mc.eatersofthedead-第3部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ho　talked　overmuch。　There　was　also　Takin　al…Turki；　Bars　al…Saqlabi；　both　guides　on　the　journey；　and　I；　too。　We　bore　gifts　for　the　ruler；　for　his　wife；　his　children；　and　his　generals。　Also　we　brought　certain　drugs；　which　were　given　over　to　the　care　of　Sausan　al…Rasi。　This　was　our　parry。
　So　we　started　on　Thursday；　the　11th　of　Safar　of　the　year　309　＇June　21；　921＇；　from　the　City　of　Peace　＇Bagdad＇。　We　stopped　a　day　in　Nahrawan；　and　from　there　went　swiftly　until　we　reached　al…Daskara；　where　we　stopped　for　three　days。　Then　we　traveled　straight　onward　without　any　detours　until　we　reached　Hulwan。　There　we　stayed　two　days。　From　there　we　went　to　Qirmisin；　where　we　remained　two　days。　Then　we　started　and　traveled　until　we　reached　Hamadan；　where　we　remained　three　days。　Then　we　went　farther　to　Sawa；　where　we　remained　two　days。　From　there　we　came　to　Ray；　where　we　remained　eleven　days　waiting　for　Ahmad　ibn…Ali；　the　brother　of　al…Rasi；　because　he　was　in　Huwar　al…Ray。　Then　we　went　to　Huwar　al…Ray　and　remained　there　three　days。
　
　This　passage　gives　the　flavor　of　Ibn　Fadlan's　descriptions　of　travel。　Perhaps　a　quarter　of　the　entire　manuscript　is　written　in　this　fashion；　simply　listing　the　names　of　settlements　and　the　number　of　days　spent　at　each。　Most　of　this　material　has　been　deleted。
　Apparently；　Ibn　Fadlan's　party　is　traveling　northward；　and　eventually　they　are　required　to　halt　for　winter。
　
　Our　stay　in　Gurganiya　was　lengthy；　we　stayed　there　some　days　of　the　month　of　Ragab　＇November＇　and　during　the　whole　of　Saban；　Ramadan；　and　Sawwal。　Our　long　stay　was　brought　about　by　the　cold　and　its　bitterness。　Verily；　they　told　me　that　two　men　took　camels　into　the　forests　to　get　wood。　They　forgot；　however；　to　take　flint　and　tinder　with　them；　and　hence　slept　in　the　night　without　a　fire。　When　they　got　up　the　next　morning；　they　found　the　camels　had　been　frozen　stiff　from　the　cold。
　Verily；　I　beheld　the　marketplace　and　streets　of　Gurganiya　pletely　deserted　because　of　the　cold。　One　could　stroll　the　streets　without　meeting　anyone。　Once　as　I　came　out　of　my　bath；　I　entered　my　house　and　looked　at　my　beard；　which　was　a　lump　of　ice。　I　had　to　thaw　it　out　before　the　fire。　I　lived　night　and　day　in　a　house　that　was　inside　another　house；　in　which　a　Turkish　felt　tent　was　pitched；　and　I　myself　was　wrapped　up　in　many　clothes　and　fur　rugs。　But　in　spite　of　all　this；　my　cheeks　often　stuck　to　the　pillow　at　night。
　In　this　extremity　of　cold；　I　saw　that　the　earth　sometimes　forms　great　cracks；　and　a　large　and　ancient　tree　may　split　into　two　halves　from　this。
　About　the　middle　of　Sawwal　of　the　year　309　＇February；　922＇；　the　weather　began　to　change；　the　river　thawed；　and　we　got　ourselves　the　necessary　things　for　the　journey。　We　bought　Turkish　camels　and　skin　boats　made　out　of　camel　hides；　in　preparation　for　the　rivers　we　would　have　to　cross　in　the　land　of　Turks。
　We　laid　in　a　supply　of　bread；　millet；　and　salted　meat　for　three　months。　Our　acquaintances　in　the　town　directed　us　in　laying　in　garments；　as　much　as　was　needed。　They　depicted　the　ing　hardships　in　fearful　terms；　and　we　believed　they　exaggerated　the　story；　yet　when　we　underwent　this；　it　was　far　greater　than　what　had　been　told　to　us。
　Each　of　us　put　on　a　jacket；　over　that　a　coat；　over　that　a　tulup；　over　that　a　burka；　and　a　helmet　of　felt　out　of　which　only　the　two　eyes　could　look。　We　also　had　a　simple　pair　of　underdrawers　with　trousers　over　them；　and　house　shoes　and　over　these　another　pair　of　boots。　When　one　of　us　got　on　a　camel；　he　could　not　move　because　of　his　clothes。
