6 1 i The VOYAGES 
the Governors of the Khan, by the Weft, you muft not 
underftand, that the Countries are in the Weft but that 
Vrti departing from thofe Parts, which are betwixt the Eaft 
and North-eaft, came hither Weft ward, and therefore 
reckon them Weftward. The People are Idolaters, have 
many Cities, the chief called by the Name of the Province, 
Caindu , built on the Frontiers of the Province. ^ There is 
a large Salt Lake, in which are abundance of Pearls, white, 
but not round, fo many, that in point of Price they would 
become little Worth, if they were fuffered to be carried 
away at Mens Pleafures. It is therefore provided, upon 
Pain of Death, that none fhould prefume to filh for Pearl 
in this Lake, without the Licence of the Great Khan. 
There is alfo a Mountain, in which is found a Mine of 
Turquoife Stones, the digging of which is reftrained by the 
like Licence. Many Gadderi are alfo in this Province, 
which yield Mufk. That Lake alfo, which breeds Pearl 
In fuch Plenty, abounds with Fifh, and the whole Country 
is full of wild Beafts, that is to fay, of Lions, Bears, Stags, 
Deer, Ounces, Roe-bucks, and divers kinds of Birds. 
Cloves are found there in great Plenty, which are gathered 
from fmall Trees, which have Boughs and Leaves like the 
Bay-tree, but fomewhat longer, and ftraiter, white Flow- 
ers, and brittle, as are the Cloves, and when they are ripe, 
they are black and dufky. Ginger, Cinamon, and feveral 
other Spices, grow there in great Plenty, which are 
not brought into our Countries. Wine, however, though 
plentiful with us, groweth not in it, but inftead thereof, they 
make a moft excellent Drink, of Corn, Rice, and divers 
Spices. 
The Inhabitants of this Country worfhip Idols, to which 
they are fo befotted, that they think they deferve their 
Favour, if they proftitute their Wives, Sifters and Daugh- 
ters, to be abufed by Travellers ; for when any Stranger 
cometh amongft them, every Mafter of a Houfe feeketh to 
give him Entertainment, and leaving the Females and 
Houfe to the Strangers, will not return until they depart, 
which he doth for the Glory of his Idols, hoping they will 
be more gracious to him. Certain Sprigs of Gold are their 
Money, ufing Weights, and according to the Weight of 
the Sprig, is the Value of the Money, and this Money is 
their larger fort of Money without Stamp. They have alfo 
a letter, which they make after this manner. They boil 
Salt in a Caldron for about an Hour, and of this, being con- 
gealed, they make little Lumps like Two-penny Loaves, 
which being folid, is figned with the Prince’s Stamp, and 
they make vaft Profit thereof in Places remote from Cities, 
which have Store of Mufk, and Gold, and want Chapmen. 
Thefe barter their Gold for Salt, to ufe with their Meats, 
Leaving this Province, they proceed fifteen Days Jour- 
ney further, and in that Space meet with Caftles, and 
many Villages, whofe Inhabitants have the fame Cuftoms 
that the Province of Caindu hath, and at length they come 
unto a River called Brius , by which the Province of Caindu 
is bounded. In this River Gold is found in great Plenty, 
which they call Di Paiola , wafhed in Veifels to cleanfe it 
from the Sand and Earth. On the Banks thereof Cinamon 
grows in great Abundance. This River falls dire&ly into 
the Ocean. Having patted over the River Brius , they 
come Weftward to the Province Caraian , which contains 
feven Kingdoms. It is fubjedt to the Great Khan, whofe 
Son, named Sentemur , is made Vice-King of that King- 
dom, and is a young Prince, rich, wife, and juft. 
The Inhabitants thereof are Idolaters ; you ride five 
Days Journey through it, and find it all well peopled : 
They live on their Beafts and Fruits. The Country breeds 
excellent Horfes, and it hath a peculiar and difficult Lan- 
guage. Having finifhed thefe five. Days Journey, you 
come to the chief City called Jaci, which is both great and 
famous, hath in it many Merchants and Artificers, and 
many forts of People, Idolaters, Chrifiians , Neftorians , and 
Saracens but the greateft Part of the Inhabitants are Ido- 
laters. It hath Corn and Rice, notwithftanding which they 
eat no Bread of Corn, becaufe it is not wholefome, but they 
make Bread of Rice *, they make Drink alfo of it, and 
feveral Spices, which is very pleafant •, they ufe white Por- 
celane inftead of Money, and for Ornaments, Shells which 
are found at Sea. Much Salt is made in this City of the 
Water of Salt Wells, from whence the Vice-King hath great 
and TRAVELS , .^JBcok I. 
