NATIONS ADJACENT. 177 



Lopj the city vifited by Marco Po!o^ lies in Lat. 41% and is Lop. 

 feated on a lake, which gave name in his time to the great defert. 

 At Lop the travellers always (lop to provide themfelves with 

 mnles or ftrong affes, and proviiions for their toilfome journey 

 over the barren wafte, which takes a whole month. Marco Polo 

 feems to have crofled it in the moil difficult part, for the entire 

 tra(5l confifted of unftable fands or rugged mountains, uninha- 

 bitable by even birds or beafts, with fcarcely any water, and 

 that ufually bitter. At length he arrived at the city of Sacblorij 

 the modern Shatcheu^ at the entrance into the kingdom of "Tan- 

 gutb. 



Not far from thence is Camul, a city to be found in the old Camul. 

 maps. Polo celebrates the great kindnefs of the inhabitants, who 

 on the arrival of any ftrangers, immediately furrender to them 

 their wives and houfes, and retire for the time to other habita- 

 tions. He adds, that Mangu Khan, fliocked at the indecent 

 cuftom, diredled them to build inns for the reception of the tra- 

 vellers. This, thefe contented Cornuti\o<S^ in fuch ill part, that 

 they never refled till by prefents and remonftrances they pre- 

 valed on the Khaji to revoke the edi61;. 



Further, in Lat. 44° 11', Long. 107' from Greemmchj^ooA Karakarin. 

 Karakarin, the Holin of the Cbinefe, the capital of the antient 

 Mongols, founded before the twelfth century, or the time of 

 Jengb'iz Khan. . It was previous to his reign an inconfiderable 

 place, and the rcfidence of Ung, Khan of the Karaites, when 

 Jenghiz- wrefted it from him. The conqueror improved it 

 greatly, and his fon Oktay Khan rebuilt it with great fplendor 

 about the year 1223; ten years afterward he furrounded it with 



Vol. III. A a walls, 



