ABSTRACT
When the Great Khan goes a hunting ‘tis thus ordered. 235At some twenty 1 days’ journey from Cambalech, there is a fine forest of eight 2 days’ journey in compass; and in it are such multitudes and varieties of animals as are truly wonderful. All round this forest there be keepers posted on account of the Khan, to take diligent charge thereof; and every third or fourth year he goeth with his people to this forest. On such occasions they first surround the whole forest with beaters, and let slip the dogs 3 and the hawks trained to this sport, and then gradually closing in upon the game, they drive it to a certain fine open spot that there is in the middle of the wood. Here there becomes massed together an extraordinary multitude of wild beasts, such as lions, wild oxen, bears, stags, and a great variety of others 4 , and all in a state of the greatest alarm. For there is such a prodigious noise and uproar raised by the birds and the dogs that have been let slip into the wood, that a person cannot hear what his neighbour says ; and all the [unfortunate 5 ] wild beasts quiver with terror at the disturbance 6 . And when they all have been driven together into that open 236glade, the Great Khan 1 comes up on three 2 elephants 3 and shoots five arrows at the game. As soon as he has shot, the whole of his retinue do likewise. And when all have shot their arrows (each man’s arrows having a token by which they may be discerned), then the Great Emperor causeth to be called out “Syo !” which is to say as it were Quarter 4 ! to the beasts (to wit) that have been driven from the wood. Then [the huntsmen sound the recall, and call in the dogs and hawks from the prey] 5 the animals which have escaped with life are allowed to go back into the forest, and all the barons come forward to view the game that has been killed and to recover the arrows that they have shot (which they can well do by the marks on them); and every one has what his arrow has struck. And such is the order of the Khan’s hunting 6 .
