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are　poor；　and　we　remained　only　a　day　with　them。
　Then　we　started　out　and　came　to　the　river　Gayih。　This　is　the　largest；　widest；　swiftest　that　we　saw。　Verily　I　saw　how　a　skin　boat　overturned　in　it；　and　those　on　it　were　drowned。　Many　of　the　pany　perished　and　a　number　of　the　camels　and　horses　were　drowned。　We　crossed　the　river　with　difficulty。　Then　we　went　a　few　days　farther　on　and　crossed　the　river　Gaha；　then　the　river　Azhn；　then　the　Bagag；　then　the　Smur；　then　the　Knal；　then　the　Sub；　and　then　the　river　Kiglu。　At　length　we　arrived　in　the　land　of　the　Baskirs。
　
　The　Yakut　manuscript　contains　a　short　description　of　Ibn　Fadlan's　stay　among　the　Baskirs；　many　scholars　question　the　authenticity　of　these　passages。　The　actual　descriptions　are　unusually　vague　and　tedious；　consisting　chiefly　of　lists　of　the　chiefs　and　nobles　encountered。　Ibn　Fadlan　himself　suggests　the　Baskirs　are　not　worth　bothering　with；　an　uncharacteristic　statement　from　this　relentlessly　curious　traveler。
　
　At　length　we　left　the　land　of　the　Baskirs；　and　crossed　the　river　Germsan；　the　river　Urn；　the　river　Urm；　then　the　river　Wtig；　the　river　Nbasnh；　then　the　river　Gawsin。　Between　the　rivers　that　we　mention；　the　distance　is　a　journey　of　two；　three；　or　four　days　in　each　case。
　Then　we　came　to　the　land　of　the　Bulgars；　which　begins　at　the　shore　of　the　river　Volga。
　
　FIRST　CONTACT　WITH　THE　NORTHMEN

　I　SAW　WITH　MY　OWN　EYES　HOW　THE　NORTHMEN3　HAD　arrived　with　their　wares；　and　pitched　their　camp　along　the　Volga。　Never　did　I　see　a　people　so　gigantic：　they　are　tall　as　palm　trees；　and　florid　and　ruddy　in　plexion。　They　wear　neither　camisoles　nor　caftans；　but　the　men　among　them　wear　a　garment　of　rough　cloth；　which　is　thrown　over　one　side；　so　that　one　hand　remains　free。
　Every　Northman　carries　an　axe；　a　dagger；　and　a　sword；　and　without　these　weapons　they　are　never　seen。　Their　swords　are　broad；　with　wavy　lines；　and　of　Frankish　make。　From　the　tip　of　the　fingernails　to　the　neck；　each　man　of　them　is　tattooed　with　pictures　of　trees；　living　beings；　and　other　things。
　The　women　carry；　fastened　to　their　breast；　a　little　case　of　iron；　copper；　silver；　or　gold；　according　to　the　wealth　and　resources　of　their　husbands。　Fastened　to　the　case　they　wear　a　ring；　and　upon　that　a　dagger；　all　attached　to　their　breast。　About　their　necks　they　wear　gold　and　silver　chains。
　They　are　the　filthiest　race　that　God　ever　created。　They　do　not　wipe　themselves　after　going　to　stool；　or　wash　themselves　after　a　nocturnal　pollution；　any　more　than　if　they　were　wild　asses。
　They　e　from　their　own　country；　anchor　their　ships　in　the　Volga；　which　is　a　great　river；　and　build　large　wooden　houses　on　its　banks。　In　every　such　house　there　live　ten　or　twenty；　more　or　fewer。　Each　man　has　a　couch；　where　he　sits　with　the　beautiful　girls　he　has　for　sale。　He　is　as　likely　as　not　to　enjoy　one　of　them　while　a　friend　looks　on。　At　times　several　of　them　will　be　thus　engaged　at　the　same　moment；　each　in　full　view　of　the　others。
