Kalmyk Old-script Documents of Isaac Jacob Schmidt 1800-1810: Todo Biciq Texts, Transcription, Translation from the Moravian Archives at Herrnhut 3447044594

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Edited by John R Krueger and R~bert G. Servrce=i; .::...

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ASIATISCHE FORSCHUNGEN MONOGRAPHIENREIHE ZUR GESCHICHTE, KULTUR UND SPRACHE DER VOLKER OST- UND ZENTRALASIENS

Herausgegeben von Walther Heissig und Thomas 0 . Hollmann unter Mitwirkung von Herbert Franke und Charles R. Bawden

Band 143

2002

Harrassowitz Verlag· Wiesbaden

Kalmyk Old-Script Documents of Isaac Jacob Schmidt 1800-1810 Toda Biciq Texts, Transcription, Translation from the Moravian Archives at Herrnhut Edited by John R. Krueger and Robert G. Service

2002

Harrassowitz Verlag· Wiesbaden

The signet shows the Buddhist banner of faith.

Die Deutsche Bibliothek - CIP-Einheitsaufnahme Ein Titeldatensatz fiir diese Publikation ist bei Der Deutschen Bibliothek erhaltlich Die Deutsche Bibliothek - CIP Cataloguing-in-Publication-Data A catalogue record for this publication is available from Die Deutsche Bibliothek e-mail: [email protected]

© Otto Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden 2002

This work, including all of its parts, is protected by copyright. Any use beyond the limits of copyright law without the permission of the publisher is forbidden and subject to penalty. This applies particularly to reproductions, translations, microfilms and storage and processing in electronic systems. Printed on permanent/durable paper. Printing and binding by Memminger MedienCentrum AG Printed in Germany www.harrassowitz.de ISSN 0571-320X ISBN 3-447-04459-4

Isaac-Jacob Schmidt (JlKoB lllMnra) ( ApXJ!B !IeHJfHrpa,rcxoro orneneHJfJI lfHcr1rryra BOCToKo»eneHlfJI AH CCCP)

Table of Contents Preface............................................... ...... ... ........ ............................ ........ .... .... ...

IX

Brief Content analysis ............. ................................. .......... ........................ .. ....

XIII

Contents of Herrnhut R. 15 R. Ila N° 5 ....... .............. ........ ........... ....... ..............

XV

Notes on and within Cover of Herrnhut R. 15 R. Ila N° 5 ............... ........ .......... XVIII Ein LoB=Brief .................................... ......... ............................................ ..........

XIX

Documents 1-82 ....... ............................ .. .... ....... .. ..... .............. ..... ............. . ........

3

Document 99 Cebeq to Schmidt ( 1809, Hare Month, 29) (not in Herrnhut), UAJb, 25 (3-4), p. 287f (1953) ............... ......... ....................

208

Further Acknowledgments ..... ...........................................................................

210

Bibliography......................................... .............................................................

211

Illustration: Russian Watermarks ......................................................................

212

By Robert G. Service ............................... ................ ................. ..... ........ .... ...... . Senders of Kalmyk Documents ............ .. .. .. ....................................... .. Placenames Mentioned in Documents.. ........ ............. ......................... . Persons Mentioned in Kalmyk Documents .. .. .. .. .. .. .... .. .... ....... .. .... ... ...

21 3 214 215

PREFACE

In W. Heissig's meritorious Verzeichnis of 1961, listing all the Mongolica then known to German libraries and institutions (both East and West), entry § 553 was discovered to contain some 87 items, chiefly in Oirat script, and ranging from 1773 to 1822. Several of them have since been published by the "Kalmyk Team" (Krueger, Rozycki and Service), and we offered a catalogue description of all items in our article, "An Oirat-script collection of Letters in the Staatsbibliothek zti Berlin" (ZAS 29, 1999). Additional letters will be examined as time goes by. For instance, there are quite a few letters from Sodnom, a Kalmyk convert to Christianity, who is writing to Badma and Nomtu, the Buriat co-workers of Schmidt on the Bible translations. Many notes and letters are to Conrad Neitz for medical assistance.

Very similar in many aspects is a second such collection kept in the Moravian Archives at Herrnhut (Unitas Fratrum, in English, the "United Brethren"), and it is the purpose of the present volume to set forth the contents of that archive folder (R.15 .R.Ila N2 5), which chiefly cover the time period 1801-1809. Owing to that folder containing letters in a strange script, earlier archivists also placed some non-Mongolian items in it; these have little bearing on our mission, but a brief description is given for sake of completely describing its contents. I have thus not reproduced the Arabic-script texts of documents One and Two.

