as a which a Mongol bent the knee and said he haul beacon, and vice versa. We have seen how done so, and being further asked what offence Arslan Khân of Kaialik and Tulan the Jazbi the men had committed he said they were were sent by Chinghiz to attack the fortress mounted on horseback when he was going of Walkh in Tokharistan, and how they cap- round examining the guards. He came up to tured it. They afterwards we are told, ad. them, and found them both asleep, and he passeil vanced upon Fiwar. This stronghold was on, and now he had brought them up. Uklan even more impregnable than Kalyun, and it is asked them if it was true, and they assented. said that it could be defended by 10 men. He then said, cut off the head of one of them . The two Mongol chiefs pressed their attack for and fanten it to the double "pigtail" of the ten months, when provisions began to run other. Parade him round the camp, then put short in their camp. They thereupon sent to him to death also. The accused and accusers Kalyun and brought up stores from that re- all made obeisance, and the command was duly cently captured place. Meanwhile a messenger carried out. The Gharian chief was astonished came down from the stronghold into their at what he saw, and said to Uklan, “There camp, and reported how nearly all the garrison was no evidence or proof on the part of the were dead, not more than seven remaining acuuser, and how was it the accused confessed, alive, and of these four or five were ill. They knowing their panishment would be death. then attacked and captured it, and put these which a denial would have saved them from." seven to death. This, we are told, took place in Uklan replied, "Why are you astonished ? You the latter part of the year 619 Hj. i.e. 1222." Tajiks do such things, and tell lies. A Mongol,
The exact situation of Kalyan and Fiwar, were a thousand lives at stake, would rather bu
19 Tabakht-i-Naşiri, pp. 1052 and 106. • 30 l'abaklit-i-Nasiri, pp. 1026 and 1054.
1 Id. 1055. 11 Major Raverty'e note on this name in utterly bewil. dering. He says that Uklan was the brother of But Tangri Kukju, who proclaimed Chinghiz Khan of Sugatu and of Tulan, all being some of Mengely or Manglik, Chinghix Khan's stepfather, and yet he says he was an
Ulkunat Kankurat. Nothing is more certain than that these other persons were not Olkhonuts or Ulkunuts but Urnauts, a very difforent tribe altogether, and in the relationship as stated by Raverty be authentic, then Uklan must be the same person who is onlled Sultan by Erd
mann, and by him called & commander of the left, op. | cit. p. 205.