　Now　and　again；　a　merchant　will　resort　to　a　house　to　purchase　a　girl；　and　find　her　master　thus　embracing　her；　and　not　giving　over　until　he　has　fully　had　his　will；　in　this　there　is　thought　nothing　remarkable。
　Every　morning　a　slave　girl　es　and　brings　a　tub　of　water　and　places　it　before　her　master。　He　proceeds　to　wash　his　face　and　hands；　and　then　his　hair；　bing　it　over　the　vessel。　Thereupon　he　blows　his　nose；　and　spits　into　the　tub；　and；　leaving　no　dirt　behind；　conveys　it　all　into　this　water。　When　he　has　finished；　the　girl　carries　the　tub　to　the　man　next　to　him；　who　does　the　same。　Thus　she　continues　carrying　the　tub　from　one　to　another；　till　each　of　those　who　are　in　the　house　has　blown　his　nose　and　spit　into　the　tub；　and　washed　his　face　and　hair。
　This　is　the　normal　way　of　things　among　the　Northmen；　as　I　have　seen　with　my　own　eyes。　Yet　at　the　period　of　our　arrival　among　them；　there　was　some　discontent　among　the　giant　people；　the　nature　of　which　was　thus：
　Their　principal　chieftain；　a　man　of　the　name　Wyglif；　had　fallen　ill；　and　was　set　up　in　a　sick…tent　at　a　distance　from　the　camp；　with　bread　and　water。　No　one　approached　or　spoke　to　him；　or　visited　him　the　whole　time。　No　slaves　nurtured　him；　for　the　Northmen　believe　that　a　man　must　recover　from　any　sickness　according　to　his　own　strength。　Many　among　them　believed　that　Wyglif　would　never　return　to　join　them　in　the　camp；　but　instead　would　die。
　Now；　one　of　their　number；　a　young　noble　called　Buliwyf；　was　chosen　to　be　their　new　leader；　but　he　was　not　accepted　while　the　sick　chieftain　still　lived。　This　was　the　cause　of　uneasiness；　at　the　time　of　our　arrival。　Yet　also　there　was　no　aspect　of　sorrow　or　weeping　among　the　people　encamped　on　the　Volga。
　The　Northmen　place　great　importance　on　the　duty　of　the　host。　They　greet　every　visitor　with　warmth　and　hospitality；　much　food　and　clothing；　and　the　earls　and　nobles　pete　for　the　honor　of　the　greatest　hospitality。　The　party　of　our　caravan　was　brought　before　Buliwyf　and　a　great　feast　was　given　us。　Over　this　Buliwyf　himself　presided；　and　I　saw　him　to　be　a　tall　man；　and　strong；　with　skin　and　hair　and　beard　of　pure　white。　He　had　the　bearing　of　a　leader。
　Recognizing　the　honor　of　the　feast；　our　party　made　a　show　of　eating；　yet　the　food　was　vile　and　the　manner　of　the　feast　contained　much　throwing　of　food　and　drink；　and　great　laughing　and　merriment。　It　was　mon　in　the　middle　of　this　rude　banquet　for　an　earl　to　disport　with　a　slave　girl　in　full　view　of　his　fellows。
　Seeing　this；　I　turned　away　and　said；　〃I　beg　God's　pardon；〃　and　the　Northmen　laughed　much　at　my　disfiture。　One　of　their　number　translated　for　me　that　they　believe　God　looks　favorably　upon　such　open　pleasures。　He　said　to　me；　〃You　Arabs　are　like　old　women；　you　tremble　at　the　sight　of　life。〃
　I　said　in　answer；　〃I　am　a　guest　among　you；　and　Allah　shall　lead　me　to　righteousness。〃
　This　was　reason　for　further　laughter；　but　I　do　not　know　for　what　cause　they　should　find　a　joke。
　The　custom　of　the　Northmen　reveres　the　life　of　war。　Verily；　these　huge　men　fight　continually；　they　are　never　at　peace；　neither　among　themselves　nor　among　different　tribes　of　their　kind。　They　sing　songs　of　their　warfare　and　bravery；　and　believe　that　the　death　of　a　warrior　is　the　highest　honor。
