National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
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The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2 |
76
MARCO POLO too( II.
NOTE 5.—See ch. xlvii. note 4. Martini speaks of a great brine-well to the N.E. of Yaogan (W. N. W. of the city of Yun-nan), which supplied the whole country
round.
NOTE 6.—Two particulars appearing in these latter paragraphs are alluded to by Rashiduddin in giving a brief account of the overland route from India to China, which is unfortunately very obscure : " Thence you arrive at the borders of Tibet, where they eat raw meat and worship images, and have no shame respecting their
wives." (Elliot, I. p. 73.)
CHAPTER XLIX.
CONCERNING A FURTHER PART OF' THE PROVINCE OF CARAJAN.
i
AFTER leaving that city of Yachi of which I have been
speaking, and travelling ten days towards the west, you
come to another capital city which is still in the province
of Carajan, and is itself called Carajan. The people are
Idolaters and subject to the Great Kaan ; and the King
is COGACHIN, who is a son of the Great Kaan.'
In this country gold-dust is found in great quantities ;
that is to say in the rivers and lakes, whilst in the moun-
tains gold is also found in pieces of larger size. Gold is
indeed so abundant that they give one saggio of gold for
only six of the same weight in silver. And for small
change they use porcelain shells as I mentioned before.
These are not found in the country, however, but are
brought from India.'
In this province are found snakes and great serpents
of such vast size as to strike fear into those who see
them, and so hideous that the very account of them must
excite the wonder of those to hear it. I will tellY ou
how long and big they are.
You may be assured that some of them are tenP aces
in length ; some are more and some less. And in bulk
they are equal to a great cask, for the bigger ones are
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