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| The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1 |
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Citation Information
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BOOK I.
MARCO POLO
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which the walls built of large and solid-baked bricks, are pretty well preserved. Save these bricks, " I found hardly anything, the inhabitants have pillaged everything long ago. I attempted some excavating, which turned out to be without result, as far as I was concerned ; but the superstitious natives declared that they were the cause of a violent storm which took place soon after. There are similar ruins in the environs, at Yantak Koudouk, at Tatrang, one day's march to the north, and at Ouadjchahari at five days to the north-east, which corresponds to the position assigned to Lop by Marco Polo." (See Grenard's Haute Asie on Nia.)
Palladius is quite mistaken (l. c. p. 3) in saying that the " Charchan " of Marco Polo is to be found in the present province of Karashar. (Cf. T. W. King smill's Notes on Marco Polo's Route from K hoten to China, Chinese Recorder, VII. pp. 338-343 Notes on Doctor Sven Hedin's Discoveries in the Valley of the Tarim, its Cities and Peoples, China Review, XXIV. No. II. pp. 59-64.)-II. G.]
CHAPTER XXXIX.
OF THE CITY OF LOP AND THE GREAT DESERT.
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LOP is a large town at the edge of the Desert, which is
called the Desert of Lop, and is situated between east
and north-east. It belongs to the Great Kaan, and the
people worship Mahommet. Now, such persons as
propose to cross the Desert take a week's rest in this
town to refresh themselves and their cattle ; and then
they make ready for the journey, taking with them a
month's supply for man and beast. On quitting this city
they enter the Desert.
The length of this Desert is so great that 'tis said it
would take a year and more to ride from one end of it to
the other. And here, where its breadth is least, it takes
a month to cross it. 'Tis all composed of hills and
valleys of sand, and not a thing to eat is to be found on
it. But after riding for a day and a night you find fresh
water, enough mayhap for some 5o or I oo persons with
their beasts, but not for more. And all across the
Desert you will find water in like manner, that is to say,
in some 28 places altogether you will find good water,
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