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CHAPTER X
SUANETIA
Kovpii'iSos . . airav ynp tuTi tu 7rXi)ft)f iidxifiw ov avvTirayjiivov. STRABO,
Lib. xi. C. 2.
HERE are sceptics who venture to deny
that the most delightful of old English
story-tellers, Sir John Mandeville, ever
travelled, or even existed. But this much
is certain, that an author writing under
the name of Mandeville, in the reign of
Edward iii., told the following strange
tale of the Caucasus :
'
In that KjTigdom of Abcaz is a gret
niarvaylle. For a Provynee of the Contree
that hathe well in circuyt 3 jorneyes, that
men is clepen Hanyson, alle covered with Derk-
nesse withouten ony brightnesse or light, so that no man may see ne here,
ne no man dar entren in to hem. And natheles thei of the Contree seyn
that som tyme men heren voys of folk and Hors nyzenge and Cokkes
crowynge. And thei seyn that the Derknesse befelle by Myracle of God.
'
For a cursed Emperour of Persie that highte Savu-es, pursuede alle
Cristeue men to destroye hem and to compelle hem to make Sacritise to
his Ydoles and i-ood with grete Host in alle that ever he myghte for to
confoundc the Cristene men.'
The Christians were miraculously 2:>reserved by a great cloud,
which came down on the heathen host, who have ever since
wandered about in the darkness.
An Arabian geographer. El Masudi, describes a Lost Valley in