This collection consists basically of 82 documents (depending in part on exactly how they are counted), and was given a brief listing and description (with partial translation of two items) by E. Haenisch, in his article "Kalmiickische Fragmente," appearing in the UAJb 25 for 1953 (pp. 283-294). Unfortunately, as he was in his final years and preparing his last articles, he mistakenly gave their location as the "Darmstadt collection at the Prussian State Library at Berlin." But no such set of papers was listed in Heissig' s Verzeichnis of 1961. This puzzled me greatly for some time. In March, 1994, my colleague, Prof. Dr. Hans-Peter Vietze, to whom I had mentioned our current project on the first-named Kalmyk collection, told me at once that there were very many such Oirat-script letters in the Herrnhut Moravian archives. I flew to Germany thus in May, and was permitted to inspect their holdings and I give my thanks to the Archive and Mme Ingeborg Baldauf, then the archivist. My chief interest then was in discovering parallel copies of the first-named collection, which our study-group was then researching. The archive did have other copies of these same letters (earlier Moravians also having recognized their value as study material and making additional copies); fuller facts about them are given in our ZAS 1999 article previously mentioned. IX

Whi 1st I was on the archive premises (Friday, May 13th, 1994), the staff also showed me a collection of some 82 documents: quite unimpressive, written on odd scraps of paper, and very hard to read. I confess I did not pay much attention to them then . But slowly, it began to dawn on me (es ging mir ein Licht au/) that if there were 82 letters in the unlocated Haenisch collection, and if there were 82 letters in the Herrnhut archive --- could there be some connection? Indeed, there was, and as soon as I ordered a full microfilm and print-out, a comparison with some initial words as given by Haenisch showed at once this was the missing group. I rejoiced ! About half the notes and letters bear a date, almost all in the Kalmyk-style animal cycle, but a few with Western dating; and about half of them relate to minor matters, as purchase of goods, paper, foodstuffs, vodka and so on. But others are from princes, and mention officials, plans, actions; some are hard to understand from the viewpoint of hearing only one side of the "conversation." It is our hope that these hits of information can be integrated into a broader picture of Kalmyk society in the early years of 1800. Schmidt, born in 1779, arrived in Sarepta late in 1799, and with his facility for languages, seems not only quickly to have learned Russian and colloquial Kalmyk, but mastered the Oirat todo biciq script as well. There is even one letter written by him. I speculate that somehow these notes and letters to him were considered property of the Sarepta mission; if he had taken them on his departure for Moscow, they would undoubtedly have perished in the great Moscow fires of 1812 attendant upon Napoleon. Therefore, these documents must have gone back to Germany on the break-up of the Mission, perhaps well after 1830-1840. In the case of the first collection (Ven:. 553), the three team members resolved to publish all items jointly, but when co-worker Dr. Rozycki took employment in Japan during 1995-1997, Mr. Service and I continued our Erdeni-yin tobci review project, and also began a survey of the Schmidt collection. We worked thru the letters once to get an idea of their content (and to see whether later letters might solve problems of earlier ones); then we began again, this time writing a rough translation. Without Mr. Service' s assistance (and his good eye for reading script) I do not think I could have then finished it alone; therefore, we agreed to become coauthors, sharing responsibility, and credit if any. Since then Mr Service undertook other duties, and I reviewed the entire contents again alone. In May, 1998, I visited the Herrnhut archives once more (Friday, May 15th), specifically to inspect de visu some of the obscured spots unclear on the microfilm and prints made from it. Further, I was especially anxious to try to read the various seals which showed up as only black globs and clumps on the prints (but this proved fairly unproductive). While doing this work, I found that nearly all the paper scraps bore watermarks, mainly Dutch, but also Cyrillic and even one English! Further information is given under each Document entry. I asked the Archives to make new enlarged photographs of the seals for my use; it would be exciting if one might discover one of these actual artifacts somewhere in a collection or museum! On the whole, the texts of the letters are quite stylized in their openings (salutations) and complimentary closings, as well as in the dating formulas. Hence, to save space, and especially to make the X

central content of each document fit on a single page, I sometimes just omit this, and give the main body with addressee and sender. Facing this right:-side Latin transcription I placed the todo biciq text on the left-hand side, but here too I often just omitted the script address from the other side of the original. This enables the reader to have both script and transliteration or translation in view at the same time. A few letters have two script pages, and thus two pages of translation, so these do not always match up at the same time. In a couple of cases, for some reason, the microfilm made did not produce a legible print; but I was able to make transcriptions (and to confirm them in person in Herrnhut on my second visit); I ask the reader to trust my reliability for these. In issuing this work at present, by no means do I assume I have solved all the problems, given every reading correctly, or identified all persons mentioned. My goal is rather to bring these documents forth to enable others with relevant knowledge to contribute further solutions. I shall certainly welcome learning more about these issues. By the nature of these mostly 'onetime' informal notes and exchanges, it does not seem likely that other copies may survive or appear, but these may prove informative to researchers in various areas. In addition to Mr Service as my co-author, I have to thank various parties; Dr. Rozycki for a reading and remarks; Dr. Dittmar Schorkowitz (Berlin) for some historical identifications and dates, and for dealing with Document 48 in old-script Russian; Dr. Arash Bormanshinow similarly, and for explanations of some phrases. I likewise inquired of Dr. Sanj Altan, who also furnished his interpretations of some dozen passages. I had an exchange with Silgin Norbu (of Sinkiang, then in Elistii) about some words which still remain puzzlesome (gUnzeldar, gUUjirmeq, etc.), and also consulted Prof. Dr. Gerhard Doerfer (Gottingen) about the former. During January-June of 1998 I had a dozen or so consultations with Prof. Dr. Gyorgy Kara when in residence in Bloomington, and thus I owe him thanks for some useful solutions. Despite all, I remain the chief culprit and accept responsibility. The Moravian Archives have granted permission for the reproductions and translation, and I thank their staff again for correspondence.

