The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1 / Page 331 (Color Image)

0331	The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1

CHAP. XVIII. VOYAGE THROUGH THE SEA OF INDIA 35

tinued to navigate the Sea of India for eighteen months

more before they arrived whither they were bound,

meeting on their way also with many marvels, of which

we shall tell hereafter.

And when they got thither they found that Argon

was dead, so the Lady was delivered to CASAN, his son.

But I should have told you that it is a fact that,

when they embarked, they were in number some boo

persons, without counting the mariners ; but nearly all

died by the way, so that only eight su rvived.5

The sovereignty when they arrived was held by KIA-

CATU, so they commended the Lady to him, and executed

all their commission. And when the Two Brothers and

Messer Marco had executed their charge in full, and

done all that the Great Kaan had enjoined on them in

regard to the Lady, they took their leave and set out

upon their journey.6 And before their departure, Kia-

catu gave them four golden tablets of authority, two of

which bore gerfalcons, one bore lions, whilst the fourth

was plain, and having on them inscriptions which directed

that the three Ambassadors should receive honour and

service all through the land as if rendered to the Prince

in person, and that horses and all provisions, and every-

thing necessary, should be supplied to them. And so

they found in fact ; for throughout the country they

received ample and excellent supplies of everything

needful ; and many a time indeed, as I may tell you,

they were furnished with 200 horsemen, ,more or less,

to escort them on their way in safety. And this was

all the more needful because Kiacatu was not the

legitimate Lord, and therefore the people had less

scruple to do mischief than if they had had a lawful

prince.

Another thing too must be mentioned, which does

credit to those three Ambassadors, and shows for what

VOL. I. C 2

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