Among the Goods People

7

After crossing that mountain, we arrived at the territory of a Turkish tribe called the "Guts." They were nomadic people who lived in tents made of wool, and they moved from place to place. In some places, there were many tents, while in other places, there were also several tents. As is common with nomads, they constantly moved their settlements. Their lives were difficult.

Notation	Translation and Notes
Goods	A phonetic transcription of the name of the tribe in the original text. The descriptions of life, beliefs, and customs in the main body are based on the author's observations and judgments as a traveler, and do not represent verified facts about the entire group that have been validated in modern times.

And yet, they are like donkeys wandering aimlessly. They do not believe in God, nor do they return to reason, and worship nothing. However, they call their elders "lords." When someone consults with a leader about something, they ask, "My lord, what should I do about this?" Their decisions are made through consultation among themselves. But even when they reach an agreement and decide to take action, the person who is lowest in rank and most insignificant will come along and overturn their agreed-upon decision.

Notation	Translation Note
Like a donkey wandering aimlessly	A metaphor that includes the author's religious evaluation. This is not an assessment by the translator.

I heard that they say, "There is no god but Allah. Muhammad is the messenger of Allah." However, they are not saying it because they believe it; rather, they are using those words to approach Muslims who pass through their area. When someone receives unfair treatment or experiences something unpleasant, they raise their faces towards the sky and say, "Bil Tengri." This means "One God" in Turkish. In Turkish, "bil" means "one," and "Tengri" is a word used by Turks to mean "God."

Notation	Translation Note
Bill Tengeley	The author explains this word as "the one God." Here, we have translated the explanation in the original text.

They do not wash themselves after defecation or urination, and they also do not bathe after sexual intercourse. Especially in winter, they use water almost never. Their women do not hide themselves from men, nor from anyone else. Women reveal any part of their body to anyone.

One day, we stayed at the home of one of them, and were sitting there. The homeowner's wife was also with us. While she was talking to us, she exposed her genitals and scratched that area. We saw it and covered our faces, saying, "May God forgive us." Her husband laughed and said to the interpreter:

"Please tell these people. Even if I reveal it to you, you will cherish and protect what you see, and you will not touch it. That is better than concealing it and letting people approach."

There is no adultery among them. If such an act is discovered, the person's body will be torn in two. Two branches of trees are bent and brought together, and the person is bound to those branches. Then, the two trees are released, causing the body of the person who is tied up to be ripped apart.

Notation	Translation Note
There is no adultery between them.	A generalization by the author. Immediately following this, penalties for being discovered are described, so it does not prove that the act absolutely did not exist.

One of them told me to read the Quran. When I started reading, I liked it, and I repeatedly said to the interpreter, "Please tell this person not to stop."

Notation	Translation Note
私にクルアーンを読むように	The adopted edition supplements the verb of request for recitation to clarify the meaning. This translation follows that reading.

One day, this man said to me through an interpreter.

"Please ask this Arab person. To our Lord, the Almighty and Majestic One, does He have a wife?"

I thought it was a very serious matter, so I praised God and asked for forgiveness. Then he also praised God and asked for forgiveness, just like me. There is such a custom among Turks, and every time you hear Muslims praising God and saying that there is no god but God, they say the same thing.

8

Their marriage customs are as follows: A man requests another man to allow him to marry his daughter, sister, or a woman with whom the man has the authority to arrange a marriage. Then, they agree on a dowry, such as a certain number of garments from Khwarazm. Once an agreement is reached, it is delivered to the other party. The dowry may consist of camels, livestock, or other items.

Notation	Translation Note
A woman who is in a position to decide on marriage.	The original text lists women involved in the decision of marriage. This includes listing daughters and sisters, which I have translated as reflecting the customs of that time described by the author.

A man cannot have sexual relations with his wife until he has paid all of the bride price, which is agreed upon with the woman's guardian. Once he has finished paying it, without any hesitation, he enters the tent where the woman is staying. And in front of her father, mother, and brothers, he has sexual relations with her. The family does not stop him.

