amed and trained to fly at wolves, foxes, deer, wild
goats, etc. A Kirghiz will give a good horse for an eagle in which he
recognises capacity for training. Mr. Atkinson gives vivid descriptions
and illustrations of this eagle (which he calls "Bear coote"), attacking
both deer and wolves. He represents the bird as striking one claw into the
neck, and the other into the back of its large prey, and then tearing out
the liver with its beak. In justice both to Marco Polo and to Mr.
Atkinson, I have pleasure in adding a vivid account of the exploits of
this bird, as witnessed by one of my kind correspondents, the
Governor-General's late envoy to Kashgar. And I trust Sir Douglas Forsyth
will pardon my quoting his own letter just as it stands[1]:--"Now for a
story of the _Burgoot_--Atkinson's 'Bearcoote.' I think I told you it was
the Golden Eagle and supposed to attack wolves and even bears. One day we
came across a wild hog of enormous size, far bigger than any that gave
sport to the Tent Club in Bengal. The Burgoot was immediately let loose,
and went straight at the hog, which it kicked, and flapped with its wings,
and utterly _flabbergasted_, whilst our Kashgaree companions attacked him
with sticks and brought him to the ground. As Friar Odoric would say, I, T.
D. F., have seen this with mine own eyes."--Shaw describes the rough
treatment with which the Burgut is tamed. Baber, when in the Bajaur Hills,
notices in his memoirs: "This day Burgut took a deer." (_Timkowski_, I.
414; _Levchine_, p. 77; _Pallas_, _Voyages_, I. 421; _J. R. A. S._ VII.
305; _Atkinson's Siberia_, 493; and _Amoor_, 146-147; _Shaw_, p. 157;
_Baber_, p. 249.)

[The Golden Eagle (_Aquila chrysaetus_) is called at Peking _Hoy tiao_
(black eagle). (_David et Oustalet_, _Oiseaux de la Chine_, p. 8.)--H. C.]

[1] Dated Yangi Hissar, 10th April, 1874.

CHAPTER XIX.

CONCERNING THE TWO BROTHERS WHO HAVE CHARGE OF THE KAAN'S HOUNDS.

The Emperor hath two Barons who are own brothers, one called Baian and the
other Mingan; and these two are styled _Chinuchi_ (or _Cunichi_), which is
as much as to say, "The Keepers of the Mastiff Dogs."[NOTE 1] Each of
these brothers hath 10,000 men under his orders; each body of 10,000 being
dressed alike, the one in red and the other in blue, and whenever they
accompany the Lord to the chase, they wear this livery, in order to be
recognized. Out of each body of 10,000 there are 2000 men who are each in
charge of o