The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2 / Page 88 (Color Image)

0088	The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2

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MARCO POLO 1300K It

honour his wife, or daughter, or sister, or any woman of

his family, but on the contrary he deems such intercourse

a piece of good fortune. And they say that it brings

the favour of their gods and idols, and great increase of

temporal prosperity. For this reason they bestow their

wives on foreigners and other people as T will tell you.

When they fall in with any stranger in want of a

lodging they are all eager to take him in. And as soon

as he has taken up his quarters the master of the house

goes forth, telling him to consider everything at his

disposal, and after saying so he proceeds to bis vineyards

or his fields, and comes back no more till the stranger has

departed. The latter abides in the caitiff's house, be it

three clays or be it four, enjoying himself with the fellow's

wife or daughter or sister, or whatsoever woman of the

family it best likes him ; and as long as he abides there

be leaves his hat or some other token hanging at the

door, to let the master of the house know that he is still

there. As long as the wretched fellow sees that token,

he must not go in. And such is the custom over all

that province.'

The money matters of the people are conducted in

this way. They have gold in rods which they weigh,

and they reckon its value by its weight in saggi, hut they

have no coined money. Their small change again is

macle in this way. They have salt which they boil and

set in a mould [fiat below and round above], and every

piece from the mould weighs about half a pound. Now,

So moulds of this salt are worth one saggio of fine gold,

which is a weight so called. So this salt serves them

for small change.'

The musk animals are very abundant in that country,

and thus of musk also they have great store. They

have likewise plenty of fish which they catch in the lake

in which the pearls are produced. Wild animals, such

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