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The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2 |
CHAP. III. EXPEDITION AGAINST CFIIPANGU
259
they kept for themselves. In this way the Great Kaan's
people got possession of the city.
When the King of the great Island and his army
perceived that both fleet and city were lost, they were
greatly cast down ; howbeit, they got away to the great
Island on board some of the ships which had not been
carried off. And the King then gathered all his host to
the siege of the city, and invested it so straitly that no
one could go in or come out. Those who were within
held the place for seven months, and strove by all means
to send word to the Great Kaan ; but it was all in vain,
they never could get the intelligence carried to him. So
when they saw they could hold out no longer they
gave themselves up, on condition that their lives should
be spared, but still that they should never quit the Island.
And this befel in the year of our Lord 129.1 The
Great Kaan ordered the Baron who had fled so disgrace-
fully to lose his head. And afterwards he caused the
other also, who had been left on the Island, to be put to
death, for he had never behaved as a good soldier ought
to do.2
But I must tell you a wonderful thing that I had
forgotten, which happened on this expedition.
You see, at the beginning of the affair, when the
Kaan's people had landed on the great Island and
occupied the open country as I told you, they stormed a
tower belonging to some of the islanders who refused to
surrender, and they cut off the heads of all the garrison
except eight ; on these eight they found it impossible to
inflict any wound ! Now this was by virtue of certain
stones which they had in their arms inserted between
the skin and the flesh, with such skill as not to show at
all externally. And the charm and virtue of these stones
was such that those who wore them could never perish
by steel. So when the Barons learned this they ordered
VOL. IL R 2
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