When a man who has a wife and children dies, if his wife is not the mother of her own sons, the oldest of those sons will marry her.

Whether they are merchants or other people, it is not possible for them to wash their bodies after sexual intercourse in front of them. If they want to bathe, they must do so at night when they cannot be seen by them. They will become angry and say, "This person is trying to cast a spell on us. Because they were staring into the water," and they will demand payment.

Notation	Translation Note
He was staring intently at the water.	Translated according to the published reading of تفرس في الماء. The doubts about magic in the surrounding text are statements from the people of that land, as conveyed by the author.

All Muslims, regardless of who they are, must designate one person to stay with when passing through this country. From Islamic countries, the visitor should bring one piece of clothing for that person, a "miknaa" covering cloth for the wife, and also pepper, millet, dried grapes, and walnuts.

Notation	Translation Note
Mikunaa	A phonetic transcription of the name for a covering cloth that is brought along.
Choosing one person to stay with	This section describes building relationships with local people, which leads to descriptions of subsequent gifts and accommodations.

When I arrived at my friend's place, he had set up a tent for the guests and brought sheep according to his means. He then entrusted the task of slaughtering the sheep to the Muslim guests. Turkish people do not slit the throat; instead, they beat the head of the sheep until it dies.

When a guest is about to depart, if one of their camels or livestock becomes tired and unable to move, or if they need money, they entrust that animal to a Turkish friend. Then, they borrow what they need from the friend's camels, livestock, or money and continue on their journey. When they return from the land they were aiming for, they repay the borrowed money and return the camels and livestock.

Similarly, a stranger who is a Muslim passes in front of a Turkish person and says to that person, "I am your guest. I would like to borrow your camels, livestock, and dirham coins." And the person gives him what he asks for.

If the merchant dies on his journey, and only the caravan returns, the Turk will greet them with, "Where is my customer?" When told that he has died, the Turk orders the caravan to unload its goods. Then, he goes to the house of what appears to be the wealthiest merchant among them and unpacks the goods in front of him. He takes an amount equal to the money he gave from the merchant's dirhams, not taking a single grain more. The same is done for livestock and camels, saying, "That man is your paternal cousin, so you must pay his share."

Notation	Translation Note
Paternal cousin	In the original text, this kinship term is used to request compensation from a merchant who shares the same Islamic faith. This does not necessarily mean that there was confirmed blood relation between the two individuals.

Even if that merchant escapes, say the same thing: "That man is a Muslim just like you. You should collect from him."

If a Muslim guest is unable to meet the Turkish host during their journey, they will ask where that person is from and inquire about their location. Once they are told the location, they will travel for several days to find them, finally meeting them and delivering money. Gifts are delivered in the same way.

Notation	Translation Note
Deliver gold to that place.	The original text of this phrase is not grammatically smooth. I have translated it in accordance with the context of borrowing and repayment before and after, but there are reservations regarding the confirmation of the wording in the manuscript.

When Turkish people enter Jurjanya, it is the same. They ask about someone who used to be their guest, stay at that person's house, and spend time there until they leave.

If a Turkish person dies at the home of a Muslim friend, and if a caravan passes through that country with the friend present, they will kill the friend. They say, "Because you let him stay in your house, that man died. If you hadn't let him stay, he wouldn't have died." Also, if the friend gives the man alcohol, and the man falls from a wall as a result, they will kill the friend for that reason. If the friend is not with the caravan, they will choose the most respected person in the group and kill them.

Among them, sexual acts between men are considered extremely serious. At one time, a man from Khwarazm stayed with the family of Kuzulkin, who was an agent of the Turkish king. This man had been staying at the home of the person who hosted him for some time, ostensibly to buy sheep.

Notation	Translation Note
Sexual acts between men	The original text uses the word اللواط. Here, we are translating the specific act and its judgment as described by the author, and not using it as a term to represent modern sexual orientation or an evaluation of entire groups.
Kuzulkin	This is the name given to a person who is described in the text as representing a Turkish king. The reading is tentative.