JOHN R. KRUEGER

September 7th, 1999

XI

BRIEF CONTENT ANALYSIS

These are interesting and lively letters, and have the advantage of covering a very short period of time, about ten years. They are primarily concerned with relations at the Dorbed court of the Tundutovs. Of the 80-some Kalmyk letters, 45 are either from Erdeni Tayisi or from Cebeg; an additional 9 are from Jamba, hence 54 from the immediate Dorbed ruling family.

From the seven letters of Jij/ee it would seem likely that he is a chief official of Erdeni tayisi, as they are concerned with obtaining Erdeni's mail, sending official communications to the Russians; further relating disputes with Schmidt as to whether Erdeni or Jamba is responsible for various expenses (e.g., removing them from Erdeni's account and transferring them to Jamba's), securing supplies appropriate to operating a chancellery, and so on. Cayiji might also well be part of this administrative apparatus, as he is referred to as bearer of letters, and serves as messenger for Cidang arsi, whose own position is not clear. Counting all of these as courtrelated, those amount to three-quarters of them all.

They thus contrast with our previous study of Heissig's Veneichnis §553 (see Zentralasiatische Studien, vol. 29, 1999), which cover a fifty-year period (1775-1825), and deal with medical and religious matters as well. There remain problems of identification, as whether Jacob and Yakov and their variants refer always to the same party. Perhaps the release of these documents will enable further clarifications.

Rohen G. Service

XIII

Contents of HERRNHUT

Document 1 Document 2 Document Document Document Document Document Document Document Document

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Document Document Document Document Document

11 12 13 14 15

Document 16 Document 17 Document 18 Document 19 Document 20 Document 21 Document 22 Document 23 Document 24 Document 25 Document 26 Document 27 Document 28 Document 29

R.15 R.11.a N2 5

Ottoman Turkish report by Mehmed Pasha on Artillery at Keffe (1 737, April) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Arabic Document from Coptic Patriarch Mark VII (probably 1741 or 1742) . . . . . . . . . Memorial of Ubasi (] 766, Swine Month, 4) . . . J/tigiinei dgelong to Schmidt ( 1804, Sheep Month, 7) Jij/e. to Schmidt (1804, Sheep Month, 2) . . . . Erdeni Tayisi to Schmidt (] 806, Horse Month, 15) . Cayiji to Schmidt (Fowl Month, 7) . . .

5 7 11 15 17 21

Erdeni tayisi to Schmidt (Ape Month, 20) . Cebeq to Schmidt (Ape Month, 5) . Cebeq to Schmidt (Ape Month, 24) . . .

25 27 29

Songkor to Schmidt . . . . . . . . Erdeni tayisi to Schmidt (] 804, Dog Month, 23) Erdeni tayisi to Schmidt (Dog Month, 26) Erdeni tayisi to Schmidt (1804, Dog Month, 8) . Erdeni tayisi to Abram Ivanovic and Jakob Ivanovic [Schmidt] (1806, Fowl Month, 21) . . . . . . . Cebeq to Schmidt (18) . . . . . . . . Cebeq to Schmidt (1804, Serpent Month, 29) Cebeq to Schmidt (Swine Month, 22) . . .

31 33 35 37

Erdeni tayisi to Jakob Ivanovic [Schmidt] . . Cidang rasi to Schmidt (1804, Serpent Month, 9) Jamba to Schmidt (Horse Month, 1) Cebeq to Schmidt (1802, Ape Month, 25) . . . Erdeni tayisi to Jamba (Fowl Month, 3) J/ij/ei to the Honorable Community of Brethren and Gentlemen in Sarepta (1806, Dog Month, 14) . . . . . . . . Zayisang porucik to Schmidt (Ape Month, 4) Cebeq to Schmidt (13) . . . . . . . . Jij/e. to Schmidt ( 1804, Horse Month, 19) Jamba to Schmidt and Jacob (1804, Dragon Month, 26) Bursunggi to Schmidt (Dragon Month, 27) . . . .

49 51 53 55 57

xv

3

41 · 43 45 47

59 61 63 65 67 69

Document 30 Document 31

Cebeq to Schmidt (1802, Dog Month, 7) .

. .