Profit. The Men of this Country care not if any Man 
come to their Wives, fo they give their Confent. There 
is alfo a Lake there very full of Fifh, containing an hun- 
dred Miles in Compafs. Thefe Men eat raw Fieffi of 
Hens, Beef, Mutton, and Buffaloes, but prepared after 
this Manner : They firft cut it into fmall Pieces, and 
after feafon it with excellent Spices but the poorer fort 
Aired it, and lay it in Garlick Sauce, and eat it as we do 
boiled Meat. Departing from the City of Jaci, having 
travelled ten Days Journey Weftward, we came to the Pro- 
vince called, as the chief City, Caravan, which Gogatin , Son 
of Cublai , governeth. The Rivers there yield great Quan- 
tities of wafhed Gold, and alfo that which is folid, and on the 
Mountains they find Gold in the Vein, and they give one 
Pound of Gold for fix of Silver. They fpend Porcelane 
for Money brought thither from India. 
The Inhabitants are Idolaters ; very great Serpents are 
bred in this Country, fome of which are ten Paces in 
Length, and in Thicknefs ten Spans. They have two 
little Feet before near the .Head, with three Talons or 
Claws like Lions, and the Eyes bigger than a Loaf, Ihin~ 
ing very bright. They have their Mouths and Jaws fo 
very wide, that they are able to fwallow a Man, great and 
fharp Teeth *, nor is there any Man, or other living Crea- 
ture, which can behold thefe Serpents without Terror. There 
are alfo fome lefs, of eight, or fix, fome of five Paces long, 
which are taken after this Manner : In the Day-time they 
ufe to lie hid, by reafon of the Heat, in Holes, out of 
which they go by Night to feek their Prey, and devour 
whatfoever they get, Lions, Wolves, as well as other 
Beafts, and then go to feek Water, leaving fuch a Tract 
thro’ their Weight in the Sands, as if a Piece of Timber 
had been drawn there ; whereupon the Hunters fallen 
under the Sands great Iron Spikes, in their ufual Tradts, 
whereby they are wounded and flain. The Crows prefently 
proclaim the Serpent’s Fate, and by their Cries, invite the 
Hunters, which come and flea him, taking out his Gall, 
which is ufed for divers Medicines, amongft other things, for 
the biting of mad Dogs, a Penny-weight given in Wine ; 
and for Women in Travel, for Carbuncles, and other Di- 
ftempers, and they fell the Fieffi dear, as being exceeding 
delicate. 
There are flout Horfes bred in this Province, which by 
their Merchants are carried into India. They commonly take 
one Bone out of the Tail, left he fhould bend his Tail 
hither and thither, and efteem it more comely, that it hang 
downright. They ufe long Stirrups as the French, which 
the "Tartars and other Nations, for their Shooting, ufe 
fhort, becaufe when they ihoot they rife up. T'hey ufe 
Targets and Armour in the Wars, made of the Hides of 
Buffaloes ; they have Lancets and Crofs-bows, and poifon 
all their Arrows. Some of them, who are Villains, are 
faid to carry Poifon about them continually, that if they 
be taken they may fuddenly fwallow it, and fo dying at 
once, prevent Torture ; for which Caule the great Lords 
have Dogs Dung ready, which they force them to fwallow, 
and that makes them vomit the Poifon. Before the Great 
Khan fubje&ed them, they ufed when any Stranger, which 
feemed of good Prefence and Parts, lodged with them, to 
kill him by Night, fuppofing that thofe good Parts of that 
Man would abide afterwards in that Houfe ; and this filly 
Notion has proved the Death of many. 
Travelling forwards from the Province of Carazan , after 
five Days Journey Weftward, is the Province of Cardandan , 
which alfo is fubjedt to the Great Khan : The chief City 
thereof is called Vociam , the Inhabitants whereof ufe Por- 
celane, and weighed Pieces of Gold inftead of Money \ for 
in that Country, and many other lying round about. Silver 
Mines are not found, and they give an Ounce of Gold for 
five Ounces of Silver, and according to this Exchange, great 
Gain is made. The Men and Women in that Country 
cover their Teeth with thin Plates of Gold, which they fo 
fit to them, that the Teeth themfelves feem,. as they were, 
fet in thofe Plates. The Men about their Arms and Legs 
make Lifts, pricking the Places with Needles, and putting 
therein a black indelible Tindlure •, and thefe Lifts or Marks 
are efteemed with them as a Mark of great Galantry. 
They give their Minds to nothing but Riding, Hunting, 
Hawking, and theExercife of Arms, leaving the Houffiold 
a ~ Cares 
