IIIF Color HighRes
National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
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| IIIF Color HighRes |
| Cathay and the Way Thither : vol.1 |
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Citation Information
I+'PIAIZ ODORIC.
always internal war, but the result is always that the Christians beat and overcome the Jews.
Now, in this country they get the pepper in this manner. First, then, it groweth on plants which have leaves like ivy, and these are planted against tall trees as our vines are here, and bear fruit just like bunches of grapes ; and this fruit is borne in such quantities that they seem like to break under it. And when the fruit is ripe it is of a green colour, and'tis gathered just as grapes are gathered at the vintage, and then put in the sun to dry. And when it is dried it is stored in jars [and of the fresh pepper also they make a confection, of which I had to eat, and plenty of it.] And in this forest also there be rivers in which be many evil crocodiles, i.e. serpents. [And there be many other kinds of serpents in the forest, which the men burn by kindling tow and straw, and so they are enabled to go safely to gather pepper.] r [And here there be lions in great numbers, and a variety of beasts which are not found in our Frank countries. And here they burn the brazil-wood for fuel, and in the woods are numbers of' wild peacocks] .`2
At the extremity of that forest, towards the south, there is a certain city which is called Polumbum, in which is grown better ginger than anywhere else in the world.3 And
mutual offence. And as regards Her of Rome, scarcely anything in all. her history is more odious than her conduct to the churches of Malabar. Did ever discovery seem more calculated to draw out brotherly kindness than when the Portuguese, emerging from their dim and venturous navigation, lighted on this isolated Christian flock ? And the result to that flock was persecution, strife, and misery, from which they have never recovered. (The Christians of St. Thomas and their Liturgies, by the Rev. G. B. Howard, etc., 1864 ; Assemanni, p. 450; P. Vincenzo Maria, pp. 139, 143, and seq.)
1 From PAL.
2 From HAK. and Mus. Marignolli has a mild sneer directed probably at Odoric's talk about the pepper forest ;" apparently the latter did not stay any time in Malabar, and he probably derived his information from harbour gossip.
3 Ginger is classed by Pegolotti as " Belledi, which is found in many
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