71

Cebeq to Schmidt

73

Document 32 Document 33

Cidang arsi to Schmidt (1804, Snake Month, 30)

75

Boltar tayisi to Schmidt ( 1802, Horse Month, 18)

77

Document 34 Document 35

Cebeq to Schmidt (Fowl Month, 15) Cebeq to Schmidt (Fowl Month, 28)

79 81

Document 36 Document 37 Document 38 Document 39 Document 40 Document 41 Document 42 Document 43 Document 44 Document 45 Document 46 Document 47 Document 48 Document 49 Document 50 Document 51 Document 52 Document 53 Document 54 Document 55 Document 56 Document 57 Document 58 Document 59 Document 60 Document 61 Document 62

. . . . . . . . Erdeni tayisi to Abram I vanovich and Bogdan I vanovich (1805,Serpent Month, 17) Cebeq to Schmidt (Dog Month, 1) . . . . . . . Cebeq to Schmidt (Fowl Month, 1) . . . . . . Erdeni tayisi to Honored Friends and Bogdan lvanovich (1804, Swine Month, 30) . . . . . . . . . . Erdeni tayisi to Abram I vanovich and Schmidt ( 1805, Ox Month, 2 7) Jij/e. to Schmidt ( 1804, Dragon Month, 19) . . Bursounggi to Schmidt . . . . . . . . Erdeni tayisi to Schmidt ( 1805, Sheep Month, 29) Cebeq to Schmidt (Sheep Month, 27) Jamba to Schmidt (Sheep Month, 11) Cebeq to Schmidt . . . . . . Cebeq to Schmidt (Dog Month, 23) Ephim Kazmin to Schmidt (2 May, 1805) . Jij/e. to Schmidt (1805, Sheep Month, 8) Schmidt to Leqbe (Dog Month, 24) Cebeq to Schmidt (Ape Month, 19) Erdeni tayisi to Schmidt . . . . Cebeq to Schmidt (Dog Month, 20) Cebeq to Schmidt (Dog Month, 8) . unsigned [Cebeq?] to Schmidt (Horse Month, 12) Erdeni tayisi to Schmidt (1805, Sheep Month, 29) Erdeni tayisi to Abram Ivanovich and Company (1805, Fowl Month, 4) Erdeni tayisi to Leonti Abramovich and Abram Ivanovich Lorenz (1806,May 11) . . . . . . . . . . . . Erdeni tayisi to Schmidt (1807, Horse Month, 21) . Cayiji xuryan to Schmidt (1806, Mouse Month, 15) Cebeq to Schmidt ( 1806, Horse Month, 1) . . . unsigned [Erdeni tayisi?]to the Elders of the Baya xural and Schmidt (1807, Horse Month, 23) . . . . . . . . . . . . XVI

83

87

89 91 95

99 101 103 105 109 111 113

120 125

127 129 131

133 135 137 139 143 149 153 155

157 159

Document 63 Document 64 Document 65 Document 66 Document 67

Jamba to the Elders of Sarepta (1807, Horse Month, 22) . Cebeq to Schmidt (1807, Horse Month, 19) . Boltar to Isaac Abramovich, Schmidt, and Christian (1802, Swine Month, 19) . . Cebeq to Fyodor I vanovich ( 1801, Ape Month, 4) Jij/e. to Schmidt (18)

Document 68 Document 69A

Cidang karsi to Schmidt Jamba to Schmidt (Dragon Month, 18)

Document 698 Document 70

Cebeq to Schmidt Jamba to Schmidt (Dragon Month, 11)

Document 71 Document 72

Jij/e. to Schmidt (1804, Horse Month, 1) Jamba to Schmidt (Dragon Month, 23)

Document 73 Document 74 Document 75

Cidang arsi to Schmidt and Jacob (Dragon Month, 18) Noyon Erdeni to Schmidt (1802, Dog Month, 6) Cidang arsi to Schmidt and Jacob (1804, Ape Month, 11)

193

Document 76

Jamba to Schmidt (1803, Swine Month, 25) .

195

Document 77 Document 78 Document 79

. Cebeq to Schmidt (Ox Month, 5) Tabiki gelong to Schmidt (1804, Horse Month, 16) Cebeq to Schmidt (1802, Mouse Month, 5) Jamba to Schmidt (Serpent Month, 12) Cebeq to Schmidt (Ape Month, 9) . . Noyon Erdeni to Schmidt (1804, Serpent Month, 29) .

Document 80 Document 81 Document 82

XVII

.

161 165 167 171 173 177 179 181 183 185 187 189 191

197 199 201 203 205 207

{on a cardboard wrap-around archive cover} [ on spine] R 15

R 15. R II a NQ 5

R

II a 5 Kalmi.ickische Briefe [darunter das grosste Stuck, ein Los=Brief eines Kalmuckischen fursten fur einen seiner U nterthanen ]

{in ink}

[Gothic script] NB. die angeblichen Kalmi.ickischen {in pencil} Lof3-Briefe sind nach fachwissenschaftlichen Urteil 2 arabische Manuscripte christlich. Inhalts.

Nr. 3 mit deutschen Obersetzung: Schi.itzbrief fur Sarepta vom Statthalter Ubashi, des kalmi.icken Chans m. 28. Aug 1766. Nr 48 ist ein russischer brief m. 2. Mai 1805 .

