when the Tartar year commences. On his birth day the
great khan is clothed in a most splendid robe of cloth of gold, and about
2000 of his barons and soldiers receive, on this occasion, silken garments
of a golden, colour, and girdles wrought in gold or silver, with each a
pair of shoes. Some of those who are next to the khan in dignity, wear
pearls and jewels of great value. These splendid garments are only worn on
thirteen solemn festivals, corresponding to the thirteen moons or lunar
months, into which the Tartar year is divided, when all the great men of
the court are splendidly habited, like so many kings. The birth-day of the
great khan is celebrated by all the Tartars throughout his extensive
dominions; and on this day, all the kings, princes, governors, and nobles,
who are subject to his authority, send presents to him in honour of the
day, and in token of submission. Such as are desirous of obtaining any
place of dignity or office, present their petitions to a council of twelve
barons, appointed for that express purpose; and their decision is
considered as equivalent to an answer from the khan in person. All the
people of the immense dominions who acknowledge the authority of the great
khan, whether Christians, or Jews, Mahometans, Tartars, or Pagans, are
bound, on this anniversary, to pray solemnly to their Gods for the life,
safety, prosperity, and health of the great khan.

On the first of February, which is the commencement of the Tartar year, the
great khan, and all the Tartars, wherever they may happen to be at the
time, observe a very solemn feast; and all of them, both men and women, are
desirous, on that occasion, to be clothed in white garments, that fortune
may be favourable to them for the remainder of the year. On this occasion,
the governors of provinces, and rulers of cities, and all who are in office
or authority, send presents to the khan, of gold, silver, pearls, and
precious stones, likewise of many white cloths of various kinds, and other
white things, and many white horses. It is the custom of those who bring
presents, if they can, to present nine times nine of every particular
article, whether it be gold, or silver, or cloths, or horses; and on this
occasion, the khan sometimes receives 100,000 horses. On this grand
festival, all the elephants belonging to the great khan, about 5000, are
brought into the great court of the palace, covered with splendid housings
of tapestry, wrought with the