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| The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2 |
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Citation Information
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264
MARCO POLO BooK III.
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ascribed to these Idols are such a parcel of devilries as
it is best not to tell. So let us have done with the
Idols, and speak of other things.
But I must tell you one thing still concerning that
Island (and 'tis the same with the other Indian Islands),
that if the natives take prisoner an enemy who cannot
pay a ransom, he who hath the prisoner summons all
his friends and relations, and they put the prisoner to
death, and then they cook him and eat him, and they
say there is no meat in the world so good ! But now we
will have done with that Island and speak of something
else.
You must know the Sea in which lie the Islands of
those parts is called the SEA OF CHIN, which is as much
as to say " The Sea over against Manzi." For, in the
language of those Isles, when they say Chin, 'tis Manzi
they mean. And I tell you with regard to that Eastern
Sea of Chin, according to what is said by the experienced
pilots and mariners of those parts, there be 7459 Islands
in the waters frequented by the said mariners ; and that
is how they know the fact, for their whole life is spent in
navigating that sea. And there is not one of those
Islands but produces valuable and odorous woods like
the lignaloe, aye and better too ; and they produce also
a great variety of spices. For example in those Islands
grows pepper as white as snow, as well as the black in
great quantities In fact the riches of those Islands is
something wonderful, whether in gold or precious stones,
or in all manner of spicery ; but they lie so far off from
the main land that it is hard to get to them. And when
the ships of Zayton and Kinsay do voyage thither they
make vast profits by their venture.'
It takes them a whole year for the voyage, going in
winter and returning in summer. For in that Sea there
are but two winds that blow, the one that carries them
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