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The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2 |
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438
MARCO POLO BooK III.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
CONCERNING THE PROVINCE OF ADEN.
You must know that in the province of ADEN there is a
Prince who is called the Soldan. The people are all
Saracens and adorers of Mahommet, and have a great
hatred of Christians. There are many towns and villages
in the country.
This Aden is the port to which many of the ships of
India come with their cargoes ; and from this haven the
merchants carry the goods a distance of seven days
further in small vessels. At the end of those seven days
they land the goods and load them on camels, and so
carry them a land journey of 3o days. This brings them
to the river of ALEXANDRIA, and by it they descend to
the latter city. It is by this way through Aden that the
Saracens of Alexandria receive all their stores of pepper
and other spicery ; and there is no other route equally
good and convenient by which these goods could reach
that place.'
And you must know that the Soldan of Aden receives
a large amount in duties from the ships that traffic
between India and his country, importing different kinds
of goods ; and from the exports also he gets a revenue,
for there are despatched from the port of Aden to India a
very large number of Arab chargers, and palfreys, and
stout nags adapted for all work, which are a source of
great profit to those who export them.2 For horses fetch
very high prices in India, there being none bred there,
as I have told you before ; insomuch that a charger will
sell there for I oo marks of silver and more. On these
also the Soldan of Aden receives heavy payments in port
charges, so that 'tis said he is one of the richest princes
in the world.3
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