The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1 / Page 720 (Color Image)

0720	The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1

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MARCO POLO BOOK II.

and all that time he does nothing but go hawking round

about among the canebrakes along the lakes and rivers

that abound in that region, and across fine plains on

which are plenty of cranes and swans, and all sorts of

other fowl. The other gentry of the camp also are

never done with hunting and hawking, and every day

they bring home great store of venison and feathered

game of all sorts. Indeed, without having witnessed it,

you would never believe what quantities of game are

taken, and what marvellous sport and diversion they all

have whilst they are in camp there.

There is another thing I should mention ; to wit, that

for 20 days' journey round the spot nobody is allowed,

be he who he may, to keep hawks or hounds, though

anywhere else whosoever list may keep them. And

furthermore throughout all the Emperor's territories,

nobody however audacious dares to bunt any of these

four animals, to wit, hare, stag, buck, and roe, from the

month of March to the month of October. Anybody

who should do so would rue it bitterly. But those people

are so obedient to their Lord's command, that even if a

man were to find one of those animals asleep by the road-

side he would not touch it for the world ! And thus the

game multiplies at such a rate that the whole country

swarms with it, and the Emperor gets as much as he

could desire. Beyond the term I have mentioned, how-

ever, to wit that from March to October, everybody may

take these animals as he list.°

After the Emperor has tarried in that place, enjoying

his sport as I have related, from March to the middle of

May, he moves with all his people, and returns straight

to his capital city of Cambaluc (which is also the capital of

Cathay, as you have been told) , but all the while con-

tinuing to take his diversion in hunting and hawking as

he goes along.

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