There are 12,000 horse-guards, called Casitan, who attend on the person of
the khan, more from state than from any suspicion of danger. These have
four chief commanders, one to every 3000 men; and one commander, with his
band of 3000, keeps guard over the khan for three days and nights, after
which he is succeeded by another, and so on in regular order.

When the khan holds a solemn court on any particular day of festival, his
table is raised higher than all the rest, and is set on the north side of
the hall, having his face to the south, his first queen or principal wife
being placed on his left hand, and his sons and nephews, and other princes
of the blood-royal being arranged on his right; but their table is placed
so much lower, that their heads are hardly so high as the khans feet. The
princes and other lords of the court sit lower still on the right hand; and
the ladies being all placed in similar order on the left, those of the sons
and kinsmen of the khan being next to the queen, and after these, the wives
of the lords and officers, each according to their several ranks, in due
order. By this means the khan, as he sits at table, can see all that feast
along with him in the hall. There are not tables for all who are admitted
to the feast, but the greatest part of the soldiers and captains sit down
on carpets, where they are served with victuals and drink. At all the doors
there are two gigantic fellows with cudgels, who observe carefully if any
one touches the threshold in going in; and whoever does so, forfeits his
garment, or receives a certain number of blows of a cudgel. Those who serve
the khan, or who sit at his table, have their mouths covered with silken
veils, lest their breath should touch the meat or drink which he is to use.
When he drinks, the damsel who carries the cup kneels down, and then all
the barons and others present kneel likewise, and all the musicians sound
their instruments, till the khan has done drinking. If I were to describe
all the pomp and magnificence of these festivals, and all die dainties and
delicate dishes which are served up, I should become prolix and tiresome.

The birth days of their lords are celebrated with great reverence among the
Tartars. That of Kublai-khan, their great emperor, is held yearly, on the
twenty-eighth day of September, and is kept with greater solemnity than any
other festival, except that of the new year, which is celebrated on the
first day of February,