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amazed and were greatly troubled that they should have cast away the stone. So they took the fire and carried it away into their own country, and placed it in a rich and beautiful church, where the people keep it continually burning and worship it as a god, and all the sacrifices they offer are kindled with that fire.

91. The Old Man of the Mountain 1

Marco Polo tells a romantic story, in the form current throughout the East, of the "Old Man of the Mountain." This was the title applied by the crusaders to the head of a Mohammedan sect, which had settled in the Syrian mountains north of Lebanon. His followers were notorious for their secret murders committed in blind obedience to the will of their chief. From their name (Arabic Hashishin) has come the modern application of the word Assassin.

The Old Man had caused a certain valley between two mountains to be inclosed and had turned it into a garden, the largest and most beautiful that ever was seen. It was filled with every variety of fruit. In it were erected pavilions and palaces the most elegant that can be imagined, all covered with gilding and exquisite painting. And there were conduits too, flowing freely with wine and milk and honey and water; and numbers of the most beautiful damsels in the world, who could play on all manner of instruments, and sang most sweetly, and danced in a manner that it was charming to behold. For the Old Man desired to make his people believe that this was actually paradise. So he had fashioned it after the description that Mohammed gave of his paradise, to wit, that it should be a beautiful garden running with conduits of wine and milk and honey and water, and full of lovely women for the delectation of all its inmates. And sure enough the Saracens of those parts believed that it was paradise!

Now no man was allowed to enter the garden except those whom he intended to be his Assassins. There was a fortress at the entrance to the garden, strong enough to resist all the world, and there was no other way to get in. He kept at his

1 Book of Ser Marco Polo, bk. i, chs. 23-25.

court a number of the youths of the country, from twelve to twenty years of age, such as had a taste for soldiering, and to these he used to tell tales about paradise, just as Mohammed had been wont to do, and they believed in him just as the Saracens believe in Mohammed. Then he would introduce them into his garden, some four, or six, or ten at a time, having first made them drink a certain potion which cast them into a deep sleep, and then causing them to be lifted and carried in. When therefore they awoke, and found themselves in a place so charming, they deemed that it was paradise in very truth. . . . With their own good will they never would have quitted the place.

Now this prince, whom we call the Old Man, kept his court in grand and noble style and made those simple hill-folks about him believe firmly that he was a great prophet. And when he wanted to send one of his Assassins on any mission, he would cause that potion whereof I spoke to be given to one of the youths in the garden, and then had him carried into his palace. So when the young man awoke, he found himself in the castle, and no longer in that paradise; whereat he was not well pleased. He was then conducted to the Old Man's presence and bowed before him with great veneration, believing himself to be in the presence of a true prophet. The prince would then ask whence he came, and he would reply that he came from paradise, and that it was exactly such as Mohammed had described it. This of course gave the others who stood by, and who had not been admitted, the greatest desire to enter therein.

So when the Old Man would have any prince slain, he would say to such a youth, “Go thou and slay so-and-so; and when thou returnest my angels shall bear thee into paradise. And shouldst thou die, nevertheless even so will I send my angels to carry thee back into paradise." So he caused them to believe; and thus there was no order of his that they would not face any peril to execute, because of the great desire they had to get back into that paradise of his. And in this manner the Old Man got his people to murder anyone whom he desired

to get rid of. . . . Now it came to pass in the year 1252, that Alaü, Lord of the Tartars of the Levant, heard tell of these great crimes of the Old Man and resolved to make an end of him. So he took and sent one of his barons with a great army to that castle, and they besieged it for three years, but they could not take it, so strong was the place. But after three years, the defenders, having run short of food, were obliged to surrender. The Old Man was put to death with all his men, and the castle with its garden of paradise was leveled with the ground. And since that time he has had no successor; and

there was an end to all his villanies.

92. The Desert of Gobi 1

Lop is a large town at the edge of the desert, which is called the desert of Gobi, and is situated between east and northeast. It belongs to the Great Khan, and the inhabitants worship Mohammed. Now, such persons as intend to cross the desert take a week's rest in this town to refresh themselves and their cattle; and then they make ready for the journey, taking with them a month's supply for man and beast. On quitting this city they enter the desert.

