CHAPTER III.
HOW THE GREAT KAAN MARCHED AGAINST NAYAN.
When the Great Kaan heard what was afoot, he made his preparations in
right good heart, like one who feared not the issue of an attempt so
contrary to justice. Confident in his own conduct and prowess, he was
in no degree disturbed, but vowed that he would never wear crown again
if he brought not those two traitorous and disloyal Tartar chiefs to
an ill end. So swiftly and secretly were his preparations made, that
no one knew of them but his Privy Council, and all were completed
within ten or twelve days. In that time he had assembled good 360,000
horsemen, and 100,000 footmen,—but a small force indeed for him, and
consisting only of those that were in the vicinity. For the rest of
his vast and innumerable forces were too far off to answer so hasty a
summons, being engaged under orders from him on distant expeditions to
conquer divers countries and provinces. If he had waited to summon all
his troops, the multitude assembled would have been beyond all belief,
a multitude such as never was heard of or told of, past all counting.
In fact, those 360,000 horsemen that he got together consisted merely
of the falconers and whippers-in that were about the court!{1}
And when he had got ready this handful (as it were) of his troops,
he ordered his astrologers to declare whether he should gain the
battle and get the better of his enemies. After they had made their
observations, they told him to go on boldly, for he would conquer and
gain a glorious victory: whereat he greatly rejoiced.
So he marched with his army, and after advancing for 20 days they
arrived at a great plain where Nayan lay with all his host, amounting
to some 400,000 horse. Now the Great Kaan’s forces arrived so fast and
so suddenly that the others knew nothing of the matter. For the Kaan
had caused such strict watch to be made in every direction for scouts
that every one that appeared was instantly captured. Thus Nayan had no
warning of his coming and was completely taken by surprise; insomuch
that when the Great Kaan’s army came up, he was asleep in the arms of a
wife of his of whom he was extravagantly fond. So thus you see why it
was that the Emperor equipped his force with such speed and secrecy.
NOTE 1.—I am afraid Marco, in his desire to impress on his
readers the great power of the Kaan, is here giving the reins to
exaggeration on a great scale.
Ramusio has here the following explanatory addition:—“You must know
that in all the Provinces of Cathay and Mangi, and throughout the
Great Kaan’s dominions, there are too many disloyal folk ready to
break into rebellion against their Lord, and hence it is needful
in every province containing large cities and much population, to
maintain garrisons. These are stationed four or five miles from
the cities, and the latter are not allowed to have walls or gates
by which they might obstruct the entrance of the troops at their
pleasure. These garrisons as well as their commanders the Great
Kaan causes to be relieved every two years; and bridled in this way
the people are kept quiet, and can make no disturbance. The troops
are maintained not only by the pay which the Kaan regularly assigns
from the revenues of each province, but also by the vast quantities
of cattle which they keep, and by the sale of milk in the cities,
which furnishes the means of buying what they require. They are
scattered among their different stations, at distances of 30, 40,
or 60 days (from the capital); and had Cublay decided to summon but
the half of them, the number would have been incredible,” etc.
[Palladius says (p. 37) that in the Mongol-Chinese documents, the
Mongol garrisons cantoned near the Chinese towns are mentioned
under the name of _Aolu_, but no explanation of the term is
given.—H. C.]
The system of controlling garrisons, quartered at a few miles from
the great cities, is that which the Chinese followed at Kashgar,
Yarkand, etc. It is, in fact, our own system in India, as at
Barrackpúr, Dinapúr, Sikandarábád, Mián Mír.