We Came To Our Old Empty House, Where They Provided Us In Bedding And
Coverlids, And Gave Us Some Fuel
They gave us the carcase of a small lean
sheep, as food for us three in six days, and lent
Us a pot and trivet to
boil our flesh, and gave us a platter of millet every day. We boiled our
meat first in water, and afterwards boiled our millet in the broth; and
that was our whole allowance, which would have sufficed if we had been
suffered to eat in peace, but there were many starved fellows about the
court that thrust themselves in among us, and insisted to partake. The cold
became very severe, and Mangu-khan sent us three fur coats, with the hair
outwards, which we thankfully received; but we represented that we had not
a house in which we could pray for the khan, our cottage being so small
that we could scarcely stand up in it, neither could we open our books on
account of smoke, after the fire was lighted. On this the khan sent to ask
the monk if he would be pleased with our company, who gladly received us;
and after this we had a better house before the court, where none lodged
but we and the soothsayers, they in front of the first lady, and we at the
farthest end, towards the east, before the palace of the last lady. We made
this alteration on the 13th of January.
Next morning all the Nestorian priests collected at the chapel, and smote
on a board, instead of ringing a bell.
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