XVIII

R 15 R II a N2 5, 1 + 2

[Gothic] R:-4

,l

R 15 R 181 II a

5

[Gothic script]

Ein Lol3=Brief von emem

{in ink}

Calmuckischen=Fiirsten von emem seiner Untergebenen [typewritten add it ion] Nach Urteil des Fachwissenschaftlers (Prof. Haenisch) sind die 2 inliegenden Manuskripte, auf d.Umschlag irrtiimlich als "Lo/3-Briefe eines Kalmiickischen Fiirsten' deklariert, in Wirklichkeit 2 arabische Schriftstiicke christl ichen In halts!)

Repert. R. 1

2 Stuck

{different ductus} NQ78

[An older handwritten note in Gothic script: on a separate orange paper slip] zu R. 15 R II a No.5 1) u. 2) Diese beiden mss sind arabische handschriften christlichen Inhalts ] H.

[presumably= Haenisch , Erich]

It would appear that an earlier call number for this document or collection was (Gothic) R.4. It is crossed out in the upper left hand corner of the page. The 15 in the current horizontal call number is written over a 4 or, perhaps more likely in view of the spacing, 14. There is a 4 (in a very different hand) under the II a. It too has been crossed out. In the signature written vertically, something, quite possibly a 4, has been stricken out before the II a. The suggestion would appear to be that at some point an unsuccessful attempt was made to include the older 4 in the current call number.

XIX

DOCUMENTS

(large folded sheet, 17 x 241h"] Not reproduced here

R. 15 R.11.a N2 5 DOCUMENT ONE [Ottoman Turkish, 1737]

Personal communication (ltr of 7 Febr 96) from Prof. Robt Dankoff (Univ. Chicago, Middle Eastern Studies): "... Ottoman document, dated to 1737 ... The Crimean commander Mehmed Pasha states that he has recived an order from the Porte to obtain a catalogue of artillery, etc., in Kefe (Caffa), and he is conveying th is order to his deputy, Haji Mustafa."

Dated A.H. 1149 = April 1737

Another reply, of 17 April 1996, from Dr. Reuven Amitai-Preiss, forwards a precis prepared by Dr. Oded Peri, also of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Dated 11-20 April 1737. Contents: "The addressee received an order to prepare a detailed inventory of the cannon, mortars, tripods (or stands), wagons, shells, explosives and other heavy military equipment, which is under his aegis, as well as that in the fort of Keffe (Kaffa) and its environs. This was to be sent in an orderly manner to Istanbul"

[A separate slip, a handwritten note of recent years in German, states: Frau Dr. Mockel, Berlin, Humboldt Universitat bestimmt das Schriftsttick R 15 R II a. 5 ( 1) Tilrkisch mit arabischen Buchstaben geschrieben. Datierung 1149 der mohammedanischer Zahlung ] 5.8.87

3

{sheet 12Yi x 17"} Not reproduced here

{circular seal, I Yi"} Greek script, Markos}

HERRNHUT R.15 R.II.A N2 5 DOCUMENT TWO [Arabic text, **54 ?]

Personal communication from Prof. Robt Dankoff, 7 Febr 96 (Univ. Chicago, Middle Eastern Studies): "The Arabic document is a letter from the Coptic Patriarch, whose name is Markos, to a certain bishop named Elibsos (?), asking to send his views on some religious issues, the trinity, etc. The Coptic date at the end is puzzling ...but the year is unclear, although the last two figures are -54 ....one expects a date in the 1500's, assuming that this is an 18th century document..."

Another analysis has been made by Dr. Reuven Amitai-Preiss (cf. preceding). The sender is Mark [VII], I 06th Patriarch of the Coptic Church ; no addressee is specified. Assigning a date is difficult due to some disagreements; he suggests 1741-1742. "A letter sent, evidently with the monk Julius, who is mentioned and praised therein. The unspecified addressees are called upon to declare faith in the 'Trinity of God, his unity, the bodily incarnation of His Son, his crucifixion, his resurrection from the dead and his accession to heaven.' The letter had been sent because of information which had reached the writer about the similarity of the faith of the addressees with that of the Copts. Information is requested regarding the race (jins) of the addressees and from whom they had learned about Christianity."

{On the reverse of the main document above} Two lines Arabic script relative to preceding.

5

.,,. .

--u&TT)(/f.

