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| The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2 |
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Citation Information
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41,
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364
BooK III.
MARCO POLO
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They have a rich and powerful King who is eager to
purchase precious stones and large pearls ; and he sends
these Abraiaman merchants into the kingdom of Maabar
called Sou, which is the best and noblest Province of
India, and where the best pearls are found, to fetch him
as many of these as they can get, and he pays them double
the cost price for all. So in this way he has a vast
treasure of such valuables.'
These Abraiaman are Idolaters ; and they pay greater
heed to signs and omens than any people that exists. I
will mention as an example one of their customs. To
every day of the week they assign an augury of this sort.
Suppose that there is some purchase in hand, he who
proposes to buy, when he gets up in the morning takes
note of his own shadow in the sun, which he says ought
to be on that day of such and such a length ; and if his
shadow be of the proper length for the day he completes
his purchase ; if not, he will on no account do so, but
waits till his shadow corresponds with that prescribed.
For there is a length established for the shadow for every
individual day of the week ; and the merchant will com-
plete no business unless he finds his shadow of the length
set down for that particular day. [Also to each day in
the week they assign one unlucky hour, which they term
Croiach. For example, on Monday the hour of Half-
tierce, on Tuesday that of Tierce, on Wednesday Nones,
and so on.3]
Again, if one of them is in the house, and is meditating
a purchase, should he see a tarantula (such as are very
common in that country) on the wall, provided it advances
from a quarter that he deems lucky, he will complete his
purchase at once ; but if it comes from a quarter that he
considers unlucky he will not do so on any inducement.
Moreover, if in going out, he hears any one sneeze, if it
seems to him a good omen he will go on, but if the reverse
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