mc.eatersofthedead-第8节

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the　grace　of　Allah　that　one　of　their　warriors；　Herger；　should　be　a　man　of　parts　and　knowing　some　of　the　Latin　tongue。　Thus　I　could　understand　from　Herger　what　meant　the　events　that　transpired。　Herger　was　a　young　warrior；　and　very　merry；　he　seemed　to　find　jest　in　everything；　and　especially　in　my　own　gloom　at　the　departure。
　These　Northmen　are　by　their　own　accounting　the　best　sailors　in　the　world；　and　I　saw　much　love　of　the　oceans　and　waters　in　their　demeanor。　Of　the　ship　there　is　this：　it　was　as　long　as　twenty…five　paces；　and　as　broad　as　eight　and　a　little　more　than　that；　and　of　excellent　construction；　of　oak　wood。　Its　color　was　black　at　every　place。　It　was　fitted　with　a　square　sail　of　cloth　and　trimmed　with　sealskin　ropes。10　The　helmsman　stood　upon　a　small　platform　near　the　stern　and　worked　a　rudder　attached　to　the　side　of　the　vessel　in　the　Roman　fashion。　The　ship　was　fitted　with　benches　for　oars；　but　never　were　the　oars　employed；　rather　we　progressed　by　sailing　alone。　At　the　head　of　the　ship　was　the　wooden　carving　of　a　fierce　sea　monster；　such　as　appears　on　some　Northman　vessels；　also　there　was　a　tail　at　the　stern。　In　water　this　ship　was　stable　and　quite　pleasant　for　traveling；　and　the　confidence　of　the　warriors　elevated　my　spirits。
　Near　the　helmsman　was　a　bed　of　skins　arranged　upon　a　network　of　ropes；　with　a　skin　covering。　This　was　the　bed　of　Buliwyf；　the　other　warriors　slept　upon　the　deck　here　and　there；　wrapping　skins　about　them；　and　I　did　as　much　also。
　We　traveled　upon　the　river　for　three　days；　passing　many　small　settlements　at　the　edge　of　the　water。　At　none　of　these　did　we　stop。　Then　we　came　upon　a　large　encampment　in　a　bend　in　the　river　Volga。　Here　were　many　hundreds　of　peoples；　and　a　town　of　good　size；　and　in　the　center　of　the　town　a　kremlin；　or　fortress；　with　earthen　walls　and　all　of　impressive　dimensions。　I　asked　Herger　what　was　this　place。
　Herger　said　to　me；　〃This　is　the　city　of　Bulgar；　of　the　kingdom　of　the　Saqaliba。　That　is　the　kremlin　of　the　Yiltawar；　King　of　the　Saqaliba。〃
　I　replied；　〃This　is　the　very　King　I　was　sent　to　see　as　emissary　from　my　Caliph；〃　and　with　many　entreaties　I　requested　to　be　put　upon　the　shore　to　do　the　mission　of　my　Caliph；　also　I　demanded；　and　made　a　show　of　anger；　to　the　extent　that　I　dared。
　Verily　the　Northmen　paid　me　no　heed。　Herger　would　not　reply　to　my　requests　and　demands；　and　finally　he　laughed　into　my　face；　and　turned　his　attention　to　the　sailing　of　the　ship。　Thus　the　Northmen's　vessels　sailed　past　the　city　of　Bulgar；　so　close　upon　the　shore　that　I　heard　the　shouts　of　merchants　and　the　bleating　of　sheep；　and　yet　I　was　helpless　and　could　do　nothing；　save　witness　the　sight　with　my　eyes。　After　the　passing　of　an　hour　even　this　was　refused　me；　for　the　Bulgar　city　is　at　the　bend　of　the　river；　as　I　have　said；　and　soon　absent　from　my　view。　Thus　did　I　enter　and　leave　Bulgaria。
　
