The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1 / Page 643 (Color Image)

0643	The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1

CHAP. IV. BATTLE BETWEEN THE KAAN AND NAYAN

337

in all security, without the slightest thought of any one

coming thither to do him hurt. In fact, this confidence

of his was such that he kept no vedettes whether in front

or in rear ; for he knew nothing of the coming of the

Great Kaan, owing to all the approaches having been

completely occupied as I told you. Moreover, the place

was in a remote wilderness, more than thirty marches

from the Court, though the Kaan had made the distance

in twenty, so eager was he to come to battle with

N ayan.

And what shall I tell you next ? The Kaan was

there on the hill, mounted on a great wooden bartizan,l

which was borne by four well-trained elephants, and

over him was hoisted his standard, so high aloft that

it could be seen from all sides. His troops were ordered

in battles of 30,000 men apiece ; and a great part of the

horsemen had each a foot-soldier armed with a lance set

on the crupper behind him (for it was thus that the foot-

men were disposed of) ; 2 and the whole plain seemed

to be covered with his forces. So it was thus that the

Great Kaan's army was arrayed for battle.

When Nayan and his people saw what had happened,

they were sorely confounded, and rushed in haste to

arms. Nevertheless they made them ready in good

style and formed their troops in an orderly manner.

And when all were in battle array on both sides as I

have told you, and nothing remained but to fall to

blows, then might you have heard a sound arise of

many instruments of various music, and of the voices

of the whole of the two hosts loudly singing. For this

is a custom of the Tartars, that before they join battle

they all unite in singing and playing on a certain two-

stringed instrument of theirs, a thing right pleasant to

hear. And so they continue in their array of battle,

singing and playing in this pleasing manner, until the

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