MARCO POLO. 189 



According to ]Marco, the Khan had reclaimed also eagles, 

 which he trained to stoop at wolves ; and such were 

 their size and strength that none, however large, could 

 ever escape from their talons. This Grrand Khan, who 

 was once Emperor of Tartary and China, had two court 

 officers of the highest dignity called " masters of chase." 

 In relating the number of his falconers and the pomp 

 ynili which he took the field, the Venetian might incur 

 suspicion were he not fully confirmed in all he says by 

 several accounts of the imposing establishments and 

 sports of the Mogul Tartars. Marco, who was a keen 

 sportsman and falconer himself (as became a well bred 

 Italian of that period), may have often accompanied the 

 Grrand Khan, or Emperor, with whom he stood in high 

 favour. He says, that after residing the usual time at 

 the uietropolis of China he always proceeded to enjoy 

 the field sports in the plains of Tartary attended by full 

 ten thousand falconers, who carried with them a vast 

 number of gyr falcons, peregrine falcons, and others, as 

 well as many vultures, in order to pursue the game along 

 the banks of the river. He said that this host of 

 falconers was not kept altogether in a body and at one 

 place, but separated into parties of from one to two 

 hundred men each, who followed the sport in various 

 directions, and brought the greater part of the game 

 they killed to the Emperor. In these extensive plains 

 it may naturally be supposed that great losses must 

 occur by the wildness of the hawk and the long flights 

 of the game pursued, were it not for precautions as great 

 as the mischances were numerous. Ten thousand guards, 

 we are told, were employed to keep watch, and a signal 

 station, or tent, was raised on an eminence to receive 

 whatever bird had strayed, or whatever other matters 



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