......,

6

{on a regular two-sided sheet of paper, 71/i x 9114"; watermark: D + H Honig} HERRNffiJT R. 15 R.II.A N2 5 DOCUMENT THREE [text on left-hand margin: vertically on upper left side] II 904 S. Garde Brief des Stadthalters 1766 Tom IV d. Chans der Calmuken. ] [Upper half of sheet contains Russian-script text, headed Kopiya. Lower half has German translation (Gothic script) of same.] [ RUSSIAN TEXT ] [For a preliminary transcription of this letter our thanks toDr. Yeshen-Khorloo Dugarova-Montgomery] Perevo(d"] s pisma kal'myckogo prislannogo s namestnika xanstva Ubasi avgusta 28. dnya 1766 goda, v kotorom" napisano sleduyuscee Ubasino pismo i pecat' Protiv" recki Sarpinskago ustrya, gde popoveleni v" postavleny znaki, kak" te mesta, tak" i pasennye vsyakago zvaniya kal'myka ne vytravlivat' i nikakoi porci ne de lat', pisano m[ esya]ca gaxaya 4, to est' avgusta 28. dnya 1766 goda. Perevod i perevodcik" Timofei SCetnev" [ GERMAN TEXT] [Our thanks for assistance to Fr. Ursula Kemery (Ft.Wayne, Ind.) and Fr. Karin L. Ford (Bloomington)] Translat[io] des CalmUckischen Briefes we le her von des Chan seinen Stadthalter Ubaschi den 28. Aug_ 1766 gesandt worden folgenden Inhalts. Brief und Siegel des Ubaschi Alie und jede Calmticken sollen die Oerter und das Bauerland gegen Ober des Sarpa FluBes alwo auf ordre auch Zeichen gesetzet sind, nicht ruinieren oder darauf ihr Yieh weiden. geschrieben den 4.ten des Monats Gachaja das ist d. 28.tn Aug_ . 1766. Auss der Calmtickischen Schprache hat es translatiert der Translateur Timofey Schnetnew .

7

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LEGIBILITY INDEX : A

{on the same sheet as preceding}

HERRNHUT R.15 R.11.a NQ 5 DOCUMENT THREE

I. (@) ubasiyin biciq tamya .:. 2. 3. 4.

sorobuyin belcirtilki salagiyin jisa.laji 1 obo. tusxu[q]sun yazar bolo.d tar.agiyini : ken xalimaq geqsen kililn : bitege ebdeji bitege ideqtiln :

5. 6.

yal noxoi jiliyin yaxai sarayin sineyin dono.n-dil bicibe [BIG SQUARE ORANGE SEAL, l "] {four columns, looks like distorted square script} [not legible at present] Under separate study.

TRANSLATION [R. G. Service]

Memorial and seal of Ubasi . With regard to the tributaries which are at the confluence with the Sarpa [River], let no one who is called Kalmyk damage or take [for his own use] land allotted for markers and fields! Handed down on the Fourth Day, the First Week of the Swine Month in the Fire-Dog Year. [= 1766]

1

cf. Mo.jisiyelebesu ' for example'; here "taking as an instance, using as examples"; cf. also RWKb 113-b top. Materials: deest. 9

' \

10

{plain white notepaper, 71/i x 9"}

LEGIBILITY INDEX: AHERRNHUT R.15 R.II.A NQ 5

DOCUMENT FOUR 1. (@) itigeltei inaq simedtti : 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

burxan tenggiriyin ibele.r cuya.r mendiisen bayiqsani= tan morin sarayin arban dolo.n-du biciqsen bicige.s= ten iize.d sedkel mani yekedii bayasbi : bida cigi mendii bayinai biden : dunda xuruliyin biciq kiirgiiii= leji ogoqsendeten yekede xanababi : tandu sonos= xu iruu zanggi udal iigei yaraxu geji bayinai : yaraqsan caq xamtu bicikii iilii bayinu bi : tani bal= yasanai tanidaq ulustu cuya.rtu morgoji bayinai bi :

10. mani tolo. basa cigi xamugi cidaqcidu caq dutal 11. iigei zalbirji bayixu iilii bayinu ta : 12. oiine. xamtu talbiqsan dunda xuruliyin bicigi 13. tedene. kiiiin-dii okii iilii bayinu ta 14. 15.

iirgiiljidii itigeltei bayiqci j/iigiinei dgelong :

16.

[above, smaller, new ductus: ] erdeni taisi

17.

REMARKS: 2-6. 6. 9. 11.

The mark = at the end of a transcribed line means the editors' indication of a word division. This writer makes use of grammatical enclitic possessives. m6rg6- 'to pay respect to, give greetings to' ii/ii bayinu ta, lit. 'will you not be .. .' simply means "please + main verb (as: do, give, send)".

11

TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT FOUR 1. To my dear friend Schmidt : Our spirits greatly rejoiced having learned from your letter written on the seventeenth of the 2-5. Horse-Month that, through the grace of God and Heaven, all of you have been in good health. We also are well. 5-6. I am very grateful for your having delivered on my behalf the Dunda Khurul letter. 7-8 There will come to you without delay any news worth hearing. Do I not write the moment something comes up? 9. I pay my respects to everyone I know among the people of your city. 10-11 . Please be constantly supplicating the All-Mighty for our sake. 12-13 . Please give the appropriate persons the letter for Dunda Khurul which is enclosed together with this. Ever faithfully, Jtigtinei dGe-slong

{on the reverse side of the preceding}

I. eme modon xuluyunajiliyin xonin sarayin dolo.n-dti piyitertil 2. bicibe :

1-2.

[ 1804]

Written at Petersburg on the seventh of the Sheep Month in the Female Wood-Mouse year [1804]

12

This page is left blank, so as to balance Script Text with transcription or translation

13

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plain white notepaper, watermark: Van der Ley; 71/i x 9114''} LEGIBILITY INDEX: B HERRNHUT R.15 R.11.a NQ 5 DOCUMENT FIVE I.

cij/e.n biciq : sarabtan balyasuni labkiyin zaluu nemes simedtu ktirgtii :

2. 3. 4. 5.

