Gog and Magog on the Onon River
Editorial contextAn anonymous description of the Mongols printed next in Weber sets out their lands, from Lake Khövsgöl east to the sand desert, to the Argun, and north-west to the rivers Onon and Sikoi, a country which, it says, has been said since ancient times to be inhabited by Gog and Magog. The same description goes on to the lamas, the Dalai Lama and whether he could be Prester John.
further to the land of Argun, and from there again north-west to the rivers Onon and Sikoi, which, as has been said from ancient times, is inhabited by Gog and Magog.
Working translation
Original wording
ferner biß an das Land Argun, und von dort wiederum Nord-west biß an den Fluß Onon und Sikoi, welches wie man von Alters hersaget, von Gog und Magog bewohnet wird.
About Mongols
Continue in this sourceWeber's 'Russia Transformed', with reports on Siberia, the Kalmyks and the Tatars1714 to 1738 · 11 passagesA Buryat chief's Buddhist shrine tent
Editorial contextGeorgi visited the Khori Buryat chief (taisha) Dorzhi, who kept a separate yurt for Lamaist (Tibetan Buddhist) worship, with a prayer wheel at the door. Inside were images of the Buddhas (burkhans), silver offering bowls and censers, long horns, cymbals and conch shells, and five chests of Mongol and Tibetan books. Among them, treated with great respect, was a Church Slavonic Psalter.
This man had a special burkhan-yurt for Lamaist worship. In front of it stood a prayer wheel (khürdü). The yurt was full of burkhans [Buddha images], offering bowls, long musical instruments, lama robes, rosaries and books. … Among them was also a neatly bound Psalter of David in the Slavonic language, which was treated with great reverence.
Working translation
Original wording
Dieser Mann hatte eine besondere Burchanjurte für den Lamaischen Götzendienst. Vor derselben stand eine Bethmühle (Kurdu). Die Jurte war voll von Burchanen, Opferschälchen, langen musikalischen Instrumenten, Lamakleidern, Rosenkränzen und Büchern. … Unter denselben befand sich auch der sauber gebundene Davidische Psalter in Sklawonischer Sprache, dem sehr ehrwürdig begegnet wurde.
About Khori Buryats (a Mongol people)
Keep in mind
Georgi calls the Buryats a Mongol people, not Tatars; they belong here as the kind of people older European maps placed in 'Tartary'.
A sung city with walls of wood, stone and iron
Editorial contextGeorgi wrote down a heroic tale the Tungus sang, whose hero names he judged to be Mongol. It begins with a prince living in a city with a triple wall, the outer of wood, the middle of stone and the inner of iron, yet dwelling in a yurt with a steel post for his horse. Later his daughter, turned into an eagle, finds a silver yurt with a golden roof on a hill with silver grass and lakes of milk. It shows how steppe epics imagined walled cities alongside tents.
In a kingdom lived Prince Dolodai, who had 2000 servants, and they lived in a city with a triple wall, the outer of wood, the middle of stone and the inner of iron. At the door of his yurt stood a pillar of steel, to which he tied his splendid horse.
Working translation
Original wording
In einem Reiche war der Fürst Dolodai, welcher 2000. Knechte hatte, und in einer Stadt mit einer dreyfachen Mauer, die äussere hölzern, die mittlere steinern und die innere eisern, wohnten. An der Thüre seiner Jurte stand eine Säule von Stahl, an welche er sein Prachtpferd band.
About Tungus (Evenki) singers of a tale with Mongol heroes
Keep in mind
A folk epic, not a description of a real place; Georgi thought the Tungus had taken it from the Mongols.
Mongol chiefs made Knights of Malta
Editorial contextNear Irkutsk, Holman heard of a settlement of 'Mongul Tartars' at Tunka near the Chinese frontier, whose chiefs had been made Knights of Malta by Emperor Paul (Paul was Grand Master of the Order from 1798 to 1801). Holman doubts they could have understood the honour beyond the star and ribbon.
The Emperor Paul made some of the chiefs of these Mongul Tartars Knights of Malta! It must be difficult to conceive how these people would contemplate the nature or duties of such a creation, or appreciate the honour conferred upon them
About Buryats and Mongols ('Mongul Tartars')
Keep in mind
Reported to Holman, not seen; his dismissive comment is his own. Holman puts 'Toonga' about sixty miles from Irkutsk; the identification with Tunka is ours.