The Turk had a son who had not yet grown a beard. The man from Khwarazm paid attention to this son, approached him, and continued to seek a relationship with him, eventually fulfilling his desires. When the father arrived, he found the two of them inside the tent. There, the father appealed to Kuzulkhin about this matter. Kuzulkhin ordered, "Gather the Turks," and the father gathered the people.

When people gathered, Kuzulkin said to his father.

"Do you want to be judged fairly, or do you want to be judged unfairly?"

The father answered, "correctly."

"Bring your son," he was told, and the father brought his son.

Kuzulkin said, "This son and this merchant, both must be killed."

The father was angered by this and said, "I will not give my son to them."

Therefore, Kuzulkin said, "If that is the case, then let the merchant pay the ransom." The merchant did as he was told. Sheep were paid to the father for the act involving his son. Also, four hundred sheep were paid to Kuzulkin in exchange for being spared punishment. Then, the merchant left the land of the Turks.

Notation	Translation Note
Four hundred sheep	The number paid to Kuzulkin. The original text does not specify the number of sheep paid to the father.

9

Among their kings and chiefs, the first one we met was Inar al-Saghir. He had previously converted to Islam, but he abandoned Islam because he was told, "If you have become Muslim, you cannot be our chief."

Notation	Translation Note
Inar al-Saghir	A phonetic transcription of the original name. "Al-Saghir" means "small," but it has been retained as a personal name in this passage.

When we arrived at where he was, he said.

"I cannot allow you to pass. This is something I have never heard of, and I never thought it would happen."

We worked patiently, and finally managed to get him to accept a small amount of goods: one haftan of jurjani cloth worth ten dirhams, one piece of bread, a handful of dried grapes, and one hundred walnuts.

Notation	Translation/Annotation
Bai-Berfu	A phonetic transcription of the name of a fabric written in published materials. The specific variety and reading are to be determined later.

When we gave them these, they submitted to us. They have a habit of submitting to the person who treats them generously. And then he said:

"If my home were closer to the road, I would have brought you sheep and wheat."

He withdrew from our position, and we also departed.

The next day, we met a Turkish man. He had an ugly face, his appearance was shabby, he looked weak, and he seemed to be a despicable person inside. We were caught in heavy rain. When the man said "Stop," the entire caravan stopped. The caravan consisted of approximately three thousand animals and about five thousand people.

Notation	Translation Note
The inside is also base.	This is the author's evaluation of a person, along with descriptions of their appearance and demeanor; it is not the translator evaluating that person.

He continued, "Absolutely no one must pass through." We followed that order and stopped, saying:

"We are friends of Kuzurukin."

Then he started laughing and said, "What is Kuzulkin? I will shit on the beard of Kuzulkin." Then he said, "Bakand." It means bread in the Khwarezmian language.

I gave him some round bread. He received it and said, "Go. I did this out of pity for you."

He continued, and stated as follows:

If one of them becomes ill, and if that person has female or male slaves, the slaves will take care of them. No family members approach. A tent is set up far from their dwelling, and they are left there until they die or recover. If the sick person is a slave or a poor person, they are abandoned in the wilderness, and everyone leaves the area.

When a man dies, they dig a large hole in the shape of a house. Then, they go to the deceased and dress him in clothing, put a belt on him, and equip him with a bow. They give him a wooden cup filled with wine and place another wooden container filled with wine in front of him. All of his possessions are brought over and placed together inside this "house" within the hole.

Notation	Translation/Annotation
To have the belt and bow attached.	After this, if there is a single word space in the manuscript, it will be noted as "adopted edition." The missing content of the incomplete words has not been supplemented.

Then, they place the deceased in that position and build a roof over them. They cover the top with clay, creating a rounded ceiling like structure. Depending on the number of livestock the man possessed, they slaughter animals: sometimes one hundred, two hundred, or even fewer, as little as one. The meat is eaten, but the heads, legs, skins, and tails are left behind and hung on trees. They say, "These are the animals that the deceased will ride to heaven."

