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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.