NOTE 2.—­This is probably a story of great antiquity, for it occurs in the legends of the mythical Ughuz, Patriarch of the Turk and Tartar nations, as given by Rashiduddin.  In this hero’s campaign towards the far north, he had ordered the old men to be left behind near Almalik; but a very ancient sage called Bushi Khwaja persuaded his son to carry him forward in a box, as they were sure sooner or later to need the counsel of experienced age.  When they got to the land of Kara Hulun, Ughuz and his officers were much perplexed about finding their way, as they had arrived at the Land of Darkness.  The old Bushi was then consulted, and his advice was that they should take with them 4 mares and 9 she-asses that had foals, and tie up the foals at the entrance to the Land of Darkness, but drive the dams before them.  And when they wished to return they would be guided by the scent and maternal instinct of the mares and she-asses.  And so it was done. (See Erdmann Temudschin, p. 478.) Ughuz, according to the Mussulman interpretation of the Eastern Legends, was the great-grandson of Japhet.

The story also found its way into some of the later Greek forms of the Alexander Legends.  Alexander, when about to enter the Land of Darkness, takes with him only picked young men.  Getting into difficulties, the King wants to send back for some old sage who should advise.  Two young men had smuggled their old father with them in anticipation of such need, and on promise of amnesty they produce him.  He gives the advice to use the mares as in the text. (See Mueller’s ed. of Pseudo-Callisthenes, Bk.  II. ch. xxxiv.)

NOTE 3.—­Ibn Batuta thus describes the traffic that took place with the natives of the Land of Darkness:  “When the Travellers have accomplished a journey of 40 days across this Desert tract they encamp near the borders of the Land of Darkness.  Each of them then deposits there the goods that he has brought with him, and all return to their quarters.  On the morrow they come back to look at their goods, and find laid beside them skins of the Sable, the Vair, and the Ermine.  If the owner of the goods is satisfied with what is laid beside his parcel he takes it, if not he leaves it there.  The inhabitants of the Land of Darkness may then (on another visit) increase the amount of their deposit, or, as often happens, they may take it away altogether and leave the goods of the foreign merchants untouched.  In this way is the trade conducted.  The people who go thither never know whether those with whom they buy and sell are men or goblins, for they never see any one!” (II. 401.)

["Ibn Batuta’s account of the market of the ‘Land of Darkness’ ... agrees almost word for word with Dr. Mirth’s account of the ’Spirit Market, taken from the Chinese.’” (Parker, China Review, XIV. p. 359.)—­H.C.]