The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1897-06-19
--------
GREAT KHAN'S MANGONELS,
The Earliest Introduction OF Siege Artil-
lery Into China.

The Earliest Introduction of Siege Artil-
lery Into China.
Noah Brooks, who tells for the
boys of today 1.-THE True Story of
Marco Polo in ST. Nicholas, quotes
the following from Marco:
Now you must know that this city
held out against the great khan for
three years after the rest of Mani
had surrendered. The great khan's
troops made incessant attempts to
take it, but they could not succeed
because of the great and deep wa
ters that we're round about it, SO
that they could approach from one
side only, which was the north. And
l tell you they V would have
taken it but for a circumstance that
I I'm going to relate.
You must know that when the
great khan's host had lain three
years before the city without being
able to take it they were greatly
chafed thereat. Then Messer Nicolo
Polo and Messer Maffeo and Messer
Marco said, "We could find you a
way of forcing the city to surrender
speedily" whereupon those of the
army replied that they would be
right glad to know how that should
be. All this talk took place in the
presence of the great khan, for
messengers had been dispatched
from the camp to tell him that there
was no taking the city by blockade,
for it continually received supplies
of victuals from those sides which
they were unable to invest, and the
great khan had sent back word that
take it they must and find a way
how. Then spoke up the two broth
ers and Messer Marco the son and
said, Great prince, we have with
are able to construct mangonels
which shall cast great stones that
the garrison will never be able to
stand them, but will surrender at
once as soon as the mangonels or
trebuchets shall have shot into the
town"
The khan babe them with all his
heart have such mangonels made as
speedily as possible. Now, Messer
Nicolo and his brother and his son
Immediately caused timber to he
brought as much as they desired and
fit for the work in hand. And they
had two men among their followers,
German and a HISTORIAN Christian,
who were masters of that business,
and these they directed to construct
two or three mangonels capable OF
casting stones of 300 pounds weight.
Accordingly they made three fine
mangonels, each of which cast stones
of 300 pounds weight and more. And
when they were complete and ready
for use the emperor and the others
wer greatly pleased to see then
and caused several stones to be shot
in their presence, whereat they mar,
veled greatly and greatly praised
the work, and the khan ordered thai
the engines should be carried to his
army, which was at the Lacquer O.
Saianfu.
And when the engines were got t.
the camp they were forthwith Sc
up, to the great admiration of thu
Tartars. And what shall / tell you
When the engines were set up ant
put in gear, a stone was shot from
each of them into the town. Thes,
took effect among the buildings
crashing and smashing through ev
e%rything with huge din and commo
ton. And when the t~ownspeopl
witnessed this new and strange Wis
itation they were SO astonished ant
dismayed that they visit not what t
do or say. They took counsel to
gether, but no counsel could be sug
gested how to escape from these en-
gines, for the thing seemed to then
to be done by sorcery. They declal
ed that they were all dead men
they yielded not, SO they determine
to surrender ON such conditions a
they could get.