The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2 / Page 433 (Color Image)

0433	The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2

CHAP. XXII.

TIIE KINGDOM OF COILUM

375

suggests interpolation from a recent author, as distinguished from mere editorial

modification. There is in Barbosa a description of the duello as practised in Canara, which is rather too like this one.

CHAPTER XXII.

OF THE KINGDOM OF COILUM.

WHEN you quit Maabar and go 500 miles towards the

south-west you come to the kingdom of COILUM. The

people are Idolaters, but there are also some Christians

and some Jews. The natives have a language of their

own, and a King of their own, and are tributary to no

one.1

A great deal of brazil is got here which is called

brazil Coilumin from the country which produces it ;

'tis of very fine quality.' Good ginger also grows here,

and it is known by the same name of Coilumin after the

country.3 Pepper too grows in great abundance

throughout this country, and I will tell you how. You

must know that the pepper-trees are (not wild but)

cultivated, being regularly planted and watered ; and the

pepper is gathered in the months of May, June, and July.

They have also abundance of very fine indigo. This is

made of a certain herb which is gathered, and [after the

roots have been removed] is put into great vessels upon

which they pour water and then leave it till the whole of

the plant is decomposed. They then put this liquid in

the sun, which is tremendously hot there, so that it boils

and coagulates, and becomes such as we see it. [They

then divide it into pieces of four ounces each, and in that

form it is exported to our parts.] 4 And I assure you

that the heat of the sun is so great there that it is

scarcely to be endured ; in fact if you put an egg into

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