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Marco Polo, Rustichello of Pisa - The Travels of Marco Polo, 1
Ramusio has here the following explanatory addition: - "You must know that in all the Provinces of
Cathay and Mangi, and throughout the Great Kaan's dominions, there are too many disloyal folk ready to
break into rebellion against their Lord, and hence it is needful in every province containing large cities
and much population, to maintain garrisons. These are stationed four or five miles from the cities, and the
latter are not allowed to have walls or gates by which they might obstruct the entrance of the troops at
their pleasure. These garrisons as well as their commanders the Great Khan causes to be relieved every
two years; and bridled in this way the people are kept quiet, and can make no disturbance. The troops are
maintained not only by the pay which the Kaan regularly assigns from the revenues of each province, but
also by the vast quantities of cattle which they keep, and by the sale of milk in the cities, which furnishes
the means of buying what they require. They are scattered among their different stations, at distances of
30, 40, or 60 days (from the capital); and had Cublay decided to summon but the half of them, the
number would have been incredible," etc.
[Palladius says (p. 37) that in the Mongol-Chinese documents, the Mongol garrisons cantoned near the
Chinese towns are mentioned under the name of Aolu, but no explanation of the term is given. -
H. C.]
The system of controlling garrisons, quartered at a few miles from the great cities, is that which the
Chinese followed at Kashgar, Yarkand, etc. It is, in fact, our own system in India, as at Barrackpur,
Dinapur, Sikandarabad, Mian Mir.
CHAPTER IV. OF THE BATTLE THAT THE GREAT KAAN FOUGHT WITH NAYAN.
What shall I say about it? When day had well broken, there was the Kaan with all his host upon a hill
overlooking the plain where Nayan lay in his tent, in all security, without the slightest thought of any one
coming thither to do him hurt. In fact, this confidence of his was such that he kept no vedettes whether in
front or in rear; for he knew nothing of the coming of the Great Kaan, owing to all the approaches having
been completely occupied as I told you. Moreover, the place was in a remote wilderness, more than thirty
marches from the Court, though the Kaan had made the distance in twenty, so eager was he to come to
battle with Nayan.
And what shall I tell you next? The Kaan was there on the hill, mounted on a great wooden
bartizan,[NOTE 1] which was borne by four well-trained elephants, and over him was hoisted his
standard, so high aloft that it could be seen from all sides. His troops were ordered in battles of 30,000
men apiece; and a great part of the horsemen had each a foot-soldier armed with a lance set on the
crupper behind him (for it was thus that the footmen were disposed of);[NOTE 2] and the whole plain
seemed to be covered with his forces. So it was thus that the Great Kaan's army was arrayed for battle.
When Nayan and his people saw what had happened, they were sorely confounded, and rushed in haste
to arms. Nevertheless they made them ready in good style and formed their troops in an orderly manner.
And when all were in battle array on both sides as I have told you, and nothing remained but to fall to
blows, then might you have heard a sound arise of many instruments of various music, and of the voices
of the whole of the two hosts loudly singing. For this is a custom of the Tartars, that before they join
battle they all unite in singing and playing on a certain two-stringed instrument of theirs, a thing right
pleasant to hear. And so they continue in their array of battle, singing and playing in this pleasing
manner, until the great Naccara of the Prince is heard to sound. As soon as that begins to sound the fight
also begins on both sides; and in no case before the Prince's Naccara sounds dare any commence
fighting. [NOTE 3]
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