onvenience of the khan, who
spends three months here annually, in June, July, and August; but on the
twenty-eighth day of August he always leaves this, to go to some other
place, for the performance of a solemn sacrifice. Always on the twentieth
day of August, he is directed by the astrologers and sorcerers, to sprinkle
a quantity of white mares milk, with his own hands, as a sacrifice to the
gods and spirits of the air and the earth, in order that his subjects,
wives, children, cattle, and corn, and all that he possesses, may flourish
and prosper. The khan has a stud of horses and mares all pure white, nearly
ten thousand in number; of the milk of which none are permitted to drink,
unless those who are descended from Zingis-khan, excepting one family,
named _Boriat_, to whom this privilege was granted by Zingis, on account of
their valour. These white horses are held in such reverence, that no one
dare go before them, or disturb them in their pastures.

There are two sects of idolatrous priests, called Chebeth and Chesmu, who
ascend the roof of the palace in the midst of storms, and persuade the
people they are so holy, that they can prevent any rain from falling on the
roof. These people go about in a very filthy condition, as they never wash
or comb themselves. They have also an abominable custom of eating the
bodies of malefactors who are condemned to death, but they do not feed on
any who die naturally. These are likewise called Bachsi, which is the name
of their order, as our friars are named predicants, minors, and the like.
These fellows are great sorcerers, and seem to be able to do any thing they
please by magic art. When the great khan sits in his hall at a table, which
is raised several feet above the others[10], there is a great sideboard of
plate at some distance in the midst of the hall, and from thence these
sorcerers cause wine or milk to fill the goblets on the khans table,
whenever he commands. These Bachsi also, when they have a mind to make
feasts in honour of their idols, send word to the khan, through certain
officers deputed for the purpose, that if their idols are not honoured with
the accustomed sacrifices, they will send blights on the fruits of the
ground, and murrains among the beasts, and entreat, therefore, that he will
order a certain number of black-headed sheep, with incense, and aloes-wood,
to be delivered to them, for the due and honourable performance of the
regular sacrifices.

Thes