　At　the　banquet　of　Buliwyf；　a　member　of　their　kind　sang　a　song　of　bravery　and　battle　that　was　much　enjoyed；　though　little　attended。　The　strong　drink　of　the　Northmen　soon　renders　them　as　animals　and　stray　asses；　in　the　midst　of　the　song　there　was　ejaculation　and　also　mortal　bat　over　some　intoxicated　quarrel　of　two　warriors。　The　bard　did　not　cease　his　song　through　all　these　events；　verily　I　saw　flying　blood　spatter　his　face；　and　yet　he　wiped　it　away　without　a　pause　in　his　singing。
　This　impressed　me　greatly。
　Now　it　happened　that　this　Buliwyf；　who　was　drunk　as　the　rest；　manded　that　I　should　sing　a　song　for　them。　He　was　most　insistent。　Not　wishing　to　anger　him；　I　recited　from　the　Koran；　with　the　translator　repeating　my　words　in　their　Norse　tongue。　I　was　received　no　better　than　their　own　minstrel；　and　afterward　I　asked　the　forgiveness　of　Allah　for　the　treatment　of　His　holy　words；　and　also　for　the　translation；4　which　I　sensed　to　be　thoughtless；　for　in　truth　the　translator　was　himself　drunk。
　We　had　stayed　two　days　among　the　Northmen；　and　on　the　morning　we　planned　to　leave；　we　were　told　by　the　translator　that　the　chieftain　Wyglif　had　died。　I　sought　to　witness　what　then　befell。
　First；　they　laid　him　in　his　grave；　over　which　a　roof　was　erected；　for　the　space　of　ten　days；5　until　they　had　pleted　the　cutting　and　sewing　of　his　clothes。　They　also　brought　together　his　goods；　and　divided　them　into　three　parts。　The　first　of　these　is　for　his　family；　the　second　is　expended　for　the　garments　they　make；　and　with　the　third　they　purchase　strong　drink；　against　the　day　when　a　girl　resigns　herself　to　death；　and　is　burned　with　her　master。
　To　the　use　of　wine　they　abandon　themselves　in　mad　fashion；　drinking　it　day　and　night；　as　I　have　already　said。　Not　seldom　does　one　die　with　a　cup　in　his　hand。
　The　family　of　Wyglif　asked　of　all　his　girls　and　pages；　〃Which　of　you　will　die　with　him？〃　Then　one　of　them　answered；　〃I。〃　From　the　time　she　uttered　that　word；　she　was　no　longer　free；　should　she　wish　to　draw　back；　she　is　not　permitted。
　The　girl　who　so　spoke　was　then　mitted　to　two　other　girls；　who　were　to　keep　watch　over　her；　acpany　her　wherever　she　went；　and　even；　on　occasion；　wash　her　feet。　The　people　occupied　themselves　with　the　dead　man…cutting　out　the　clothes　for　him；　and　preparing　whatever　else　was　needful。　During　the　whole　of　this　period；　the　girl　gave　herself　over　to　drinking　and　singing；　and　was　cheerful　and　gay。
　During　this　time；　Buliwyf；　the　noble　who　would　next　be　king　or　chieftain；　found　a　rival　whose　name　was　Thorkel。　Him　I　did　not　know；　but　he　was　ugly　and　foul；　a　dark　man　among　this　ruddy　fair　race。　He　plotted　to　be　chieftain　himself。　All　this　I　learned　from　the　translator；　for　there　was　no　outward　sign　in　the　funeral　preparations　that　anything　was　not　according　to　custom。
　Buliwyf　himself　did　not　direct　the　preparations；　for　he　was　not　of　the　family　of　Wyglif；　and　it　is　the　rule　that　the　family　prepares　for　the　funeral。　Buliwyf　joined　the　general　merriment　and　celebration；　and　acted　no　part　of　king