9 
of Marco Polo. 
Prifcner to Prefbyter John , or XJmcan , who put him on very deep ; on them are many Bridges of Stone* very fair* 
vile Cloaths, and appointed him to keep his Cattle, and fet eight Paces broad, fet on both Sides with Marble Pillars* 
over him a'ftrong Guard, till two Years were ended •, af- which bear up a Timber Frame that covers the Bridge* 
ter which he commanded him to be brought before him, each Bridge having Streets and Shops thereupon. When 
and being dreffed in princely Apparel, he giving him his the Rivers have patted through the City, they become one 
Pardon, after a fharp Admonition, lent him well attended to great River, called §uian> which runs one hundred Days, 
the Repoffeffion of his Kingdom, About twenty Miles Journey hence to the Ocean. Near thefe Rivers are many 
■beyond the Caftle Thaigin is the River Catamaran, which, Cities and Cattles, and on them innumerable Ships for 
by reafon of the exceeding Breadth and Depth thereof, Merchandize. Proceeding four Days Journey farther, 
hath no Bridge over it in all the Space from thence, till it thro* a very fine Plain, many Cities, Cattles, and Villages are 
floweth to the Ocean. On the Shore thereof are many found, in which five Launs extend in beautiful Order. 
Cities and Cattles built, wherein great Trade is carried on. There are alfo many wild Beafts there. Beyond theTlain, 
This Country abounds with Ginger, Silk, and Fowl, ef- which we have now mentioned, is the wide Province of 
penally Pheafants, fo that- three of them are bought for a Thebet, which the Great Khan vanquifhed and wafted •, for 
Venetian Groat. 'There grow Reeds in vaft Plenty, fo in it lie many Cities deftroyed, and Cattles overthrown, by 
thick that feme are a Foot, and others a Foot and a the Space of twenty Days Journey ; and becaufe it is be- 
half in Compafs, which are applied to many Ufes. PafiT- come a Wildernefs, wanting Inhabitants, wild Beafts and 
ing this River, after two Days Journey, is the famous Lions are there increafed exceflively, and it is requiftte 
.City called Carianfu , where many Cloths of Gold and therefore that Travellers carry Vi&uals with them. Very 
Silk are' made. Here grows Ginger, Galingale, Spike, large Cane grows in this Country, ten Paces in Length, 
and many Spices. The People are idolaters. and three Palms in Thicknefs, and as much from Knot to 
Proceeding feven Days Journey weftward, many Cities Knot. When Travellers therefore will reft at Night fecure 
and Towns, lovely Fields and Gardens are found, and every from Beafts, they take great Bundles of the greener Reeds, 
where Mulberries for Silk- worms. As for the People, they and putting Fire under, kindle them, which make fuch a 
are moftly Idolaters ; but there are alfo Chrijiians , 'Turks, Crackling, and fo great a Noife, that it may be heard two 
Vfejloriam, and fome Saracens. There is a vaft Abundance Miles off* which terrible Sound the wild Beafts hearing, 
here of wild Beafts and Fowl. If you proceed feven Days flee away, but it has fometimes happened, that Horfes and 
Journey farther, you ftiallcome to a certain great City, nam- other Beafts, which Merchants ufe for their Journey, hear- 
ed Qnenzanfu, which is the chief City of the Kingdom, in ing this Noife, and Cracking, have grown alfo rquch 
which have reigned many famous Kings •, and, at this Day, afraid, and betaking themfelves to Flight, have efcaped 
thfe Son of the Great Khan, called Mangalu , hath the Com- from their Mattery ; and therefore wifer Travellers binding 
mand thereof. That Country yields great Plenty of Silk, their Feet together, detain them in their proper Places. 