　The　doctor　of　the　law　and　the　teacher　and　the　pages　who　traveled　with　us　from　Bagdad　departed　from　us　now；　fearing　to　enter　this　new　country；　so　1；　the　ambassador；　his　brother…in…law　and　two　pages；　Takin　and　Bars；　proceeded。1
　The　caravan　was　ready　to　start。　We　took　into　our　service　a　guide　from　the　inhabitants　of　the　town　whose　name　was　Qlawus。　Then；　trusting　in　the　all…powerful　and　exalted　God；　we　started　on　Monday；　the　third　of　Dulqada　of　the　year　309　＇March　3；　922＇　from　the　town　Gurganiya。
　That　same　day；　we　stopped　at　the　burg　called　Zamgan：　that　is；　the　gateway　to　the　Turks。　The　next　morning　early；　we　proceeded　to　Git。　There　so　much　snow　fell　that　the　camels　plunged　in　it　up　to　their　knees；　hence　we　halted　two　days。
　Then　we　sped　straight　into　the　land　of　the　Turks　without　meeting　anyone　on　the　barren　and　even　steppe。　We　rode　ten　days　in　bitter　cold　and　unbroken　snowstorms；　in　parison　with　which　the　cold　in　Chwarezm　seemed　like　a　summer　day；　so　that　we　forgot　all　our　previous　disforts　and　were　about　at　the　point　of　giving　up。
　One　day　when　we　underwent　the　most　savage　cold　weather；　Takin　the　page　was　riding　next　to　me；　and　along　with　him　one　of　the　Turks；　who　was　talking　to　him　in　Turkish。　Takin　laughed　and　said　to　me；　〃This　Turk　says；　'What　will　our　Lord　have　of　us？　He　is　killing　us　with　cold。　If　we　knew　what　he　wanted；　we　would　let　him　have　it。'　〃
　And　then　I　said；　〃Tell　him　He　only　wishes　that　you　say；　'There　is　no　God　save　Allah。'　〃
　The　Turk　laughed　and　answered；　〃If　I　knew　it；　I　would　say　it。〃
　Then　we　came　to　a　forest　where　there　was　a　large　quantity　of　dry　wood　and　we　halted。　The　caravan　lit　fires；　we　warmed　ourselves；　took　off　our　clothes；　and　spread　them　out　to　dry。
　
　Apparently；　Ibn　Fadlan's　party　was　entering　a　warmer　region；　because　he　makes　no　further　reference　to　extreme　cold。
　
　We　set　out　again　and　rode　every　day　from　midnight　until　the　time　of　the　afternoon　prayer…hastening　more　from　midday　on…and　then　we　halted。　When　we　had　ridden　fifteen　nights　in　this　manner；　we　arrived　at　a　large　mountain　with　many　great　rocks。　There　are　springs　there；　that　jet　out　from　the　rocks　and　the　water　stays　in　pools。　From　this　place；　we　crossed　on　until　we　reached　a　Turkish　tribe；　which　is　called　the　Oguz。
　
　THE　WAYS　OF　THE　OGUZ　TURKS

　THE　OGUZ　ARE　NOMADS　AND　HAVE　HOUSES　OF　felt。　They　stay　for　a　time　in　one　place　and　then　travel　on。　Their　dwellings　are　placed　here　and　there　according　to　nomadic　custom。　Although　they　lead　a　hard　existence；　they　are　like　asses　gone　astray。　They　have　no　religious　bonds　with　God。　They　never　pray；　but　instead　call　their　headmen　Lords。　When　one　of　them　takes　counsel　with　his　chief　about　something；　he　says；　〃O　Lord；　what　shall　I　do　in　this　or　that　matter？〃
　Their　undertakings　are　based　upon　counsel　solely　among　themselves。　I　have　heard　them　say；　〃There　is　no　God　but　Allah　and　Muhammad　is　the　prophet　of　Allah；〃　but　they　speak　thus　so　as　to　get　close　to　any　Muslims；　and　not　because　they　believe　it。
　The　ruler　of　the　Oguz　Turks　is　called　Yabgu。　That　is　the　name　of　the　ruler　and　everyone　who　rules　over　this　tribe　bears　the　name。　His　subordinate　is　always　called　Kudarkin　and　so　each　subordinate　to　a　chieftain　is　called　Kudarkin。
