Upon my return to Egypt I was one day relating this barbarous custom to
a friend, when Mr. Kay, of Alexandria, reminded me of the curious
coincidence in the description of the travels of Ibn Batuta, written
A.D. 1346.
I am indebted to Mr. Kay for the following extract from the work of Ibn
Batuta, which will go far to prove the extreme conservatism of Africans
in all that regards their rites and customs.
On his arrival at Khan Balik (Pekin), Ibn Batuta found that the khan, or
emperor, was absent. His cousin had risen against him, and had been
joined by most of the ameers, who accused the khan of having broken the
laws of the Yassak, and had called upon him to abdicate.
The emperor marched against the rebels at the head of an army (which,
Ibn Batuta says, consisted of a million cavalry and half a million
infantry). A battle was fought, in which the khan was defeated and
killed.
"This news reached the capital a few days after our arrival. The city
was decorated, drums and trumpets were sounded, and games and rejoicings
instituted, which continued for the space of a month.
"The dead body of the khan was then brought, together with the bodies of
about a hundred men, his relations and followers.
"A large vault was constructed underground. It was spread with
magnificent carpets, and the body of the khan was laid in it, along with
his weapons and with the gold and silver vessels that were used in his
household.
"Four female slaves and six memluks were led into the vault, each
provided with a drinking vessel filled with liquid.
"The entrance of the vault was walled up, and earth was heaped on the
top until it resembled a large hillock.
"Four horses were then brought and made to gallop in the neighbourhood
of the tomb until they stood still with fatigue. A large beam of wood
was erected over the tomb, and to this the horses were attached, being
impaled with wooden pales, passed longitudinally through their bodies
and projecting through their mouths.
"The bodies of the khan's relatives, whom I have previously mentioned,
were likewise deposited in vaults, each with his weapons and with the
vessels used in his house.
"Those of highest rank were ten in number. Over each of their tombs
three horses were impaled, and one horse over each of the others.
"The day was one of public solemnity, and no one abstained from its
observance, neither man nor woman, Moslem nor infidel. All arrayed
themselves in funeral garments - the infidels wearing white tailasans,
and the Moslem white gowns.
"The empresses, wives of the khan, and his chief followers remained in
the neighbourhood of the tomb for forty days, living in tents. Some
prolonged their stay up to a year, and a market was established at which
provisions and every other necessary were sold.
