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| The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2 |
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Citation Information
t16
MARCO POLO BOOK II.
those two editions with the Geographic Text one cannot doubt the correct reading. As to the fact that Bengal had an evil notoriety for this traffic, especially the province of Silhet, see the Ayeen Akbery, II. 9-II, Barbosa's chapter on Bengal, and
De Barros (Ramusio I. 316 and 391). '
On the cheapness of slaves in Bengal, see Ibn Batuta, IV. 211-212. He says people from Persia used to call Bengal Dúzakh pur-i ni'amat, "a hell crammed with good things," an appellation perhaps provoked by the official style often applied to it of fannat-ul-balad or Paradise of countries."
Professor H. Blochmann, who is, in admirable essays, redeeming the long neglect of the history and archaeology of Bengal Proper by our own countrymen, says that one of the earliest passages, in which the name Bangálah occurs, is in a poem of Hafiz, sent from Shiraz to Sultan Ghiássuddín, who reigned in Bengal from 1367 to 1373. Its occurrence in our text, however, shows that the name was in use among the Mahomedan foreigners (from whom Polo derived his nomenclature) nearly a century earlier. And in fact it occurs (though corruptly in some MSS.) in the history of Rashiduddin, our author's contemporary. (See Elliot, I. p. 72.)
NOTE 2.—" Big as elephants " is only a faion de parler, but Marsden quotes modern exaggerations as to the height of the Arna or wild buffalo, more specific and extravagant. The unimpeachable authority of Mr. Hodgson tells us that the Arna in the Nepal Tarai sometimes does reach a height of 6 ft. 6 in. at the shoulder, with a length of io ft. 6 in. (excluding tail), and horns of 6 ft. 6 in. (f A. S. B., XVI. 710.) Marco, however, seems to be speaking of domestic cattle. Some of the breeds of Upper India are very tall and noble animals, far surpassing in height any European oxen known to me ; but in modern times these are rarely seen in Bengal, where the cattle are poor and stunted. The Ain Akbari, however, speaks of Sharífábád in Bengal, which appears to have corresponded to modern Bardvván, as producing very beautiful white oxen, of great size, and capable of carrying a load of Is mans, which at Prinsep's estimate of Akbar's nzan would be about 6o0 lbs.
CHAPTER LVI.
DISCOURSES OF THE PROVINCE OF CAUGIGU.
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CAUGIGU is a province towards the east, which has a
king.' The people are Idolaters, and have a language
of their own. They have made their submission to the
Great Kaan, and send him tribute every year. And
let me tell you their king is so given to luxury that he
hath at the least 30o wives ; for whenever he hears of
any beautiful woman in the land, he takes and marries
her.
They find in this country a good deal ofg old, and
they also have great abundance of spices. But they y
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