11. 12.

burxani xayira.r bida mend ti bayinai bida: ta cigi mendti biyiza: ene postudu erdeni tayisa.su biciq irktini de.reni ebere.nin zanggitai xoyula.gi nadu ilgei : xorin bayiri gala.nanski ca.san : xoyor laca. xoyor tiyiza darxu sam : biciq bicikti beke : monggiyini omnoki monggole.ten ogtistibi : tani balyasad begtide.rtti morgobobi axayi.n simedtti morgobobi noyon-e.ce : xara toryon irsen bolxuna nige arsim xara toryu cuyarxan monggiyini bic.ed aca : xoyino odxu ktirge.d monggiyini ilge.stibi :

13.

modon xulyunajiliyin xonin sarayin sine.n xoyortu bicibi.

6. 7. 8. 9. I 0.

(1804]

COVER: {on the reverse side of the preceding} simedtti I ktirgtikti :

{half-inch circular impressed orange wax seal, almost legible: c[ ij/ Ji.} evidently the writer, viz. Cij/e or Jiji.

TRIAL TRANSLATION: 4. We are well by the grace of God; I trust you too are well. 5. If a letter comes from Erdeni Taishi in this post, send me both the above along with your own news. Twenty quires of Hollandish paper; two sealing-waxes; two candles for pressing seals; letter-writing ink. Let me present the money with your prior money [owed]. 9-10. I send my regards to everyone in your city; I send regards to Schmidt of the Brethren. 10-12. From the prince: if the black silk has come, bring one arshin black silk and write (me) the total money; I shall send the money when I come (go ?) later. 5. biy iza : 'is indeed' > "surely you are, I trust you are (well)" 7. bayiri: a quire (of paper), = Germ. Bogen 9. begude.r

= bugude.r

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LEGIBILITY INDEX: A HERRNHUT R.15 R.11.a N2 5 DOCUMENT SIX {side one} (BIRI'A) I. mini itegeltei inaq simedtii

See UAJb 25.287 (1953)

2. oiini omono Ayidarxana.sa xariji yabo.d de.qsi 3. yabuulxu biciqtei xamtu mende.n biciji tandu 4. ilge.ji bilei bi : tiyikedii ta balyasuna.sun 5. tusa.r yazartu odo.d irbe gekiyigi odo. sine

6. sonosbo bi : inaq mini ta tere de.qsi yabuulxu 7. bicigi tani biciqte.gi ya.k'ab yarta.n abci tiiiine.n 8. abci yabuulba iigei-yrta nige zanggiyini biciji 9. oktiiigi tana.sa ernei bi : oiini de.re biciq= I 0. ci mini dask'a. zayisangyuudiyin ogiiqci 11. tani yuuma biyede.n da.qsanda.n : toiine.sii tonilji 12. yaraqciyin arya.gi ene iirii sarayin xuraldu 13. saxaji biye.n tandu onoci boluqce.n yayaji 13 . iiziiiilsii gej i yadaj i bayinai bi : ziige.r odo. 14. de.re.n toryoud tala bayixan iiyile.n kerege.r 15. ene sarayin xorin-du odunai bi. {side 2} 1. tege.d udul iigei xariji irkii bi : tere 2. caqta.n ba.sa caq tilde.I iigei zangge.n 3. ilge.kii iii ii bayinu bi : tabin monggiinei 4. xoryolji iiiinei xamtu oduqsan kiiiindu 5. mini oqci ilge.kiiiigi ernei bi : mm1 6. tanidaq ulus-tu mini : tani mendiiiigi biciji 7. morgiibe geji cuya.rtu kiiiiniikiiiigi erenei bi : 8. tani itegeltei noyon 9. erdeni tayisi 10. yal baras jiliyin morin sarayin [xorin crossed out] 11. arbun tabundu bicibe : {side 3 = blank} {side 4, plus broken seal} [big swirl/birya]

[1806)

BROKEN SEAL simedtii :

This is the letter transcribed and partly translated (lines 1-9; 6-11, just the easier portions!) by Haenisch, UAJb 25.287, 1953 17

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1. itegeltei inaq ztirtiktini mini inaq 2. simed

3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

bida ntitiged arban tabun-du rasoun Zeleme-dti bouba' bida oroge. yis kol-dti mingiji (=mon geji) edege-be. Soq (?) ktitike yaryaba gedesu deil-dti morgobobe erdeni ktitigini oqsti okini tani mendtigini ktiseqci caici xorya mede. biciq yal bars jiliyin xulyana sarayin arban tabun-du bicibe.

[ 1806]

simed ... {nice red wax seal of Cayiji xuryan} TRANSLATION : 1. Faithful friend, friend of my heart, Schmidt ! 2-3. We are nomadizing, and on the fifteenth camped at Gashoun Zeleme ["Bitter Flats'?] The prince's yurt is at the same time at Yish=Ktil and he has gotten well. 4. Shoq (?) has given birth to a girl.

