“A great dust has risen near the enemy,” said Boroul, “they are moving southward as it seems toward Mount Mao.”
Temudjin marched now to Dalan Naimurgas where Kadan Daldur brought him tidings: “When Sengun was wounded,” said Kadan, “Wang Khan said to his counsellor: ‘We have attacked a man with whom we should not have quarreled. It is sad to see what a nail has been driven into Sengun, but he is living and can make a new trial immediately.’ Achik Shilun spoke up then: ‘When thou hadst no son,’ said he, ‘thou wert praying to receive one, now when thou hast a son thou shouldst spare him.’ Wang Khan yielded and gave up further thought of battle. ‘Carry my son back with care,’ said he to his attendants, ‘do not shake him.’ Father and son then turned homeward.”
Temudjin marched toward the East. Before starting he reviewed the remnant of his army and found only five thousand men altogether. On the way his men hunted. While beating [[56]]in game Temudjin tried to restrain Huildar whose wound had not healed, but he rushed quickly at a wild boar, his wound opened, and he died shortly after. They buried him on Ornéü, a hill near the Kalka. At the place where that river falls into Lake Buyur lived the Ungirats; Temudjin sent Churchadai with the Uruts and Manguts to talk with that people. “Remember our blood bond,” said he to them in Temudjin’s name, “and submit to me; if not, be ye ready immediately for battle.” After this declaration they submitted, hence Temudjin did not harm them. When he had thus won the Ungirats he went to the eastern bank of the Tugeli, and thence sent Arkai Kassar and Siwege Chauni to Wang Khan with the following message: “We are now east of the Tugeli, grass here is good, and our horses are satisfied. Why wert thou angry with me, O my father, why didst thou bring such great fear on me? If thou hadst the wish to blame, why not give the blame reasonably, why destroy all my property? People divided us, but thou knowest well our agreement, that if men should talk to either one of us to the harm of the other we would not believe what was said till we, thou and I, should explain questions personally. But my father, have we had any personal explanation? Though small, I am worth many large men, though ugly I am worth many men of much beauty. Moreover thou and I are two shafts of a single kibitka, if one shaft is broken an ox cannot draw the kibitka. We are like two wheels of that kibitka; if one wheel is broken the kibitka cannot travel. May I not be likened to the shaft, or the wheel of a kibitka? Thy father had forty sons; thou wert the eldest, therefore thou wert made Khan. After that thou didst kill Tai Timur and Buga Timur; these were two of thy uncles; thou hadst the wish also to kill Erke Kara, thy brother, but he fled to the Naimans. A third uncle, in avenging his brother, went against thee with an army, and thou didst flee with one century of men to the Haraun defile. At that time thy daughter was given by thee to Tukta Bijhi the Merkit, and from him thou didst come to my father with a prayer for assistance. My father drove out thy uncle who fled then to Kashin, and my father brought back thy people. In the Black Forest of Tula thou didst make thyself an anda to my father. And moved in those days by gratitude, thy words to him were of this kind: ‘For thy benefactions to me [[57]]I will make return not only to thee, but thy children and grandchildren. I swear by High Heaven that I will do so.’ After that thy brother Erke Kara got troops from the Naimans, made war on thee a second time, and drove thee to the lands of the Gurkhan. In less than a year thou didst weary of the Gurkhan and leave him. Passing through the Uigur country thou wert brought to such straits as to nourish thyself with the milk of five sheep that went with thee, and with blood from the camel on which thou wert riding. At last thou didst come to me on a gray, old, blind, wretched horse. Because of thy friendship for my father I sent men to meet thee and bring thee with honor to my camp ground. I collected what I could from my people, and gave thee provisions. Later on, when thou hadst conquered the Merkits I let thee keep all their property and cattle. After that when thou and I were pursuing Buiruk of the Naimans, and fighting with Gugsu Seirak, thou didst make fires in the night time, deceitfully withdraw, and forsake me. As Gugsu Seirak missed seeing my forces he followed after thee swiftly. He captured the wives of thy brothers, and their warriors; he captured half thy people. Again thou didst ask me for aid and I gave it. I sent my four heroes who saved thee, and restored what the Naimans had taken. Thou didst thank me at that time most heartily. Why attack now without cause, why attack when I have not done any evil to thee or to Sengun, or harmed either one of you?”
When the men gave these words to Wang Khan he sighed deeply and answered: “I should not have quarreled with Temudjin, I should have stayed with him.” Then he cut his middle finger and putting the blood from it into a small horn, he said: “If I harm Temudjin may I be cut as this finger is cut.” He gave the horn then to Temudjin’s messenger.
