CHAPTER XII.

Saniih — Crim — Kirash — The Desert of Kifjak — El Kafa, subject to Mohammed Uzbek Khan —
El Sarai — Azak — El Majar — Bish Tag, the Camj) of Mohammed Uzbek — Ceremonies observed
here — Bulgar — Mode of travelling here — Astrachan — Permission to visit Constantinople —
Ukak — Mountains qf the Russians — Surdak — Baba Saltuk.

I THEN went on to the city of "Sanub, which is large, and belongs to the
governor of Kastamunia, Soleiman Badshaw. I remained here some time.
Leaving this place I proceeded by sea for the city of El Kiram (Crim),

X X

• Muturnl al. Bustuni) ’

sea)

X ^X

A

9. 0

* Mr. Kosegarten has which he writes Isnik.

-j- So Mr. Kosegarten, which he writes Materni.

:j: Mr. K. J»j Boli. Our MSS. present here large additions to that of Mr. Kosegarten.

T A R T A R Y.

75

but suffered considerable distress in the voyage, and was very near being
drowned. We arrived, however, at length, at the port of ® El Kirash, which
belongs to the desert country of ’ KiQak.* This desert is green and pro-
ductive : it has, however, neither tree, mountain, hill, nor wood in it.
The inhabitants burn dung. They travel over this desert upon a cart,
which they call *Araba. The journey is one of six months ; the extent of
three of which belongs to the Sultan * Mohammed Uzbek Khan;+ that of
three more to the infidels. I hired one of these carts for my journey from
the port of Kirash to the city of “El Kafa, which belongs to Mohammed
Uzbek. The greater part of the inhabitants are Christians,:|: living under
his protection. From this place I travelled in a cart to the city of “El
Kiram, which is one of the large and beautiful cities of the districts of the
Sultan Mohammed Uzbek Khan. From this place I proceeded, upon a
cart which I had hired, to the city of “El Sarai,§ the residence of Mo-
hammed Uzbek. The peculiarity of this desert is, that its herbs serve
for fodder for their beasts : and on this account their cattle are numerous.
They have neither feeders nor keepers, which arises from the severity
of their laws against theft, which are these : When any one is con-

.1^1“

* On the origin of this name and people, see D’Herbelot’s very interesting article, under
Cabgiak.

t “ Uzbek Khan, fils de Toghtagou, meurt, selon les Russes en 1341.” De Guignes, Hist,
gen. de Huns, tom. i. p. 287. He must, therefore, have been living when our traveller visited
these parts. In tom. iv. however, pp. 284-5, it is stated that he died in 1335 or 6, and what is
still more decisive the author proceeds : “ on remarque que I’epoque de sa mort est celle de
la naissance du fameux Tamerlan. Les Arabes ont design^ cette annee par ce mot de leur
langue Loudh qui signifie r^uge, pour fair voir que les hommes avoient besoin d’asyle dans si
grandes calamites. Les lettres qui forment ce mot, en les prenent selon leur valeur numerique,
designent I’annee 736 de I’Hegire.” He was descended of the Mogul dynasty of Kifjak
(De Guignes, Captchaq). For some account of the movements of this prince about this time, see
D’Herbelot, art. Abou-Said, and of his successors, art. Uzbek.

X These Christians were generally Nestorians, and were well treated for the most part under
Mohammed Uzbek Khan. See Asseman’s Biblioth. Orient., tom. iii. P. 2, pp. ci. and cxxi, &c.,
where we have some very valuable notices respecting them. See also D’Herbelot, under the
articles Crim, and Solgat.

§ See D’Herbelot, under Sarai.

L 2

76

T A R T A R Y.

victed of having stolen a beast, he is compelled to return it with nine others
of equal value. But, if this is not in his power, his children are taken.
If, however, he have no children, he is himself slaughtered just like a
sheep.

After several days’ journey I arrived at ® Azak,"^ which is a small town
situated on the sea-shore. In it resides an Emir on the part of the Sultan
Mohammed, who treated us with great respect and hospitality. From
this place I proceeded to the city of ^'El Majar, which is a large and hand-
some place. The Turkish women of these parts are very highly respected,
particularly the wives of the nobles and kings. These women are religious,
and prone to almsgiving and other good works. They go unveiled, how-
ever, with their faces quite exposed.

