_Of our Distresses, and of the Comanian funerals_.
In our journey eastwards we saw nothing but the earth and sky, having
sometimes the sea of Tanais within sight on our right hand, and sometimes
we saw the sepulchres in which the Comanians used to bury their dead, at
the distance of a league or two from the line of our journey. So long as we
travelled in the desert, matters were tolerably well with us, but I cannot
sufficiently express the irksome and tedious plagues and troubles we had to
encounter in the dwellings of the Tartars; for our guide insisted upon us
making presents to every one of the Tartar captains, which we were utterly
unable to afford, and we were eight persons in all, continually using our
provisions, as the three Tartars who accompanied us insisted that we should
feed them; and the flesh which had been given us was by no means
sufficient, and we could not get any to buy. While we sat under the shadow
of our carts to shelter us from the extreme heat of the sun, they would
intrude into our company, and even tread upon us, that they might see what
we had; and when they had to ease nature, would hardly withdraw a few yards
distance, shamelessly talking to us the whole lime. What distressed me most
of all, was when I wished to address them upon religious subjects, my
foolish interpreter used to say, "You shall not make me a preacher, and I
neither will nor can rehearse these words." Nay, after I began to acquire
some little knowledge of their language, I found, when I spoke one thing,
he would say quite differently, whatever chanced to come uppermost in his
senseless mind. Thus, seeing the danger I might incur in speaking by so
faithless an interpreter, I resolved rather to be silent.
We thus journeyed on from station to station, till at length a few days
before the festival of Mary Magdalen, 22d July, we arrived on the banks of
the mighty river Tanais or Don, which divides Europe from Asia. At this
place Baatu and Sartach had established a station of Russians on the
eastern bank of the river, on purpose to transport merchants and messengers
across. They ferried us over in the first place, and then our carts; and
their boats were so small that they were obliged to use two boats tied
together for one cart, putting a wheel into each. In this place our guides
acted most foolishly; for believing that the Russians would provide us with
horses and oxen, they sent back those we had from the western side of the
river, to their masters. But when relays were demanded from the Russians,
they alleged that they had a privilege from Baatu, exempting them from all
services except those belonging to the ferry, and for which they were even
accustomed to receive considerable rewards from such merchants as passed
that way. We were, therefore, constrained to remain three days in this
place. The first day they gave us a large fresh fish[1]. The second day the
magistrate of the village gathered from every house for us, and presented
us with rye-bread and some flesh. And the third day they gave us dried
fish, of which they have great abundance.
The river Tanais, at this place, is as broad as the Seine at Paris; and
before arriving on its banks, we had passed many goodly waters full of
fish: but the rude Tartars know not now to catch them, neither do they hold
fish in any estimation, unless large enough to feed a company. This river
is the eastern limit of Russia, and arises from certain marshes which
extend to the northern ocean; and it discharges itself in the south, into a
large sea of 700 miles extent, before falling into the Euxine; and all the
rivers we had passed ran with a full stream in the same direction. Beyond
this place the Tartars advance no farther to the north, and they were now,
about the first of August, beginning to return into the south; and they
have another village somewhat lower down the river, where passengers are
ferried over in winter. At this time the people were reaping their rye.
Wheat does not succeed in their soil, but they have abundance of millet.
The Russian women attire their heads like those in our country; and they
ornament their gowns with furs of different kinds, from about the knees
downwards. The men wear a dress like the Germans, having high crowned
conical hats made of felt, like sugar loaves, with sharp points.
At length, after representing that our journey was intended for the common
benefit of all Christians, they provided us with oxen and men to proceed
upon our journey; but as we got no horses, we were ourselves under the
necessity of travelling on foot. In this manner we journied for three days,
without meeting any people; and when both our oxen and ourselves were weary
and faint with fatigue, two horses came running towards us, to our great
joy: Our guide and interpreter mounted upon these, and set out to see if
they could fall in with any inhabitants. At length, on the fourth day,
having found some people, we rejoiced like seafaring men, who had escaped
from a tempest into a safe harbour. Then getting fresh horses and oxen, we
passed on from station to station, till we at length reached the habitation
of duke Sartach on the second of the kalends of August[2].
[1] In the Latin this fish is named Barbatus, which both Hakluyt and Harris
have translated Turbot, a fish never found in rivers. It was more
probably a Barbel, in Latin called Barbus; or it might be of the
Sturgeon tribe, which likewise has beard-like appendages, and is found
in the Don.--E.
[2] This, according to the Roman method of reckoning, ought to be the last
day of July. Yet Rubruquis had previously mentioned the 1st of August
a considerable time before.--E.