　The　reader　may　now　be　hopelessly　confused　about　the　geography。　Modern　Bulgaria　is　one　of　the　Balkan　states；　it　is　bordered　by　Greece；　Yugoslavia；　Rumania；　and　Turkey。　But　from　the　ninth　to　the　fifteenth　centuries　there　was　another　Bulgaria；　on　the　banks　of　the　Volga；　roughly　600　miles　east　of　modern　Moscow；　and　this　is　where　Ibn　Fadlan　was　heading。　Bulgaria　on　the　Volga　was　a　loose…knit　kingdom　of　some　importance；　and　its　capital　city；　Bulgar；　was　famous　and　rich　when　the　Mongols　occupied　it　in　A。D。　1237。　It　is　generally　believed　that　Volga　Bulgaria　and　Balkan　Bulgaria　were　populated　by　related　groups　of　immigrants　moving　out　from　the　region　around　the　Black　Sea　during　the　period　A。D。　400…600；　but　little　of　substance　is　known。　The　old　city　of　Bulgar　is　in　the　region　of　modern　Kazan。
　
　Then　passed　eight　more　days　upon　the　vessel；　still　traveling　the　Volga　River；　and　the　land　was　more　mountainous　about　the　valley　of　the　river。　Now　we　came　to　another　branching　of　the　river；　where　it　is　called　by　the　Northmen　the　Oker　River；　and　here　we　took　the　leftmost　branch　and　continued　on　for　ten　days　farther。　The　air　was　chill　and　the　wind　strong；　and　much　snow　lay　still　upon　the　ground。　They　have　many　great　forests　also　in　this　region；　which　the　Northmen　call　Vada。
　Then　we　came　to　a　camp　of　North　people　which　was　Massborg。　This　was　hardly　a　town　but　a　camp　of　a　few　wooden　houses；　built　large　in　the　North　fashion；　and　this　town　lives　by　sale　of　foodstuff　to　traders　who　e　back　and　forth　along　this　route。　At　Massborg　we　left　our　vessel；　and　traveled　overland　by　horse　for　eighteen　days。　This　was　a　difficult　mountain　region；　and　exceedingly　cold；　and　I　was　much　exhausted　by　the　rigors　of　the　journey。　These　North　people　never　travel　at　night。　Nor　do　they　often　sail　at　night；　but　prefer　every　evening　to　beach　their　ship　and　await　the　light　of　dawn　before　continuing　farther。
　Yet　this　was　the　occurrence：　during　our　travels；　the　period　of　the　night　became　so　short　you　could　not　cook　a　pot　of　meat　in　the　time　of　it。　Verily　it　seemed　that　as　soon　as　I　lay　down　to　sleep　I　was　awakened　by　the　Northmen　who　said；　〃e；　it　is　day；　we　must　continue　the　journey。〃　Nor　was　the　sleep　refreshing　in　these　cold　places。
　Also；　Herger　explained　to　me　that　in　this　North　country　the　day　is　long　in　the　summer；　and　the　night　is　long　in　the　winter；　and　rarely　are　they　equal。　Then　he　said　to　me　I　should　watch　in　the　night　for　the　sky　curtain；　and　upon　one　evening　I　did；　and　I　saw　in　the　sky　shimmering　pale　lights；　of　green　and　yellow　and　sometimes　blue；　which　hung　as　a　curtain　in　the　high　air。　I　was　much　amazed　by　the　sight　of　this　sky　curtain　but　the　Northmen　count　it　nothing　strange。
　Now　we　traveled　for　five　days　down　from　the　mountains；　into　a　region　of　forests。　The　forests　of　the　Northlands　are　cold　and　dense　with　gigantic　trees。　It　is　a　wet　and　chilling　land；　in　some　locations　so　green　that　the　eyes　ache　from　the　brightness　of　the　color；　yet　in　other　locations　it　is　black　and　dark　and　menacing。
　Now　we　traveled　seven　days　farther；　through　the　forests；　and　we　experienced　much　rain。　Often　it　is　the　nature　of　this　rain　that　it　falls　with　such　thickness　as　to　be　oppressive；　upon　one　time　or　another　I　thought　I　might　drown；　so　much　was　the　very　air　filled　with　water。　At　other　periods；　when　the　wind　blew　the　rain；　it　was　as　a　sandstorm；　stinging　the　flesh　and　burning　the　eyes；　and　blinding　the　vision。