Notation	Translation Note
Heaven	In this passage, the author uses expressions that convey what local people say about the animals and servants of the deceased. The translator is not making a definitive statement about the afterlife.

If a deceased person was a brave man who had killed people, wooden dolls are made from wood for each person he killed and placed on top of the grave. Then, it is said, "These are the young servants who will serve that man in heaven."

Sometimes, we refrain from slaughtering livestock for a day or two. Then, one of the elders comes and says:

"In a dream, I saw someone who had passed away. That man told me, 'My companions have left me behind. Keep walking and chasing after them, but my leg is cracking, and I can't catch up. I am the only one being left behind.'"

Notation	Translation and Notes
A crack appeared on the foot.	This is a translation of the reading in the adopted edition. There are other proposed readings for the characters in the original text, which means that the wording in the manuscript has not been completely finalized.

There, they slaughtered the livestock of the deceased and hung them in front of the tomb.

A day or two later, the same elder came and said, "Who did you meet?" and continued as follows.

"I told my family and friends to tell those who came before me that I have caught up with them, and that I am free from fatigue."

10

He said this.

Turks, with the exception of those who have mustaches, remove their beards. Sometimes you could see very old elders. They would shave their beards and leave only a little bit under their chin, wearing a boosteen (a type of traditional Turkish hat). If someone saw them from afar, they probably wouldn't doubt that it was a male goat.

Notation	Translation Note
口ひげ (mouth whiskers)	The original word is أسبلة. Here, we have distinguished between the mustache that is shaved off and the mustache that remains. The following metaphor of a male goat is the author's expression.

The Turkish ruler of the goods is called a Yabgu. This is a title for chieftain, and anyone who becomes king of this tribe is called by this name. Their representative is called Kuzulkhin. Similarly, everyone who serves as a representative of the chieftain is called Kuzulkhin.

Notation	Translation Note
Yabugoo	The original text is "يبغو". The author explains that this is not a personal name, but rather the title of a chief who governs a tribe. The reading is tentative.

After we left the place where they were, we stayed with a man named Atrak ibn al-Kataghan, who was leading an army. He set up a Turkish-style domed tent for us and let us stay there. He had family members and servants, and also a large dwelling. They brought sheep to us, as well as riding animals. This was so that we could slaughter the sheep and ride the animals. Then, they gathered his family and paternal cousins, slaughtered many sheep, and entertained us.

Notation	Translation/Annotation
Atrak Bun al-Katagān	The name of a military commander recorded in the printed text. The Japanese reading is tentative.

We were giving him clothes, raisins, walnuts, pepper, and millet. I saw his wife. She was previously the wife of his father. Taking some meat and milk, along with some of the items we gave him, she went out from the dwelling into the wilderness. There, she dug a hole and buried what she had brought, and then recited something.

I asked the interpreter, "What are you saying?" The interpreter replied, "He is saying, 'This is a gift for Katagān, the father of Atrak. It was given to him by the Arabs.'"

At night, I and the interpreter went to his place. He was sitting inside his tent. We had a letter from Nazir al-Harami addressed to him. It was a letter urging and strongly recommending that he embrace Islam.

Nazir was sending him fifty dinars. Among them were several gold coins of Musayyabiya. In addition, there were three miskals of musk, leather, and fabrics from Marw. We had two kurtaks made for him using those fabrics. Furthermore, there were leather shoes, one brocade garment, and five silk garments. We gave these gifts to him, and we gave his wife a miknaa and a ring.

Notation	Translation
Miskaaru	A unit of weight. The original text's numerical value and unit indicating the amount of musk are preserved, and no conversion to modern units has been performed.
Maru no orimono	A type of fabric named after Maru. In addition to two garments, a separate list is provided for brocade and silk clothing.

I read the letter to him. He said to the interpreter, "Until you return, I will not say anything. I will write to my lord about what I intend to do."

