The Bondage and Travels of Johann Schiltberger, a Native of Bavaria, in Europe, Asia, and Africa, 1396-1427Schiltberger, Johannes
History
The Bondage and Travels of Johann Schiltberger, a Native of Bavaria, in Europe, Asia, and Africa, 1396-1427
Schiltberger, Johannes
Timur, 1336-1405 -- Early works to 1800; Turkey -- History -- Bayezid I, 1389-1403; Voyages and travels -- Early works to 1800
When Tämerlin returned home from Babiloni, he sent word to all in his
land that they were to be ready in four months, as he wanted to go
into Lesser India, distant from his capital a four months’ journey.
When the time came, he went into Lesser India with four hundred
thousand men, and crossed a desert of twenty days’ journey; there, is
a great want of water, and then he got to a mountain which it took
him eight days, before he came out of it. On this mountain there is a
path, where camels and horses must be bound to planks and lowered. Then
he came to a valley where it is so dark, that people cannot see each
other by the light of day, and it is of half a day’s journey.(2) Then
he came to a high mountainous country, in which he travelled for three
days and three nights, and then got to a beautiful plain, where lies
the capital of the country. He stopped with his people in the plain,
near the wooded mountain, and sent word to the king of the country:
Mirttemirgilden, that is as much as to say, Give up thyself, the lord
Tämerlin is come.(3) When the king received the message, he sent word
to tell him that he would settle with him with the sword. Then he
marched against Tämerlin with four hundred thousand men, and with four
hundred elephants trained for war; upon each elephant was a turret,
in each of which were at least ten armed men. When Tämerlin heard of
this, he advanced with his people to meet him; in the mean time the
king placed the elephants in the front, and when they engaged, Tämerlin
might easily have conquered; but he could not overcome the king,
because his horses were afraid of the elephants and would not advance.
This went on from morning until mid-day, so that Tämerlin retired and
had his counsellors to consult, how the king and his elephants were to
be overcome? One named Suleymanschach advised, that camels should be
taken and wood fastened on them, and when the elephants advanced, the
wood should be ignited, and the camels driven up against the elephants;
thus would they be subdued by the fire and the cries of the camels,
because the elephants are afraid of fire. Then Tämerlin took twenty
thousand camels and prepared them as above described, and the king
came with his elephants in front. Tämerlin went to meet him, and drove
the camels up against the elephants, the wood on them being on fire.
The camels cried out, and when the elephants saw the fire and heard
the great cries, they took to flight, so that none could hold them.
When Tämerlin saw this, he pursued them with all his force, and of the
elephants many were killed.(4) When the king saw this, he went back
into his capital. Tämerlin followed him up and besieged the city for
ten days. In the mean time the king agreed with him, to give him two
zentner of gold of India, which is better than the gold of Arabia, and
he also gave him many precious stones, and promised to lend him thirty
thousand men whenever he might want them; and so they were reconciled
with each other.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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