The length of this desert is so great that it is said it would take a year and more to ride from one end of it to the other. And here, where its breadth is least, it takes a month to cross it. The desert is entirely composed of hills and valleys of sand, and not a thing to eat is to be found on it. But after riding for a day and a night you find fresh water, perhaps enough for some fifty or one hundred persons with their beasts, but not for more. And all across the desert you will find water in like manner, that is to say, in some twenty-eight places altogether you will find good water, but not in great quantity.

Beasts there are none; for there is nought for them to eat. But there is a marvelous thing related of this desert, which is that when travelers are on the move by night, and one of them

1 Book of Ser Marco Polo, bk. i, ch. 39.

chances to lag behind or to fall asleep or the like, when he tries to gain his company again he will hear spirits talking and will suppose them to be his comrades. Sometimes the spirits will call him by name; and thus a traveler ofttimes will be led astray so that he never finds his party. And in this way many have perished. . . . Even in the daytime one hears these spirits talking. And sometimes you may hear the sound of a variety of musical instruments, and still more commonly the sound of drums. Hence in making this journey it is customary for travelers to keep close together. All the animals, too, have bells at their necks, so that they cannot easily get astray. And at sleeping-time a signal is put up to show the direction of the next day's march. Thus it is that the desert is crossed.

93. Customs of the Tartars 1

Marco Polo gives a very interesting account of the Tartars (properly Tatars), the barbaric and nomadic inhabitants of central Asia. It was these Tartars, more or less mixed with Mongols, who in the thirteenth century conquered a large part of Asia and overran eastern Europe.

The Tartar custom is to spend the winter in warm plains, where they find good pasture for their cattle, while in summer they betake themselves to a cool climate among the mountains and valleys, where water is to be found as well as woods and pastures.

Their houses are circular, and are made of wands covered with felts. These are carried along with them whithersoever they go; for the wands are so strongly bound together, and likewise so well combined, that the frame can be made very light. Whenever they erect these huts the door is always to the south. They also have wagons so tightly covered with black felt that no rain can get in. These are drawn by oxen and camels, and the women and children travel in them. The women do the buying and selling, and whatever is necessary to provide for the husband and household; for the men all lead the life of

1 Book of Ser Marco Polo, bk. i, chs. 52, 54.

gentlemen, troubling themselves about nothing but hunting and hawking, unless it be the practice of warlike exercises.

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They live on the milk and meat which their herds supply, and on the produce of the chase; and they eat all kinds of flesh, including that of horses and dogs. . . Their drink is mare's milk.1 . . . Ten or twenty of them will dwell together in charming peace and unity, nor shall you ever hear an ill word among them.

The marriage customs of Tartars are as follows. Any man may take a hundred wives if he pleases, and if he is able to keep them. But the first wife is ever held most in honor and as the most legitimate, and the same applies to the sons whom she may bear. The husband gives a marriage payment to his wife's mother, and the wife brings nothing to her husband. They have more children than other people, because they have so many wives. They may marry their cousins, and if a father dies, his son may take any of the wives, his own mother always excepted; that is to say, the eldest son may do this, but no other. A man may also take the wife of his own brother after the latter's death. Their weddings are celebrated with great ceremony.

All their military equipment is excellent and costly. Their arms are bows and arrows, sword and mace; but above all the bow, for they are capital archers, indeed the best that are known. On their backs they wear a strong armor prepared from buffalo and other hides. They are excellent soldiers and most valiant in battle. They are also more capable of hardships than other peoples; for many a time, if need be, they will go for a month without any supply of food, living only on the milk of their mares and on such game as their bows may win them. Their horses, also, will subsist entirely on the grass of the plains, so that there is no need to carry a store of barley or straw or oats; and they are very docile to their riders. A Tartar, in case of need, will abide on horseback the entire

1 Fermented mare's milk, known as kumiss, is still the habitual drink of the nomads of central Asia. It is a remarkably nourishing liquor.

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