nch, is a village called
Sumerkant[2], without any wall, but which was besieged by the Tartars for
eight years before they could gain possession, and had formerly cost the
Saracens and Alani nine years; for though not fortified, it is surrounded
by water. We there found a German and his wife, with whom Gosset had lived
all the preceding winter, by the order of Baatu. On the east side of this
river Baatu always travels, and Sartach on the west, never going farther
south than this place, as there is very good grass in great abundance.
Coiacs father, on receiving the letters of Sartach, restored my vestments,
except a surplice, an albs, an almic trimmed with fine silk, a stole, a
girdle, and a tualia adorned with gold embroidery. He gave me back,
likewise, my silver plate, except the censer, and a small box for holding
chrism, all of which were with the priest who attended Sartach; and he
returned my books, except our ladys psalter, which he kept with my leave,
as I could not deny him, for he said Sartach took great delight in it. A
bible also, and an Arabian book worth thirty sultanies, were retained, and
many other things which I never recovered. Sarai, and the palace of Baatu
are on the east side of the river, and the valley through which the arms of
the river spread abroad, is more than seven leagues in breadth.

After leaving Sarai, on the feast of All Saints, 1st November, we travelled
south till the feast of St Martin, 11th November, when we came to the
mountains of the Alani. In fifteen days travel we found no people, except
at one little village, where one of the sons of Sartach resided,
accompanied by many falconers, and falcons. For the first five days we did
not meet a single man, and were a whole day and night in great danger of
perishing for want of water. The Alani in some of the mountains, still hold
out against the Tartars, so that two of every ten of the subjects of
Sartach are obliged to guard certain passes in the mountains of Dagistan,
lest the Alanians carry away the cattle in the plain. There are likewise
certain Mahometans called Lesghis in these mountains who are not
subjugated, so that the Tartars had to give us a guard of twenty men to see
us safe beyond the Iron-gate. I was glad of this circumstance, as I had
never seen the Tartars armed; and yet, of all those twenty, only two had
habergions, which they said they had procured from the Alani, who are
excellent smiths and armourers. In my opinion, t