Cloth of Gold, and all other Things necefiary for furnifh- 19. Thefe twenty Days Journey ended, having patted 
inc an Army, and for the Prefervation of Man’s Life, over the Province of Thebet , we met with Cities, and 
The Inhabitants worfhip Idols, and there are fome Chrijli- many Villages, in which, through the Blindnefs of Idola- 
am, Turks , and Saracens. Five Miles without this City, try, a wicked Cuftom is ufed j for no Man there marneth 
.ftandeth the Palace of Mangalu , feated in a Plain, where a Wife that is a Virgin * whereupon, when Travellers and 
are many Springs, Rivulets, and Places of Game. There Strangers, coming from other Places, pafs through this 
j s a hio-h Wall encompaffing a Park of five Miles, where Country, and pitch their Pavilions, the Women of that 
are all 'Sorts of wild Beafts and Fowls. In the Mid ft is an Place having marriageable Daughters, bring them unto 
excellent Palace, having many Halls and Chambers, great Strangers, defiring them to take them, and enjoy their 
and fair, all. painted with Gold and Azure, and numberlefs Company as long as they remain there. Thus the hand- 
Statues adorning it. The King, with his Courtiers, delights fomeft are chofen, and the reft return home forrowful, and 
himfelf in hunting the wild Beafts, and taking of Fowl, when they depart, they are not fuffered to carry any away 
and following his Father’s Example in Juftice and Equity, with them, but faithfully reftore them to their Parents, 
is much beloved of his People. The Maiden alfo requireth fome Toy, or fmall Prefent, of 
Proceeding three Days Journey weftward from the laid him who hath deflowered her, which fhe may ftiew, as an 
Palace, through a very beautiful Plain, where many Cities Argument and Proof of her Condition ; and file that hath 
and Caftles are, which abound with fiik Merchandize and been loved and abufed of moft Men, and Ihall have many 
Manufactures, you come to a Country, where in the Moun- fuch Favours and Toys to fhew to her Wooers, is accounted 
tains and Valleys ate frequent Habitations, and many Villa- more noble, and may on that Account beadvantageoully mar- 
ges of the Province of Chunchian. The Inhabitants, as to ried ; and when fhe would appear moft honourably drafted. 
Religion, are Idolaters-, and as to Employment, Huf- fhe hangs all her LovePs Favours about her Neck, and 
bandmen. Alfo in that Country they hunt Lions, Bears, the more acceptable fire was to many* fo much the more 
Stags, Roe-bucks, Deer, and Wolves. The Plain is two Honour fhe receives from her Countrymen. But when they 
Days Journey over, and the Country is about twenty are once married, they are no more fuffered to converfe 
Days Journey weftward, well inhabited, being finely di- with ftrange Men, and the Men of this Country are very 
verfified into Mountains, Valleys, and Woods. After cautious never to offend one another in this Matter. They 
thefe twenty Days, towards the Weft, there lies a Province are Idolaters, and cruel, thinking it no Sin if they rob, and 
called Achbaluch Mangi, that is, the White City, of the exercife Theft. They live by Hunting and the Fruits of 
Borders of Mangi, which is well peopled. This Province, the Earth : Many Beafts alfo are found with them, yielding 
for two Days Journey, hath a Plain, in which are an infi- Mufk, called in this Country Gaddeti. They have a 
nite Number of Villages : Beyond thefe lie Mountains, Language of their own, and have no Money, not fo much 
Valleys, and Woods, all well inhabited. It hath Plenty of as the Paper-Money of the Khan, but ufe Corals for Mo- 
wild Beafts, and of thofe Creatures that yield Mufk. In ney, and are cloathed with the Skin of Beafts, or coarfo 
this Province Ginger grows in great Plenty, as alfo Corn, Hemp. This Country belongs to the Province of Thebet s 
and Rice. for Thebet is a very large Province, and has been fome time 
After twenty Days Journey through thofe Hills, is a divided into eight Kingdoms, having many Cities and 
Plain, and a Province in the Confines of Mangi , named Towns, with Mountains, Lakes and Rivers, where Gold 
: Sindinfu * The chief City, hath the fame Name, and is very is found, The Women wear Coral about their Necks, and 
great, and exceeding rich, being twenty Miles in Circuit, hang it about the Necks of their Idols, as a precious thing. 
It hath had many rich and mighty Kings ; but an old In this Country there are very large Dogs, as big as Afles, 
King dying, left three Sons Succdfors in the Kingdom, which take wild Beafts,- efpecially wild Oxen* called 
who divided the City into three Parts, compaiftng every Boyamini. 
Part with th£ir proper Walls ; all which, notwithftanding, There are in this Province many forts of Spices, which 
were contained within the former Wall s but the Great are never brought into thefe Parts. This Thebet ‘is (as all 
Khan fubjedted neverthelefs that City and Kingdom, the former Provinces) filbjedt to the Khan. On the Weft 
Thro’ this City run many Rivers, and' many Places round of the Province of Thebet bordereth the Province of Caindu, 
about, Lome half a Mile over, fome two hundred Paces,, which was formerly governed by het oWn KiA^s, now by 
3 . ~ fte* 