5. I pay my respects to "Belly=Deil" (ged esii. deil ? a nickname?) Let me give Erdeni Ktiti, the daughter. 6. Tsaichi Khorgha, wishing yo u well, 7. Letter of information (mede. biciq)

COMMENT: 3. Mr R G Service suggests that zeleme would be an ideal distortion of Russian zemlya ' land, ground, region'. It does indeed fit rather nicely! 4. or foci ? foin ?

155

156

{blue notepaper, 14 x 9"; watermark, 180*} [LEGIBILITY INDEX: A] HERRNHUT R.15.R.II.a N2 5 DOCUMENT SIXTY-ONE {side 1} 1. (*) itegeltei inaq mini simed : 2. burxani xayira.r bidan cuq mendii bayinai bidan : ta cigi 3. mend ii biyiza : udul iigei niiiiji sidardan geji 4. yobunai bida : odo.d alcangxuutadu bayinai bidan : 5. mini nige bilsiq yangk'abtu bilei tiiiini keqsen 6. bolxuna ilge geji kelii -7. tani itegeltei nayiji cebeq

8.

salmai jiqj/ei xoyor morgobo --

9. yal barsjiliyin morin sarayin nige sinedii bicibe .:.

[1806]

{sides 2-3 blank} {side 4} {red wax seal re-positioned: Cebeq} (*) Simedtii .:.

TRANSLATION: 3-4. We are proceeding to draw near to nomadizing quite soon. 4. When we depart we shall be at Alcangxuuta [cf. RK.Wb 8-b,12; Mats. 1.31-bflne:' tanecetum; Achillea millefolium'] 5-6. My one ring has been at Y ak'ab's; if they have done it, tell them to send it. 8. Salmai and Jiqjei both send their regards.

9. Written in the new decade, the first of the Horse Month, the Fire Tiger year [ 1806]

157

158

{half-sheet blue notepaper 5Yi x 9"; watermark in lower half, sailing ship, 1805} [LEGIBILITY INDEX: A] HERRNHUT R.15.R.II.a NQ 5 DOCUMENT SIXTY-TWO {one side only}

I. (*) Baya Xurlayi koqsen abayai: Ya.k'ab Yiba.naci-dti 2. bicibe : cini mende za[n]ggiyigi cini ilge.qsen 3. elci.su sonosxaba bi : cini ilge.qsen leqbe 4. mini gerte xosalaji bayiya.d mendesen xariba 5. arbanai arsalangya.r beleq oqbe bi : 6. yal tuulai jiliyin morin sarayin xorin yurban-du 7. bicibe .:.

[1807]

TRANSLATION:

I .Written to Yak'ab Yibanachi, respected Elder of the Minor Temple. 2-3. I have heard from the messenger you sent the news that thou art well. 3-4. Leqbe whom you dispatched has been staying in my (side-)yurt, and returned safely. 5. I have presented a gift of around ten arsalang=rubles.

For Leqbe, see Schmidt's own letter, NQ 50. [But it is not clear who sent it] {No further information}

Line I: could this possibly be connected with the Yavanov who was at that same temple in 1890 when Kaarsberg visited?

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[1803]

{red seal, re-positioned: yabang byamba} sarib-ta.n I balyasandu I bayidaq labkiyin I simedti.i ki.irgi.iki.i biziq .:. TRANSLATION:

3. I have given the money into Receipts; 4-6. For me, one fifty-quire of Hollandish paper; two measures ink; three red sealing-wax; three black sealing-wax; ten blue papers; a finger's worth of medicine; one [pair] kid gloves. 6-8. Give and release to my man I have sent, trusting this my letter with a seal, immediately. 8-10. [TENTATIVE:] (I) have been thinking (that) you will give (this), if (you) do not give, (why, then) let's just not trust one-another (any more).

Line 6: the scribe began to write the word bisi.

195

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[LEGIBILITY INDEX: A] HERRNHUT R.15.R.II.a NQ 5 DOCUMENT SEVENTY-SEVEN {side I} 1. (*) mini inaq nayiji simedtti --

2. burxani xayira.r mendii biyiza ta : 3. bi cigi mendiibi : 4. 5. 6. 7.

nige caya.n kencir alcuur nige kobong belei : nige kobong omisii : nige ttireq sabang : nige toryon belei: xoyor zuun monggonei ca.san tamaki erke bisi ilge :

8. xabirta.n monggiyini ilgeqsiibi -tani inaq nayiji cebeq :

9. 10. iikiir sarayin tak'a sinedii --

{red seal: Cebeq}

{side2}

mini nayiji simedtii I kiirgiiku -mnca : {GyK reads: miica not milca; cf. RKWb 263-b: Mitya < Dmitrii}

TRANSLATION: 4. 5. 6. 7.

one white linen kerchief; one [pair] cotton gloves; one [pair] cotton stockings; one Turkish soap; one [pair] silken gloves; and send at once two hundred copecks [worth] paper tobacco.

8. I shall send the money in the spring.

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