many
distinctions (p. 285). Vincent of Beauvais also speaks of Rabbanta, a
Nestorian monk, who lived in the confidence of Chinghiz's wife, daughter
of "the Christian King David or Prester John," and who used by divination
to make many revelations to the Tartars. We have already said that there
seems no ground for assigning a daughter of Aung Khan as wife to Chinghiz.
But there was a _niece_ of the former, named Abika, among the wives of
Chinghiz. And Rashiduddin _does_ relate a dream of the Kaan's in relation
to her. But it was to the effect that he was divinely commanded to give
her away; and this he did next morning!

(_Rawlins. Herod._ IV. 67; _Amm. Marcell._ XXXI. 2; _Delvio, Disq. Magic._
558; _Mendoza_, Hak. Soc. I. 47; _Doolittle_, 435-436; _Hist. of
Genghizcan_, pp. 52-53; _Preston's al-Hariri_, p. 183; _P. della V._ II.
865-866; _Vigne_, I. 46; _D'Ohsson_, I. 418-419).

[1] [On the Chinese divining-twig, see _Dennys, Folk-lore of China_,
57.--H. C.]

[2] [With reference to this passage from _Rubruck_, Mr. Rockhill says
(195, note): "The mode of divining here referred to is apparently the
same as that described by Polo. It must not however be confounded with
rabdomancy, in which bundles of wands or arrows were used." Ammianus
Marcellinus (XXXI. 2. 350) says this mode of divination was practised
by the Alans. "They have a singular way of divining: they take
straight willow wands and make bundles of them, and on examining them
at a certain time, with certain secret incantations, they know what is
going to happen."--H. C.]

CHAPTER L.

THE BATTLE BETWEEN CHINGHIS KAAN AND PRESTER JOHN.

[Illustration: Death of Chinghiz Khan. (From a miniature in the _Livre des
Merveilles_.)]

And after both sides had rested well those two days, they armed for the
fight and engaged in desperate combat; and it was the greatest battle that
ever was seen. The numbers that were slain on both sides were very great,
but in the end Chinghis Kaan obtained the victory. And in the battle
Prester John was slain. And from that time forward, day by day, his
kingdom passed into the hands of Chinghis Kaan till the whole was
conquered.

I may tell you that Chinghis Kaan reigned six years after this battle,
engaged continually in conquest, and taking many a province and city and
stronghold. But at the end of those six years he went against a certain
castle that was called CAAJU, and there he wa