When they called the roll at daybreak, however, they [found] that kdei,386 Boroqul, and Boorchu were missing. Chinggis Qahan said: Both Boorchu and Boroqul, whom I trust, have stayed behind with kdei. Living or dying, how can they leave one another? During the night, our [soldiers] readied the geldings. Chinggis Qahan said: If they pursue us, we shall fight. After this order, the [soldiers] stood [ready]. When day broke, we saw 385 The Chinese interlinear note has red cheek instead of cheek. In Mongol, the compound enggesge qachar meant cheek. For the Chinese, however, rosy cheeks were a distinguishing feature of the Mongols. Today, enggesge means rouge; some have tried to claim that Senggm (and men generally at this period) wore rouge, but there is no evidence to support this claim.

CHAPTER SIX 149 a man approaching from the rear. It [turned out] to be Boorchu. Chinggis Qahan said: Let Eternal Heaven oversee [our destiny], and beat his breast. Boorchu said: While we were attacking, my horse fell, shot by an arrow, [so] I started to run. As I was running, the Kereyits turned back and stood around Senggm. In the confusion of the battle, I [found] a laden horse. The load had slipped. The [horse] was [just] standing there. Cutting away its load, I mounted the pack saddle and set off. I tracked our [soldiers] route from [the battlefield]. Here I am.

Not long afterwards, another man approached. As he drew near, a pair of feet [seemed] to dangle beneath him. [Yet] they could see only one person. When the man finally arrived, [it turned out to be] Boroqul, with kdei riding behind him. Blood was trickling from the corners of his mouth. kdei had been hit in the neck by an arrow. Boroqul had sucked away the congealed blood, which trickled from the corners of his mouth [as] he rode along. On seeing them, tears ran down Chinggis Qahans face and his heart ached. He quickly had a fire kindled and cauterised [the wound]. [Then] he had got someone to bring kdei a drink and gave it to him. If the enemy comes, we will fight, he said. Boroqul said: The dust[-trail] of the enemy is over there, [heading] in the direction of Hulaan-buruqat, by the southern side of the Mau Heights. The dust is rising in a long [trail]. [Chinggis Qahan] told Boroqul: If they come, we will fight; if they drive us back, we will array our soldiers and fight. After

They continued up the Ulqui-shilgeljit [until] they reached Dalan-nemrges.