The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2 / Page 387 (Color Image)

0387	The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2

CHAP. XVI. THE PEARL-FISI-IERY OF MALABAR

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CHAPTER XVI.

CONCERNING THE GREAT PROVINCE OF MAABAR, WHICH IS CALLED INDIA THE GREATER, AND IS ON THE MAINLAND.

WHEN you leave the Island of Seilan and sail westward

about 6o miles, you come to the great province of

MAABAR which is styled INDIA THE GREATER ; it iS best

of all the Indies and is on the mainland.

You must know that in this province there are five

kings, who are own brothers. I will tell you about each

in turn. The Province is the finest and noblest in the

world.

At this end of the Province reigns one of those five

Royal Brothers, who is a crowned King, and his name is

SONDER BANDI DAVAR. In his kingdom they find very

fine and great pearls ; and I will tell you how they are

got.'

You must know that the sea here forms a gulf

between the Island of Seilan and the mainland. And all

round this gulf the water has a depth of no more than I o

or 12 fathoms, and in some places no more than two

fathoms. The pearl-fishers take their vessels, great and

small, and proceed into this gulf, where they stop from

the beginning of April till the middle of May. They go

first to a place called BETTELAR, and (then) go 6o miles

into the gulf. Here they cast anchor and shift from

their large vessels into small boats. You must know

that the many merchants who go divide into various

companies, and each of these must engage a number of

men on wages, hiring them for April and half of May.

Of all the produce they have first to pay the King, as his

royalty, the tenth part. And they must also pay those

men who charm the great fishes, to prevent them from

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