The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1896-12-31
A1ARIAR eAIILE
The Great Kaau crushes a Bold Rebel
Chieftaiu.


The KAN was there on the hin,
mounted on a great wooden bartizan.
which was borne by four well-trainc1
elephants. and over him was h0lsted
his standard, so high aloft that ii could
be seen from all sides. His troops
were ordered In battles Of $4,000 men
apiece; and a great part Of the horse
men had each a foot soldier armed
with lance set on the crupper behind
him flor il was thus that the fOotmen
were disposed Of; and the whole plain
seemed TO be covered with his forces
So IL was thus that the Great Kaan's
army was arrayed for battle.
When Nayan and his people saw
what happened, they We're sorely con-
founded, 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
have told you, and nothing remained
but TO fall to blows, then might you
have heard a sound arise of many in
struments 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 anG
! playing on a certain two-stringed In
strument of theirs, thing right pleas
ant to hear. And so they continue In
their array of battle, singing and play
Ing In this pleasing manner, until the
great Naccara of the Prince Is heard
to sound. AS soon as that begins 10
sound the fight also begins on both
sides; and in no case before the Prince
Naceara sounds dare any commence
lighting
So then, as they were thus singing
and playing, though ordered and
ready for battle, the great Naccara
Of the Great Kaan began to sound
And that of Nayan also began to sound
And thenceforward the din Of battle
began to be heard loudly from this
side and from that. And they rushed
to work so doughtily with their bows
and their maces, with their lances an.
!
footmen, that it was a wondrous Sigh
to see. Now might you behold sucl
flights Of arrows from this side ant
from that, that the whole heav ven wal
canopied with them and they fell lik'
rain. Now might you see on this sid
and on that full many a cavalier anC
man-at-arms fall slain, insomuch tina
the whole field seemed covered will
: them. For fierce and furious was tn
battle, and quarter there was nom
given.
But why should l make long stor.
of it? You must know that 1t was tn
most parlous and fierce and fearful
battle that has ever been fought Il
our day. Nor have there ever bee
such forces in the field in actual fight
especially of horsemen, as were the
engaged-for, taking both sides, Their
were not fewer than 100000 horsemer
a mighty force! and that without reel
oning the footmen, who were also yer
numerous. The battle endured wit
= various fortune on this side and 0
: that from morning till noon. But O
r last, by Gods pleasure and tho rigl
that was on his side, the Great Kaa
had the victory, and Nayan lost til
b battle and was utterly routed. lrc
Q the army of the Great Kaan perform
), ed such feats of arms that Nayan an
: his host could stand against them L
: longer, so they turned and fed. II,
i this availed nothing for Nayan; for |
h and all the barons with him wei
taken prisoners, and had to surrend'
a to the KAN with all their arms.-"T1
v True Story of Marco Polo;" st. Mich
= las