He took off the brocade clothing he had been wearing and began to put on the clothes that were part of the gift. Then, the kurtuk underneath became visible. It was filthy and worn out. They have a custom of not taking off clothes that are placed directly against the skin until they completely fall apart. He had also shaved off his beard and mustache, making him look like one of the servants.

Notation	Translation Note
The appearance of servants	The author's comparison using the original text "كالخدام." It is not stated here that Atrak himself was a servant.

I heard that the Turks said he was the best among them at horsemanship. In fact, one day, when he was riding a horse with us, a goose flew by. He drew back the string of his bow, ran the horse under the bird, and then released an arrow. Immediately, he shot down the bird.

One day, he summoned his subordinate commanders. They were Tarhaan, Inar, and the two nephews of those men, as well as Ilgaz. Among them, Tarhaan was the most distinguished and respected. He had a disability in his legs, was blind, and had limited use of his hands.

Notation	Translation Note
Tarhaan	A phonetic transcription of the word "طرخان" in the published text. It is used here as a designation for individuals participating in discussions. The reading is tentative.
Ilgaz	A provisional reading based on the spelling "إيلغز" in the published text.

Atrak said to them, "These are the messengers that the King of the Arabs sent to Al-Mish bin Sharqi, who became my relative through marriage. I could not allow them to pass without consulting with you."

Notation	Translation Note
Al-Mush bin Shalki	The name follows the printed notation ألمش بن شلكي in this section. It is not unified with the king's father's name at the beginning because their forms are different.
Became a relative of mine through marriage	The original word is صهري. It represents a familial relationship by marriage, but here it does not specify a concrete relationship such as son-in-law.

Tarhaan said, "I have never seen or heard of such a thing. From our time and the time of our ancestors, no messenger from the ruler has ever passed through our land. Surely, the ruler is plotting something, sending these people to Khazar to seek reinforcements against us. It would be good to cut them in half one by one and take their possessions."

Another person said, "No, let's take away their belongings, strip them naked, and send them back to where they came from."

Another person said, "No, some of our comrades are being held captive by the king of Hazal. Let's send these people and exchange them for those captives."

They continued to discuss such proposals with each other for seven days. We were facing imminent death. Eventually, an opinion was reached that would release us and allow us to move forward.

There, we gave Tarhaan one haftan of Maru wool and two pieces of Bai-Berf cloth. We gave each of his companions a kurtuk, and also gave the same to Inar. Furthermore, we gave them pepper, millet, and round bread. They left our presence.

11

We departed and arrived at the Yagundi River. People took out something called a "sufra." It was made of camel hide, which they spread out. Then, using a round Turkish female camel, they placed it inside the hide and stretched the leather. After that, they packed clothes and luggage into it.

Notation	Translation Note
Sufra	The original word سفرة. Here, it refers to an item made of camel leather used for carrying goods or people across rivers. The translation follows the procedures described in the main text and does not supplement any unmentioned structural elements or processing methods.

When it is full, for each shura (boat), five, six, or four people, or fewer or more, board. They hold a wooden pole from Hadank and use it like an oar. While being carried by the water and spinning around, they continue to row until reaching the other shore.

Notation	Translation/Annotation
Hadank	A phonetic transcription of the tree name الخدنك. The exact species has not been confirmed.

Speak to the riding animals and camels, and make them swim across. Before caravans or goods begin to cross, a group of armed warriors must always go first. They serve as scouts for the people. This is because they feared that Bashgirds might suddenly attack the people while they are crossing the river.

Notation	Translation Note
Bashghird	The "Bashghird" in the published text. Here, it is mentioned as a party fearing an attack during river crossing.

We crossed the Yagundi River using the method we just mentioned. Afterwards, we also crossed the Jarm river in the same way, using rafts. Then, we crossed Jarfush, Azal, Aldan, Warish, Aftee, and Wabna. All of these are large rivers.

Notation	Translation Note
Yagundi River	The river name follows the notation in the adopted edition and has not been replaced with modern place names. The readings and identifications of the following Jarm, Jahfush, Azal, Ardan, Warish, Aftee, and Wabna are also provisional.