　
　ing　from　a　desert　region；　Ibn　Fadlan　would　naturally　be　impressed　by　the　lush　green　colors；　and　the　abundant　rainfall。
　
　These　Northmen　feared　no　robbers　in　the　forests；　and　whether　from　their　own　great　strength　or　the　lack　of　any　bandits；　in　truth　we　saw　no　one　in　the　forests。　The　North　country　has　few　people　of　any　sort；　or　so　it　appeared　during　my　sojourn　there。　We　often　traveled　seven　days；　or　ten；　without　viewing　any　settlement　or　farm　or　dwelling。
　The　manner　of　our　journey　was　this：　in　the　morning　we　arose；　and　lacking　any　ablutions；　mounted　upon　our　horses　and　rode　until　the　middle　of　the　day。　Then　one　or　another　of　the　warriors　would　hunt　some　game；　a　small　animal　or　a　bird。　If　it　was　raining；　this　food　would　be　consumed　without　cooking。　It　rained　many　days；　and　in　the　first　instance　I　chose　not　to　eat　the　raw　flesh；　which　also　was　not　dabah　＇ritually　slaughtered＇；　but　after　a　period　I　also　ate；　saying　quietly　〃in　the　name　of　God〃　under　my　breath；　and　trusting　to　God　that　my　predicament　should　be　understood。　If　it　was　not　raining；　a　fire　was　lit　with　a　small　ember　that　was　carried　with　the　party；　and　the　food　cooked。　Also　we　ate　berries　and　grasses；　the　names　of　which　I　do　not　know。　Then　we　traveled　for　the　after…part　of　each　day；　which　was　considerable；　until　the　ing　of　night；　when　again　we　rested；　and　ate。
　Many　times　at　night　it　rained；　and　we　sought　shelter　beneath　large　trees；　yet　we　arose　drenched；　and　our　sleeping　skins　drenched　likewise。　The　Northmen　did　not　grumble　at　this；　for　they　are　cheerful　at　all　times；　I　alone　grumbled；　and　mightily。　They　paid　me　no　attention。
　Finally　I　said　to　Herger；　〃The　rain　is　cold。〃　To　this　he　laughed。　〃How　can　the　rain　be　cold？〃　he　said。　〃You　are　cold　and　you　are　unhappy。　The　rain　is　not　cold　or　unhappy。〃
　I　saw　that　he　believed　this　foolishness；　and　truly　thought　me　foolish　to　think　otherwise；　and　yet　I　did。
　Now　it　happened　that　one　night；　while　we　ate；　I　said　over　my　food　〃in　the　name　of　God；　and　Buliwyf　inquired　of　Herger　what　it　was　I　said。　I　told　to　Herger　that　I　believed　food　must　be　consecrated；　and　so　I　did　this　according　to　my　beliefs。　Buliwyf　said　to　me；　〃This　is　the　way　of　the　Arabs？〃　Herger　was　the　translator。
　I　made　this　reply：　〃No；　for　in　truth　he　who　kills　the　food　must　make　the　consecration。　I　speak　the　words　so　as　to　be　not　forgetful。〃11
　This　the　Northmen　found　a　reason　for　humor。　They　laughed　heartily。　Then　Buliwyf　said　to　me；　〃Can　you　draw　sounds？〃　I　did　not　prehend　his　meaning；　and　inquired　of　Herger；　and　there　was　some　talking　back　and　forth；　and　finally　I　understood　he　meant　writing。　The　Northmen　call　the　speech　of　Arabs　noise　or　sound。　I　replied　to　Buliwyf　that　I　could　write；　and　also　read。
　He　said　that　I　should　write　for　him　upon　the　ground。　In　the　light　of　the　evening　fire；　I　took　a　stick　and　wrote；　〃Praise　be　to　God。〃　All　the　Northmen　looked　at　the　writing。　I　was　manded　to　speak　what　it　said；　and　this　I　did。　Now　Buliwyf　stared　at　the