I next set out for the camp of the Sultan, which was then in a place
called "Bish Tag, or Five Mountains, and arrived at a station to which the
Sultan with his retinue had just come before us : at this place, which is
termed the urdu, or camp, we arrived on the first of the month Rama-
dan. Here we witnessed a moving city, with its streets, mosques, and
cooking-houses, the smoke of which ascended as they moved along. \Yhen,
however, they halted, all these became stationary. This Sultan Moham-
med Uzbek is very powerful, enjoys extensive rule, and is a subduer of the
infidels. He is one of the seven great kings of the world ; which are, the
Sultan of the West, the Sultan of Egypt and Syria, the Sultan of the two
Iraks, the Sultan of the Turks Uzbek, the Sultan of Turkistan and “ Ma-
wara El Nahar, the Sultan of India, and the Sultan of China.

It is a custom with Mohammed Uzbek to sit after prayer on the Friday,
under an alcove called the “ golden alcove,” which is very much orna-
mented : he has a throne in the middle of it, overlaid with silver plate,
which is gilded and set with jewels. The Sultan sits upon the throne ; his
four wives, some at his right hand,')' others at his left, sitting also upon the

'jrr

\\-

* See D’Herbelot, under Azac.

•t We have here a fine illustration of the regal pomp exhibited in the 45th Psalm, where we find
the queen also enjoying the honour due to her rank, very unlike the practice of the Mohamme-
dans, among whom they are never allowed to appear in public. We shall hereafter find something
similar to this witnessed by our traveller in the island of Sumatra.

TART ARY.

77

throne. Beneath the throne stand his two sons, one on his right, the
other on his left ; before him sits his daughter. Whenever one of these
wives enters, he arises, and taking her by the hand, puts her into her place
upon the throne. Thus they are exposed to the sight of all, without so
much as a veil. After this, come in the great Emirs, for whom chairs are
placed on the right and left, and on these they sit. Before the King stand
the princes, who are the sons of his uncle, brothers, and near kinsmen. In
front of these, and near the door, stand the sons of the great Emirs ; and
behind these, the general officers of the army. People then enter, accord-
ing to their rank; and saluting the King, return and take their seats
at a distance. When, however, the evening prayer is over, the supreme
consort, who is Queen, returns ; the rest follow, each with their attendant
beautiful slaves. The women, who are separated on account of any un-
cleanness, are seated upon horses ; before their carriages are cavalry, behind
them beautiful Mamluks. Upon this day I was presented to the Sultan,
who received me very graciously, and afterwards sent me some sheep and
a horse, with a leathern bag of kimiz, which is the milk of a mare ; and
very much valued among them as a beverage.

The wives of this King are highly honoured. Each one has a mansion
for herself, her followers, and servants. When the Sultan wishes to visit
one of them, he sends word, and preparation is made. One of these wives
is a daughter of ^Takfur, the Emperor of Constantinople. I had already
visited each of them, and on this account the Sultan received me : this is
a custom among them ; and whoever fails in observing it, suffers the impu-
tation of a breach of politeness.

I had formerly heard of the city of '^Bulgar,* and hence I had conceived
a desire to see it; and to observe, whether what had been related of it, as
to the extremity of the shortness of its nights, and again of its days, in
the opposite season of the year, were true or not. There was, however,

.jUL

* According to the &c. ^

s.\^ ^ Bulgar is a city of Siberia, which is extremely cold ; the

cold scarcely ever leaves their country either in summer or winter. Their houses are built of
wood.

78

T A R T A R Y.

between that place, and the camp of the Sultan, a distance of ten days. I
requested the Sultan, therefore, that he would appoint some one who would
bring me thither and back, which he granted.

When, therefore, I was saying the prayer of sun-set, in that place, which
happened in the month of Ramadan, I hasted, nevertheless the time for
evening prayer came on, which I went hastily through. I then said that of
''midnight, as well as that termed ®E1 Witr; but was overtaken by the
dawn.* In the same manner also is the day shortened in this place, in the
opposite season of the year. I remained here three days, and then returned
to the King.

