The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1 / Page 515 (Color Image)

0515	The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1

CHAP. XLII. THE PROVINCE OF CHINGINTALAS 213

For the real truth is that the Salamander is no beast, as

they allege in our part of the world, but is a substance

found in the earth ; and I will tell you about it.

Everybody must be aware that it can be no animal's

nature to live in fire, seeing that every animal is composed

of all the four elements.' Now I, Marco Polo, had a

Turkish acquaintance of the name of Zurficar, and be

was a very clever fellow. And this Turk related to

Messer Marco Polo how he had lived three years in that

region on behalf of the Great Kaan, in order to procure.

those Salamanders for him.' He said that the way they

got them was by digging in that mountain till they

found a certain vein. The substance of this vein was

then taken and crushed, and when so treated it divides

as it were into fibres of wool, which they set forth to dry.

When dry, these fibres were pounded in a great copper

mortar, and then washed, so as to remove all the earth

and to leave only the fibres like fibres of wool. These

were then spun, and made into napkins. When first

made these napkins are not very white, but by putting

them into the fire for a while they come out as white as

snow. And so again whenever they become dirty they

are bleached by being put in the fire.

Now this, and nought else, is the truth about the

Salamander, and the people of the country all say the

same. Any other account of the matter is fabulous non-

sense. And I may add that they have at Rome a napkin

of this stuff, which the Grand Kaan sent to the Pope to

make a wrapper for the Holy Sudarium of Jesus Christ.'

We will now quit this subject, and I will proceed with

my account of the countries lying in the direction between

north-east and east.

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