The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2 / Page 313 (Color Image)

0313	The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2

CHAP. III. EXPEDITION AGAINST CFIIPANGU

259

they kept for themselves. In this way the Great Kaan's

people got possession of the city.

When the King of the great Island and his army

perceived that both fleet and city were lost, they were

greatly cast down ; howbeit, they got away to the great

Island on board some of the ships which had not been

carried off. And the King then gathered all his host to

the siege of the city, and invested it so straitly that no

one could go in or come out. Those who were within

held the place for seven months, and strove by all means

to send word to the Great Kaan ; but it was all in vain,

they never could get the intelligence carried to him. So

when they saw they could hold out no longer they

gave themselves up, on condition that their lives should

be spared, but still that they should never quit the Island.

And this befel in the year of our Lord 129.1 The

Great Kaan ordered the Baron who had fled so disgrace-

fully to lose his head. And afterwards he caused the

other also, who had been left on the Island, to be put to

death, for he had never behaved as a good soldier ought

to do.2

But I must tell you a wonderful thing that I had

forgotten, which happened on this expedition.

You see, at the beginning of the affair, when the

Kaan's people had landed on the great Island and

occupied the open country as I told you, they stormed a

tower belonging to some of the islanders who refused to

surrender, and they cut off the heads of all the garrison

except eight ; on these eight they found it impossible to

inflict any wound ! Now this was by virtue of certain

stones which they had in their arms inserted between

the skin and the flesh, with such skill as not to show at

all externally. And the charm and virtue of these stones

was such that those who wore them could never perish

by steel. So when the Barons learned this they ordered

VOL. IL R 2

National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books