In Bulgar, I was told of the land of darkness, and certainly had a great
desire to go to it from that place. The distance, however, was that of forty
days. I was diverted, therefore, from the undertaking, both on account
of its great danger, and the little good to be derived from it. I was told
that there was no travelling thither except upon little sledges, which
are drawn by large dogs; and, that during the whole of the journey, the
roads are covered with ice, upon which neither the feet of man, nor the
hoofs of beast, can take any hold. These dogs, however, have nails by
which their feet take firm hold on the ice. No one enters these parts
except powerful merchants, each of whom has perhaps a hundred of
such sledges as these, which they load with provisions, drinks, and
wood : for there we have neither trees, stones, nor houses. The guide
in this country is the dog, who has gone the journey several times,
the price of which will amount to about a thousand dinars. The sledge
is harnessed to his neck, and with him three other dogs are joined, but
of which he is the leader. The others then follow him with the sledge,
and when he stops they stop. The master never strikes or reprimands
this dog ; and when he proceeds to a meal, the dogs are fed first : for if
this were not done, they would become enraged, and perhaps run away

* On the prayers and times for performing them generally among the Mahommedans, see
M. de Sacy’s Chrestomathie Arabe, tom. i. pp. 161-168. Of the last (^^0 he takes no
notice: but in tbe lexicons we are told that it signifies prayer generally, and that which is not
prescribed, but spontaneous.

T A R T A R y.

79

and leave their master to perish. When the travellers have completed
their forty days or stages through this desert, they arrive at the land of dark-
ness ; and each man, leaving what he has brought with him, goes back to
his appointed station. On the morrow they return to look for their goods,
and find, instead of them, sable, ermine, and the fir of the -^sinjab.* If then
the merchant likes what he finds, he takes it away; if not, he leaves it,
and more is added to it : upon some occasions, however, these people will
take back their own goods, and leave those of the merchant’s.! In this
way is their buying and selling carried on ; for the merchants know not
whether it is with mankind or demons that they have to do ; no one being
seen during the transaction. It is one of the properties of these firs, that
no vermin ever enters them.

I returned to the camp of the Sultan on the 28th of Ramadan ; and,
after that, travelled with him to the city of ®^Astrachan, which is one of his
cities. It is situated on the banks of the river '‘Athal,! which is one of
the great rivers of the world. At this place the Sultan resides during the
very cold weather ; and when this river, as well as the adjoining waters,
are frozen, the King orders the people of the country to bring thousands of
bundles of hay, which they do, and then place it upon the ice, and upon
this they travel.

When the King had arrived at Astrachan, one of his wives, who was daugh-
ter to the Emperor of Constantinople, and then big with child, requested to
be allowed to visit her father, with whom it was her intention to leave her
child and then to return : this he granted. I then requested to be permitted
to go with her, that I may see Constantinople ; and was refused, on account
of some fears which he entertained respecting me. I flattered him, how-
ever, telling him that I should never appear before her but as his servant
and guest, and that he need entertain no fear whatsoever. After this he
gave me permission, and I accordingly took my leave. He gave me fifteen

* See an interesting note by Mr. Kosegarten on this passage, p. 24.

t Mr. Kosegarten has a small addition here, which he translates : Principes Sinenses hene ex

iis augurantur, et summopere eas appetunt, ita ut mille circiter dinaris ibidem aestimuntur.”
Immediately after this our text presents a large addition.

t The Volga. See D’Herbelot, under the article Etel.

80

TART ARY.

hundred dinars, a dress of honour, and several horses. Each of his ladies
also gave me some pieces of bullion silver, -which they call El Suwam
from the singular sawma as did also his sons and daughters.

I set out accordingly on the 10th of the month Shawal, in company with
the royal consort ’Bailun, daughter to the Emperor of Constantinople.
The Sultan accompanied us through the first stage, in order to encourage
her, and then returned. The Queen was attended in her journey by five
thousand of the King’s army, about five hundred of which were cavalry, as
her servants and followers. In this manner we arrived at-^ Ukak,* which
is a moderately sized town but excessively cold. Between this place and
'‘El Sarai which belongs to the Sultan, there is a distance of ten days. At
the distance of one day from this place are the mountains of the Russians,
who are Christians, with red hair and blue eyes, an ugly and perfidious peo-
ple. They have silver mines : and from their country is the 'suwam, i. e. the
pieces of silver bullion brought. With these they buy and sell, each piece
weighing ”*five ounces. After ten days’ journey from this place we arrived
at the city of ”Sudak,j' which is one of the cities of the desert of "Kifjak,
and situated on the sea-shore. After this we arrived at a city known by
the name of ^ Baba Saltuk. Saltuk, they say, was a diviner. This is
the last district (in this direction) belonging to the Turks ; between which,
however, and the districts of Room, is a distance of eighteen days, eight
of which are over an uninhabited desert without water ; but as we entered
it during the cold season, we did not want much water.

* Mr. Kosegarten has Ukal. Our copies here present a large addition,
f This is probably the Soudak of M. D’Herbelot.

ROOM.

81