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| The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2 |
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Citation Information
CHAP. XLVII. EVIL CUSTOMS OF CAINDU
53
met with in herds of from seven to twenty head in the recesses of the Wilderness, which may be defined as the region between the T'ung River and Yachou, but that in general they are rarely seen. . . . I was lucky enough to obtain a pair of horns and part of the hide of one of these redoubtable animals, which seem to show that they are a kind of bison.' Sir H. Yule remarks in a footnote (Ibid. p. 4o) : " It is not possible to say from what is stated here what the species is, but probably it is a gavaus, of which Jerdan describes three species. (See .ifamnzals of India, pp. 301-3c7. ) Mr. Hodgson describes the Gaur (Gazyczts g aurus of Jerdan) of the forests below Nepaul as fierce and revengeful."—II. C.]
4
CHAPTER XLVII.
I(~
CONCERNING THE PROVINCE OF CAINDU.
CAINDU is a province lying towards the west,' and there
is only one king in it. The people are Idolaters, subject
to the Great Kaan, and they have plenty of towns and
villages. [The chief city is also called Caindu, and
stands at the upper end of the province.] There is a
lake here,* in which are found pearls [which are white
but not round]. But the Great Kaan will not allow
them to be fished, for if people were to take as many as
they could find there, the supply would be so vast that
pearls would lose their value, and come to be worth
nothing. Only when it is his pleasure they take from
the lake so many as he may desire ; but any one attempt-
ing to take them on his own account would be incon-
tinently put to death.
There is also a mountain in this country wherein they
find a kind of stone called turquoise, in great abundance ;
and it is a very beautiful stone. These also the Emperor
does not allow to be extracted without his special order.2
I must tell you of a custom that they have in this
country regarding their women. No man considers
himself wronged if a foreigner, or any other man, dis-
~
Ramusio alone has " a great salt lake."
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