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APRIL, 1887.]
CHINGHIZ KHAN AND HIS ANCESTORS.
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read, had to supply himself with an awl, a occasion they will sustain themselves on the needle and thread. Thomas of Spalato says blood of their horses, opening a vein and letting their armour was made of buffalo hides with the blood jet into their mouths, drinking till scales fastened on it, and was virtually impene- they have had enough, and then staunching it. trable. They wore iron or leathern helmets, They also made a paste out of milk, by boiling crooked swords, quivers and bows. The heads it, separating the butter, and then drying the of their arrows were four fingers broad, cards. When on an expedition, a man will take longer than those used in the west, and were ten pounds of this, and on & morning put half made of iron, bone or born, and the notches a pound in a leathern bottle with as much were so small that they would not pass over water as he pleases." This dried milk, called the strings of western bows. Their standards kurut, is also referred to by Rubraquis, who were short, made of black or white yak's says the milk was allowed to go very hour betails, and having balls of wool at the top. Their fore the cards were taken and dried. He adda horses were small, compact and hardy, and that they would not drink water by itself, * submitted to almost any hardship. They rode From Ramusios' version of Marco Polo, it would them without stirraps, and made them jump seem that each Mongol, what with horses and like deer over rocks and walls."
mares, took 18 animals with him." The commissariat of campaigns, such as the The account of these Western travellers, is Mongols indulged in, which is such a mystery very like the report sent to Muhammad the at first sight, is partially explained by Maroo Khwarizm Shah by his envoys, which has been Polo :-" They are more capable of hardships," extracted from an eastern author by Erdmann. he says, "than other nations; for many a time, "The army of Temajin," we there read, "is as if need be, they will go for a month without any countless as ants or locusts. Their warriors are supply of food, living only on the milk of their matchless in lion-like valour, in obedience and mares, and on such game as their bows may win endurance. They take no rest, and flight or them. The horses also will subsist entirely on retreat is unknown to them. They take oxen, the grass of the plains, so that there is no need sheep, camels and horses with them, and live to carry store of barley or straw or oats, and on meat and sour milk. Their horses scratch they are very docile to their riders. These, in the earth with their hoofs and feed on the roots case of need, will abide on horseback the livelong and grasses they dig up, so that they need neither night, armed at all points, while the horse will straw nor oats. They pray to the sun and be continually grazing. Of all troops in the moon on their rising and setting; they heed not world, these are they which endore the whether food be clean or unclean, and eat dogs, greatest hardships and fatigue, and which cost swine, and bears. They will open & vein in the least: * and when the army is on their horses and drink the blood." the march they have always 200 horsemen very Before each expedition, a Kariltai or General well mounted, who are sent a distance of two Assembly of the princes and military chiefs was marches in advance to reconnoitre, and these held, when the time and mode of attack were always keep ahead. They have a similar party decided upon. Spies were sent forward and inin the rear and on either flank, so that there is telligence collected diligently about the country a good-look out kept on all sides against a sur- to be attacked. Chinghiz intrigued with the prise. When they are going on a distant ex discontented and seduced them by fair propedition, they take no gear with them except mises. On attacking & province he generally two leather bottles for milk, & little earthen- divided the army into small bodies, invested ware pot to cook their meat in, and a little tent the towns and slaughtered the people in the to shelter them from rain, and in case of great open country, sparing only a certain number urgency they will ride ton days on end without to be utilized in attacking fortified places, which lighting a fire or taking a meal. On such an were blockauled. An advance guard was gene
90 Carpini, ed. d'Avesa, pp. 684-689.
Thomas of Spalato, Hist. Salon. oh. 87. Geach, der Mong. etc. 834.
op. cit. Vol. I. pp. 252-264.
Wolff,
* op. cit. ed. d'Avenac, p. 329. " Yule'. Marco Polo, Vol. I. p, 256, note 3.
" Erdmann, Temudachin, etc. p. 364; Yule's Marco Polo, Vol. I. p. 257.
