we trusted in the help of a just God.”
At this they seemed all astonished, constantly exclaiming,
“Did you not come to make peace?” For they
are so puffed up with pride, that they think the whole
world should make peace with them; but if I might
be suffered, I would preach war against them to the
utmost of my power. I dared not deliver the true
cause of my journey, lest, in so doing, I might contradict
what had been written by Baatu, and therefore always
said we came because he sent us.
The day following I went to the court barefooted,
at which the people stared; but a Hungarian boy, who
was among diem, knew our order, and told them the
reason; on which a Nestorian, who was chief secretary,
asked many questions at the Hungarian, and we went
back to our lodgings. On our return, at the end
of the court, towards the east, I saw a small house,
with a little cross at top, at which I greatly rejoiced,
supposing there might be some Christians there.
I went in boldly, and found an altar well furnished,
having a golden cloth, adorned with images of Christ,
the Virgin, St John the Baptist, and two angels; the
lines of their body and garments being formed with
small pearls. On the altar was a large silver
cross, ornamented with precious stones, and many other
embroiderings; and a lamp with eight lights burned
before the altar. Sitting beside the altar I
saw an Armenian monk, somewhat black and lean, clad
in a rough hairy coat to the middle of his leg, above
which was a coarse black cloak, furred with spotted
skins, and he was girded with iron under his haircloth.
Before saluting the monk, we fell flat on the earth,
singing Ave regina and other hymns, and the monk joined
in our prayers. These being finished, we sat
down beside the monk, who had a small fire before him
in a pan. He told us that he had come a month
before us, being a hermit in the territories of Jerusalem,
who had been warned by God in a vision, to go to the
prince of the Tartars. After some conversation,
we went to our lodgings. Having eaten nothing
that day, we made a little broth of flesh and millet
for our supper. Our guide and his companions
were made drunk at the court, and very little care
was taken of us. Next morning the ends of my toes
were so frostbit by the extreme cold of the country,
that I could no longer go barefooted. From the
time when the frost begins, it never ceases till May,
and even then it freezes every night and morning, but
thaws with the heat of the sun during the day.
If they had much wind in that country during winter,
as we have, nothing could live there; but they have
always mild weather till April, and then the winds
rise; and at that season, while we were there, the
cold rising with the wind, killed multitudes of animals.
In the winter little snow fell there; but about Easter,
which was that year in the latter end of April, there
fell so great a snow, that the streets of Caracarum
were so full, it had to be carried out in carts.
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