Page:Christianity in China, Tartary, and Thibet Volume I.djvu/176

164 16 A CHRISTIANITY IN CHINA, ETC. entrusted, that chief sent them to the court of Batou, the grandson of Tchinguiz-khan. They set off on the first day of Lent, and after having ridden at full gallop every day for five weeks, with no food but millet, and no drink but melted snow, and changing their horses often seven times in the day, arrived at last at the en- campment of Batou, on the banks of the Volga. Tents were assigned to them, pitched at about three miles from the general quarters. The chief attendant of Batou asked what they meant to offer to their master, when they should be permitted to prostrate themselves in his presence ; but they replied, that their Lord, the Pope, not being sure that his envoys would ever reach their destination, had not entrusted any presents to them, especially as they had had to pass through dangerous countries ; but that what they had received on their own account they were willing to offer. When they had placed these things in the hands of the attendant, they were conducted to the tent of Batou for an audience. The Franciscans were obliged to pass between two fires in order to purify themselves in the opinion of the Tartars from the suspicion of evil intentions, and to neu- tralise any malignant influence which their very pre- sence might bring with it. There were also two lances planted upright near the fires, with a cord stretched between them, to which were attached some pieces of cloth. The persons, animals, and articles to be pu- rified were passed under this cord ; and at the same time two women, one on each side, sprinkled water on them, uttering certain magical words. The two monks were told to kneel down three times on the left knee before the tent of the prince, and to take particular care