which look to yourself.  There are two eyes in one head, yet they both look to one object.  You came here from Baatu, and therefore you must return by him.”  Having requested and obtained leave to speak, I addressed him thus:  “Sir! we are not men of war, and desire that they who would most justly govern according to the will of God may have dominion in the world.  Our office is to teach men to live according to the law of God:  For this, purpose we came into these parts, and would willingly have remained here if it had been your pleasure; but since you are pleased that we should return, I shall carry your letters according to my power, in obedience to your commands.  I request of your magnificence, that, when I have delivered your letters, it may be lawful for me to come back into your dominions; chiefly because you have servants of our nation at Balac, who want a priest to teach them and their children the law of our religion, and I would willingly stay with them.”  He then asked whether I knew that our lords would send me back to him?  To this.  I answered, “I know not what may be the purpose of my sovereign; but I have licence to go wherever I will, where it is needful to preach the word of God, and it seems to me necessary in these parts; wherefore, whether my lords send ambassadors or not, if it is your pleasure, I will return.”  Then, after a long pause, as if musing, he said, “You have a lone way to go, make yourself strong with food, that you may be enabled to endure the journey.”  So he ordered them to give me drink, and I departed from his presence, and returned not again.  From that time I could have no time nor place to expound to him the catholic faith; for a man must not speak before him, unless what he pleaseth to order or allow, except he were an ambassador, who may speak what he will, and they always demand of such whether he has any thing more to say.

The soothsayers are the priests of the Mongals, and whatever they command to be done is performed without delay.  I shall describe their office, as I learnt it from the goldsmith and others.  Of these soothsayers there are great numbers, under the direction of a chief priest, whose house is always about a stone’s throw in front of the great house of Mangu-khan, and under his charge are all the chariots which carry idols.  The other soothsayers dwell behind the court, in places appointed for them; and such as have confidence in their art come to consult them from various distant parts.  Some of them are skilful in astronomy, especially their chief, and they foretel eclipses of the sun and moon.  When these are to happen, all the people prepare their food, that they may not be under the necessity of going out of doors, and during the eclipse they play on various instruments of music, and set up loud shouts:  when it is over, they indulge in feasting and carousing, to express their joy.