WILLIAM DE RUBRUQUIS ad. 



1253. J 



benighted before we came at our journeis end : because 

 we could not then conveniently gather together the doung j 

 of horses or oxen : for other fewel we found but seldome, 

 except perhaps a few thornes in some places. Likewise Certawe 

 upon the bankes of some rivers, there are woods growing ^^^^^^' ,1 

 here and there. Howbeit they are very rare. In the , 

 beginning our guide highly disdained us, and it was '^ 

 tedious unto him to conduct such base fellowes. After- ! 

 ward, when he began to know us somewhat better, he \ 

 directed us on our way by the courts of rich Moals, and \ 

 we were requested to pray for them. Wherefore, had 1 \ 

 caried a good interpreter with me, I should have had j 

 opportunitie to have done much good. The foresaid ; 

 Chingis, who was the first great Can or Emperour of the i 

 Tartars, had foure sonnes, of whome proceeded by naturall \ 

 descent many children, every one of which doeth at this ! 

 day enjoy great possessions : and they are daily multiplied ; 

 and dispersed over that huge and waste desert, which is, '< 

 in dimensions, like unto the Ocean Sea. Our guide j 

 therefore directed us, as we were going on our journey, i 

 unto many of their habitations. And they marveiled ; 

 exceedingly, that we would receive neither gold, nor silver, S 

 nor precious and costly garments at their hands. They 

 inquired also, concerning the great Pope, whether he was ! 

 of so lasting an age as they had heard ? For there had ' 

 gone a report among them, that he was 500. yeeres olde. 

 They inquired likewise of our countreis, whether there 

 were abundance of sheep, oxen, & horses or no } Con- 

 cerning the Ocean sea, they could not conceive of it, j 

 because it was without limits or banks. Upon the even 

 of ye feast of Al Saints, we forsook the way leading i 

 towards the East, (because the people were now descended j 

 very much South) and we went on our journey by certaine \ 

 Alpes, or mountaines directly Southward, for the space of Eight dayes 

 8. dayes together. In the foresaid desert I saw many j°^^^0 ^°^^^- 

 asses (which they cal Colan) being; rather like unto mules : '^^T' ' -r. r 

 these aid our guide & his companions chase very eagerly : foote. 

 howbeit, they did but lose their labour : for the beastes ^' 



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