Evening star., 1928-05-20
| Homeless sConiho Age Of TI+en
| Domino aLomsnE EseryofO Onnnn Frois phn

foemen had appeared on the skyline
and was moving swiftly down upon him.
No heir apparent OF Europe ever
faced similar situation.
The. enemy rnaterialiZed into 10000
Taidjuts, led by Targoutai. To flee
| meant the sacrifice of women, cattle
and all the clans possessions. To mus
ter his fighting bands and ride out 70
meet the Taidjuts would lead inevita-
| bly, to his being surrounded by greater
numbers, his men cut down or scat
tered.
1t was crisis Of nonad life IN which
the clan faced destruction, and 1t called
| for instant decision and action by the
khan.
Promptly and in a fashion all his
own Temujin met the crisis. BY now
all his warriors were mounted and gath
ering under the various standards
Drawing them up in line Of squadrons
with one flank protected by a wood, he
formed upon the other flank a large
| tie he drove into this square, and into
| the carts he hurried the women anc
the boys, who were armed with bows.
| He now prepared to face the charge
Of the 10000 who were crossing the
valley. They were in full array, drawn
| up In squadrons Of 500. These squad
rons had 100 men In a rank, and were
| in consequence five ranks deep.
| The first two lines wore armor-
heavy plates of iron, pierced and knot
| ted together with thongs, and helmets
of iron or hard 1acquered leather sur.
| mounted with horsehair crests. The
horses, too. were barded--their necks
| chests and f1anks covered with leather
Their riders bore small, round shield:
| and lances with horsehair tufts beneath
| the points.
| But these ranks Of armored rider.
| halted while the rearmost lines passed
| through them -- men wearing only
tanned leather and armed with javelinl
| and bows. These, on nimble horses
wheeled in front OF the Mongols
launching their weapons and screening
the advance of the heavy cavalry.
Temujin's men, armed and equipped
| in like manner, met the onset witt
flights of arrows, driven from powerful
bows strengthened with horn.
This skirmishing ceased when tn
| Taidjut light cavalry wheeled back int
position behind the armored ranks, ant
the massed squadrons advanced at
gallop
Then Temujin loosed his Mongols Il
meet them. But he had drawn up hi
clans In double sQuadrons. in masses o
1000, 10 deep. Though he had only l;
units and the Taidjuts so bands, tn
charge of his deeper formations aloni
| that narrow front checked the Taidju
advance and scattered the leading
squadrons.
| Temujin was now able to throw hi
heavy masses against the lighter squad
rons of his foe. The Mongols, separat'
ing and whirling as they went forward
following the standard Of the nine yak.
tails, looSed their arrows on either hand
There ensued one Of the terrible
steppe struggles -- mounted hordes
screaming with rage, closing In undel
| arrow flights. welding short sabers
pulling their foes from the saddle will
| thrown lariats and hooks attached Il
| the ends Of iances. Each squadron
| fought as q separate command. and ths
| fighting ranged up and down the vale!
as the warriors scattered under
charge, reformed and came on again.
It lasted until daylight left the sky
Temujin had won decisive victory
Five or six thousand Of the enemy haG
fallen and 10 chiefs were led befor'
him with swords and Quivers hanging
from their necks.
THE red-haired khan Of the Mongoli
! = had fought his first pitched BATH;