The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2 / Page 214 (Color Image)

0214	The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2

170 MARCO POLO Boni{ II

CHAPTER LXXI.

CONCERNING THE CITY OF SINJU AND THE GREAT RIVER KIAN.

You must know that when you leave the city of Yan j u,

after going 15 miles south-east, you come to a city called

SINJU, of no great size, but possessing a very great

amount of shipping and trade. The people are Idolaters

and subject to the Great Kaan, and use paper-money.l

And you must know that this city stands on the

greatest river in the world, the name of which is KIAN. I t

is in some places ten miles wide, in others eight, in others

six, and it is more than loo days' journey in length from

one end to the other. This it is that brings so much trade

to the city we are speaking of ; for on the waters of that

river merchandize is perpetually coming and going, from

and to the various parts of the world, enriching the city,

and bringing a great revenue to the Great Kaan.

And I assure you this river flows so far and traverses

so many countries and cities that in good sooth there pass

and repass on its waters a great number of vessels, and

more wealth and merchandize than on all the rivers and

all the seas of Christendom put together ! It seems

indeed more like a Sea than a River.' Messer Marco

Polo said that he once beheld at that city 15,000 vessels

at one time. And you may judge, if this city, of no

great size, has such a number, how many must there be

altogether, considering that on the banks of this river

there are more than sixteen provinces and more than

200 great cities, besides towns and villages, all possessing

vessels ?

Messer Marco Polo aforesaid tells us that he heard

from the officer employed to collect the Great Kaan's

duties on this river that there passed up-stream 200,000

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