398 FROM NORTH POLE TO EQUATOR. 



they were with their best horses — their most precious pacers, their 

 tamed golden-eagles, greyhounds, and camels, their zither-musicians 

 and impromptu poets, their wrestlers and other gymnasts — a merry 

 crew. They sat together in groups and companies; they darted 

 hither and thither, singly or in troops, wheeling their horses in 

 sheer high spirits; with the keenest interest they watched the 

 wrestling bouts or the boys racing on horseback; they led the chase 

 with astuteness and good judgment, and listened with delight to the 

 words of the extempore singer who celebrated its fortunes. One of 

 the Kirghiz had already killed an archar before our arrival; good 

 luck brought a second victim to my rifle. It was this good fortune 

 which inspired the poet. His verses were not particularly full of 

 ideas, but they were none the less so characteristic that I recorded 

 them as a first sample of Kirghiz poetry. While the poet sang, an 

 interpreter translated his words into Russian, and the General 

 rendered them in German, while I took them down in shorthand: — 



" Speak, red tongue, speak while thou hast life, for after death thou shalt be 



dumb. 

 Speak, red tongue, which God hath given me, for after death thou shalt be 



silent. 

 Words such as thou now utterest will no longer flow from thee after death. 

 I see before me people rising like the mountains, to them I will declare the 



truth. 

 I seem to see the rocks and mountains, to the reindeer I would liken them. 

 Greater are they than boats, like a steamship on the waves of Irtish. 

 But I see in thee, oh Ruler, after the majesty of the Emperor, the highest, to be 



compared to a mountain, precious as an ambling reindeer. 

 It was my mother who bore me, but my tongue hath God given. 

 If I should not now speak before thee, to whom should I ever speak ? 

 Full freedom have I to speak, let me speak as if to my own folk. 

 Prosperity to thee, sir, all hail and blessing to thy guests, among them noble 



men, though they have thus unbent among us. 

 Each guest of the General is also ours, and assured of our friendship. 

 God alone gave me my tongue, let me speak further. 

 On the mountains we saw huntsmen, marksmen, and drivers, but with one 



only was there good fortune. 

 As the top of the highest mountain towers above all others, so did he excel all, 



for he sent two well-aimed balls into the body of the archar and 



brought it to the yurt. 

 Every huntsman wished to bring in booty, but only one had his wish fulfilled : 



to us was joy, and to thee, noble lady, whom J, now address. 



