The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2 / Page 417 (Color Image)

0417	The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2

CHAP. XIX. THE KINGDOM OF MUTFILI

361

But there are men on the watch, and as soon as they see

that the eagles have settled they raise a loud shouting to

drive them away. And when the eagles are thus

frightened away the men recover the pieces of meat, and

find them full of diamonds which have stuck to the meat•

down in the bottom. For the abundance of diamonds

down there in the depths of the valleys is astonishing,

but nobody can get down ; and if one could, it would be

only to be incontinently devoured by the serpents which

are so rife there.

There is also another way of getting the diamonds.

The people go to the nests of those white eagles, of

which there are many, and in their droppings they find

plenty of diamonds which the birds have swallowed in

devouring the meat that was cast into the valleys. And,

when the eagles themselves are taken, diamonds are

found in their stomachs.

So now I have told you three different ways in which

these stones are found. No other country but this king-

dom of Mutfili produces them, but there they are found

both abundantly and of large size. Those that are

brought to our part of the world are only the refuse, as

it were, of the finer and larger stones. For the flower of

the diamonds and other large gems, as well as the largest

pearls, are all carried to the Great Kaan and other Kings

and Princes of those regions ; in truth they possess all

the great treasures of the world.'

In this kingdom also are made the best and most

delicate buckrams, and those of highest price ; in sooth

they look like tissue of spider's web ! There is no King

nor Queen in the world but might be glad to wear them.3

The people have also the largest sheep in the world, and

great abundance of all the necessaries of life.

There is now no more to say ; so I will next tell you about

a province called Lar from which the Abraiaman come.

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