Note 186 — XIV. HERE FOLLOWETH CONCERNING THE DISTANCES OF COUNTRIES.

I cannot explain all these names. But the author’s reference is to the several empires into which the vast conquests of Chengiz Khan were partitioned among his descendants. 1. Cathay, or all the eastern part of the empire, including China, with a paramount authority over all, fell to Okkodai and his successors, the “Great Khans” or “Great Tartars” of our author. 2. Kipchak, or Comania, all the country westward of the Ural river, through the south of Russia, fell eventually to Batu, the grandson of Chengiz, whose invasion, penetrating to Silesia and Hungary, struck terror into Europe. This is the Gatzaria of the text; Khazaria being properly the country adjoining the Sea of Azoph, and including the Crimea. The expression “now of Osbet” appears to refer to Uzbeg, who was Khan of Kipchak from 1313 to 1340. 3. Jagatai (Elchigaday = El Jagatai, I suppose) was Transoxiana, lying between the first and second empires. It was so called from Jagatai, the son of Chengiz, to whom it fell. Kaidu, the grandson of Jagatai, according to Marco Polo, was the ruler of this country in the time of that traveller. Dua and Capac I cannot explain. 4. Persia. The second and third are of course the “other two empires of the Tartars” mentioned in the text. (See D’Avezac’s “Notice of Old Travels in Tartary” in Recueil de Voyages, vol. iv.; and Introduction to Erskine’s Translation of Baber’s Memoirs, etc.)