To Jamuka Temudjin sent this message: “Through envy and hatred thou hast parted me from my father. In former days when we lived, thou and I, at his yurta, that one of us two who rose earlier took mare’s milk from the dark drinking cup kept by my father. I rose early always, and thou didst conceive toward me hatred at that time. Drink now from my father’s dark drinking cup, much loss there will not be to anyone from thy drinking.” Temudjin then commanded to say to Altan and to Huchar: “I know not why ye resolved to desert me, O Huchar. We wished [[58]]first to make thee khan since thou art the son of Naigun, but thou wert unwilling. Thy father, O Altan, ruled as khan once, hence we wished to choose thee to rule over us; thou wouldst not yield to our wishes. Sachai Baiki and Taichu, sons of Bartan had still higher claims, but both men rejected our offer. After that ye and with you the whole people proclaimed me as khan, though, as ye know, I was unwilling. Ye have withdrawn from me now and are helping Wang Khan. But ye have begun what ye never can finish. I advise you to meet me with confidence for without me ye are powerless. Work well with me to hold the headwaters of our rivers; let no stranger come in to snatch them from our people.”
Temudjin commanded to say to a slave named Togrul: “I have called thee my brother for the following reason: On a time Tumbinai and his brother Charaha had a slave known as Okda. This slave had a son Subaigai and he a son Kirsan Kokocho, and he a son Aiga Huantohar, this last man begat thee. Why dost thou flatter Wang Khan and adhere to him? Altan and Huchar would never let other men rule over my flock. Thou art my slave by inheritance, hence I address thee as brother.”
To Sengun Temudjin sent this message: “I am a son of thy father born with my clothes on; thou art his son born in nakedness. Once our father showed equal kindness to both of us, but dark suspicion attacked thee, and thou, fearing lest I might trick thee in some way, conceived a great hatred and expelled me unjustly. Cease causing grief to thy father, go to him now and drive out his sorrow. Unless thou expel from thy heart that old envy against me it will be clear that thou hast the wish to be Khan ere thy father dies naturally. Shouldst thou wish to confer with me, and come to agreement send hither two men for that purpose.” Arkai Kassar and Suge Gaichaun gave these words to Sengun, and he answered:
“When Temudjin spoke of my father as Khan he called him old murderer while he did so, and when he called me his sworn friend he jeered at me touching the Merkits, and said that I came to this world to handle rams’ tails and remnants. I know the hidden sense of his speeches, I know what his plans are. Battle is my first and last answer to Temudjin. Bilge Baiki and Todoyan raise ye the great standard; feed our steeds carefully.”
When Arkai Kassar returned he told everything. Temudjin [[59]]went to the lake called Baljuna where many of the Kurulats came to him. Juchi Kassar had disobeyed Temudjin his elder brother, he had in fact been disloyal and had tampered with the enemy. Not present at the great Kalanchin battle he had either favored Wang Khan, or been captured with his children, his wife and his followers. After that he escaped with two servants and searched in hardship and hunger for Temudjin till finally he found him at Lake Tunga. Kassar turned now to his brother’s side thoroughly, and the two men examined how best they might fall on Wang Khan unexpectedly. They worked out their stratagem and sent Haliutar and Chaurhan as if going to Wang Khan with this message from Kassar: “I have seen not a shadow of my brother; I have gone over all roads without finding him; I called him, but he heard me not. I sleep at night with my face toward the stars and my head on a hillock. My children and wife are with thee, O Khan, my father. If thou send a trusty person I will go to thee. I will return and be faithful.” “Go,” said Temudjin to the messengers, “we will leave this place straightway, when ye return come to Arhalgougi on the Kerulon.” Temudjin then commanded Churchadai and Arkai Kassar to lead the vanguard.
Kassar’s two servants appeared before Wang Khan and gave him the message as if coming from their master. Wang Khan had set up a golden tent and arranged a great feast in it. When he heard the words, he said: “If that is true, let Kassar come to us.” He sent with the two messengers Iturgyan, a trusted warrior. When not far from Arhalgougi Iturgyan judged by various signs that a camp must be near them, so he turned and rushed away. Haliutar, whose horse was far swifter, spurred on ahead of him, but not venturing to seize the man, blocked the road to his stallion. Chaurhan, who followed, struck Iturgyan’s horse in the spine with an arrow, brought him down to his haunches, and stopped him. They seized Iturgyan then and took him to Temudjin, who sent him to Kassar, who killed him.