国立情報学研究所 - ディジタル・シルクロード・プロジェクト
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The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1 | |
マルコ=ポーロ卿の記録 : vol.1 |
CHAP. XXXII. THE GREAT RIVER OF BADASHAN 171
than three days' journey in any direction, and this is
called VOKHAN. The people worship Mahommet, and
they have a peculiar language. They are gallant soldiers,
and they have a chief whom they call NONE, which is as
much as to say Count, and they are liegemen to the
Prince of Badashan.l
There are numbers of wild beasts of all sorts in this
region. And when you leave this little country, and ride
three days north-east, always among mountains, you get
to such a height that 'tis said to be the highest place in
the world ! And when you have got to this height you
find [a great lake between two mountains, and out of it]
a fine river running through a plain clothed with the
finest pasture in the world ; insomuch that a lean beast
there will fatten to your heart's content in ten days.
There are great numbers of all kinds of wild beasts ;
among others, wild sheep of great size, whose horns are
good six palms in length. From these horns the
shepherds make great bowls to eat from, and they use
the horns also to enclose folds for their cattle at night.
[Messer Marco was told also that the wolves were
numerous, and killed many of those wild sheep. Hence
quantities of their horns and bones were found, and
these were made into great heaps by the way-side, in
order to guide travellers when snow was on the ground.]
The plain is called PAMIER, and you ride across it
for twelve days together, finding nothing but a desert
without habitations or any green thing, so that travellers
are obliged to carry with them whatever they have need
of. The region is so lofty and cold that you do not even
see any birds flying. And I must notice also that because
of this great cold, fire does not burn so brightly, nor
give out so much heat as usual, nor does it cook food so
effectually.'
Now, if we go on with our journey towards the east-
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