JOHN DE PLANO CARPINI ad. 



1246. 



Chingis Cham : and demanding of them where the people 

 of that countrey were, they answered, that the people 

 inhabited under the ground in mountains. Then Chingis 

 Cham keeping still the woman, sent her husband unto 

 them, giving them charge to come at his command. And 

 going unto them, he declared all things that Chingis Cham 

 had commanded them. But they answered, that they 

 would upon such a day visite him, to satisfie his desire. 

 And in the meane season, by blinde & hidden passages 

 under the earth, assembling themselves, they came against 

 the Tartars in warlike manner, and suddenly issuing forth, 

 they slewe a great number of them. This people were 

 not able to endure the terrible noise, which in that place 

 the Sunne made at his uprising : for at the time of the A fabulous 

 Sunne rising, they were inforced to lay one eare upon the ^f'^^^^^^^^f 

 ground, and to stoppe the other close, least they should 

 heare that dreadfull sound. Neither could they so escape, 

 for by this meanes many of them were destroyed. Chingis 

 Cham therefore and his company, seeing that they pre- 

 vailed not, but continually lost some of their number, fled 

 and departed out of that land. But the man and his wife 

 aforesaid they caried along with them, who all their life 

 time continued in the Tartars countrey. Being demaunded 

 why the men of their countrey doe inhabite under the 

 ground, they sayd, that at a certeine time of the yeare, 

 when the sunne riseth, there is such an huge noyse, that 

 the people cannot endure it. Moreover, they use to play 

 upon cymbals, drums, and other musicall instruments, to 

 the ende they may not heare that sounde. 



Of the statutes of Chingis Cham, of his death, of 

 his sonnes, and of his dukes. Chap. 13. 



BUt as Chingis Cham returned out of that countrey, his 

 people wanted victuals, & suffered extreme famin. 

 Then by chance they found ye fresh intrails of a beast : 

 which they tooke, & casting away the dung therof, caused 

 it to be sodden, brought it before Chingis Cham, & did y^^^ ^^^,^ ^r 

 eat therof. And hereupon Chingis Cham enacted ; that Chingis. 



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