　The　Oguz　do　not　wash　themselves　after　either　defecation　or　urination；　nor　do　they　bathe　after　ejaculation；　or　on　other　occasions。　They　have　nothing　whatever　to　do　with　water；　especially　in　winter。　No　merchants　or　other　Muhammadans　may　perform　ablution　in　their　presence　except　in　the　night　when　the　Turks　do　not　see　it；　for　they　get　angry　and　say；　〃This　man　wishes　to　put　a　spell　on　us；　for　he　is　immersing　himself　in　water；〃　and　they　pel　him　to　pay　a　fine。
　None　of　the　Muhammadans　can　enter　Turkish　country　until　one　of　the　Oguz　agrees　to　bee　his　host；　with　whom　he　stays　and　for　whom　he　brings　garments　from　the　land　of　Islam；　and　for　his　wife　some　pepper；　millet；　raisins；　and　nuts。　When　the　Muslim　es　to　his　host；　the　latter　pitches　a　tent　for　him　and　brings　him　sheep；　so　that　the　Muslim　may　himself　slaughter　the　sheep。　The　Turks　never　slaughter；　they　beat　the　sheep　on　the　head　until　it　is　dead。
　Oguz　women　never　veil　themselves　in　the　presence　of　their　own　men　or　others。　Nor　does　the　woman　cover　any　of　her　bodily　parts　in　the　presence　of　any　person。　One　day　we　stopped　off　with　a　Turk　and　were　seated　in　his　tent。　The　man's　wife　was　present。　As　we　conversed；　the　woman　uncovered　her　pudendum　and　scratched　it；　and　we　saw　her　doing　so。　We　veiled　our　faces　and　said；　〃I　beg　God's　pardon。〃　At　this　her　husband　laughed　and　said　to　the　interpreter；　〃Tell　them　we　uncover　it　in　your　presence　so　that　you　may　see　it　and　be　abashed；　but　it　is　not　to　be　attained。　This　is　better　than　when　you　cover　it　up　and　yet　it　is　attainable。〃
　Adultery　is　unknown　among　them。　Whomsoever　they　find　to　be　an　adulterer；　they　tear　him　in　two。　This　es　about　so：　they　bring　together　the　branches　of　two　trees；　tie　him　to　the　branches；　and　then　let　both　trees　go　so　the　man　who　was　tied　to　the　trees　is　torn　in　two。
　The　custom　of　pederasty　is　counted　by　the　Turks　a　terrible　sin。　There　once　came　a　merchant　to　stay　with　the　clan　of　the　Kudarkin。　This　merchant　stayed　with　his　host　for　a　time　to　buy　sheep。　Now；　the　host　had　a　beardless　son；　and　the　guest　sought　unceasingly　to　lead　him　astray　until　he　got　the　boy　to　consent　to　his　will。　In　the　meantime；　the　Turkish　host　entered　and　caught　them　in　flagrante　delicto。
　The　Turks　wished　to　kill　the　merchant　and　also　the　son　for　this　offense。　But　after　much　pleading　the　merchant　was　permitted　to　ransom　himself。　He　paid　his　host　with　four　hundred　sheep　for　what　he　had　done　to　his　son；　and　then　the　merchant　hastily　departed　from　the　land　of　the　Turks。
　All　the　Turks　pluck　their　beards　with　the　exception　of　their　mustaches。
　Their　marriage　customs　are　as　follows：　one　of　them　asks　for　the　hand　of　a　female　member　of　another's　family；　against　such　and　such　a　marriage　price。　The　marriage　price　often　consists　of　camels；　pack　animals；　and　other　things。　No　one　can　take　a　wife　until　he　has　fulfilled　the　obligation；　on　which　he　has　e　to　an　understanding　with　the　men　of　the　family。　If；　however；　he　has　met　it；　then　he　es　without　any　ado；　enters　the　abode　where　she　is；　takes　her　in　the　presence　of　her　father；　mother；　and　brothers；　and　they　do　not　prevent　him。
　If　a　man　dies　who　has　a　wife　and　children；　then　the　eldest　of　his　sons　takes　her　to　wife　if　she　is　not　his　mother。
　If　one　of　the　Turks　bees　sick　and　has　slaves；　they　look　after　him　and　no　one　of　his　family　es　near　him。　A　tent　is　pitched　for　him　apart　from　the　houses　and　he　does　not　depart　from　it　until　he　dies　or　gets　well。　If；　however；　he　is　a　slave　or　a　poor　man；　they　leave　him　in　the　desert　and　go　on　their　wa