ewise lose his head."

CHAPTER V.

HOW ABAGA SENT HIS SON ARGON IN COMMAND AGAINST KING CAIDU.

Abaga the Lord of the Levant had many districts and provinces bordering on
King Caidu's territories. These lay in the direction of the _Arbre
Sol_, which the Book of Alexander calls the _Arbre Sec_, about
which I have told you before. And Abaga, to watch against forays by
Caidu's people sent his son Argon with a great force of horsemen, to keep
the marches between the Arbre Sec and the River Jon. So there tarried
Argon with all his host.[NOTE 1]

Now it came to pass that King Caidu assembled a great army and made
captain thereof a brother of his called Barac, a brave and prudent man,
and sent his host under his brother to fight with Argon.[NOTE 2]

<+> (Barac and his army cross the Jon or Oxus and are totally routed by
Argon, to whose history the traveller now turns.)

NOTE 1.--The Government of this frontier, from Kazwin or Rei to the banks
of the Oxus, was usually, under the Mongol sovereigns of Persia, confided
to the heir of the throne. Thus, under Hulaku it was held by Abaka, under
Abaka by Arghun, and under Arghun by Ghazan. (See _Hammer, passim._)

We have already spoken amply of the Arbre Sol (vol. i. p. 128 seqq.).

NOTE 2.--Barac or Borrak, who has been already spoken of in ch. iii. of
the Prologue (vol. i. p. 10), was no brother of Kaidu's. He was the head
of the house of Chaghatai, and in alliance with Kaidu. The invasion of
Khorasan by Borrak took place in the early part of 1269. Arghun was only
about 15, and his father Abaka came to take the command in person. The
battle seems to have been fought somewhere near the upper waters of the
Murghab, in the territory of the Badghis (north of Herat). Borrak was not
long after driven from power, and took refuge with Kaidu. He died, it is
said from poison, in 1270.

CHAPTER VI.

HOW ARGON AFTER THE BATTLE HEARD THAT HIS FATHER WAS DEAD, AND WENT TO
ASSUME THE SOVEREIGNTY AS WAS HIS RIGHT.

After Argon had gained this battle over Caidu's brother Barac and his
host, no long time passed before he had news that his father Abaga was
dead, whereat he was sorely grieved.[NOTE 1] He made ready his army and
set out for his father's Court to assume the sovereignty as was his right;
but he had a march of 40 days to reach it.

Now it befel that an uncle of Argon's whose name was ACOMAT SOLDAN (for he
had become a Saracen), when he heard of the death of