the Singphos, in talking of
their eastern and southern neighbours,
call them Kakhyens or Kakoos,
and consider it an insult to be called
so themselves.” (Sketch
of the Singphos, or the Kakhyens of
Burma, Calcutta, 1847,
pp. 3-4.) If, however, the Kakhyens, or
Kachyens (as Major
Sladen calls them), are represented by the
Go-tchang of Pauthier’s
Chinese extracts, these seem to be
distinguished from the Kin-Chi,
though associated with them. (See pp.
397, 411.)
[2] [Mr. E.H. Parker (China Review, XIV.
p. 359) says that Colonel
Yule’s Langszi
are evidently the Szilang, one of the six
Chao, but turned upside
down.—H.C.]
[3] Cathay, etc., pp. ccl. seqq. and p.
441.
WHEREIN IS RELATED HOW THE KING OF MIEN AND BANGALA
VOWED VENGEANCE
AGAINST THE GREAT KAAN.
But I was forgetting to tell you of a famous battle
that was fought in the kingdom of Vochan in the Province
of Zardandan, and that ought not to be omitted from
our Book. So we will relate all the particulars.
You see, in the year of Christ, 1272,[NOTE 1] the
Great Kaan sent a large force into the kingdoms of
Carajan and Vochan, to protect them from the ravages
of ill-disposed people; and this was before he had
sent any of his sons to rule the country, as he did
afterwards when he made Sentemur king there, the son
of a son of his who was deceased.
Now there was a certain king, called the king of Mien
and of Bangala, who was a very puissant prince, with
much territory and treasure and people; and he was
not as yet subject to the Great Kaan, though it was
not long after that the latter conquered him and took
from him both the kingdoms that I have named.[NOTE
2] And it came to pass that when this king of Mien
and Bangala heard that the host of the Great Kaan was
at Vochan, he said to himself that it behoved him
to go against them with so great a force as should
insure his cutting off the whole of them, insomuch
that the Great Kaan would be very sorry ever to send
an army again thither [to his frontier].
So this king prepared a great force and munitions
of war; and he had, let me tell you, 2000 great elephants,
on each of which was set a tower of timber, well framed
and strong, and carrying from twelve to sixteen well-armed
fighting men.[NOTE 3] And besides these, he had of
horsemen and of footmen good 60,000 men. In short,
he equipped a fine force, as well befitted such a
puissant prince. It was indeed a host capable
of doing great things.
And what shall I tell you? When the king had
completed these great preparations to fight the Tartars,
he tarried not, but straightway marched against them.
And after advancing without meeting with anything worth
mentioning, they arrived within three days of the Great
Kaan’s host, which was then at Vochan in the
territory of Zardandan, of which I have already spoken.
So there the king pitched his camp, and halted to refresh
his army.
