Marco Polo : vol.1 / Page 239 (Color Image)

0239	Marco Polo : vol.1

THE DESCRIPTION OF THE WORLD, THE KAAN'S FALCONRY •94'

who have lost or found the things may see him clearly at once where he is. And in FB FB VA

this way no things can be lost which are not soon found and given back. And when VA

the great lord goes this road which I have told you near the Ocean sea, which is FB

two days journeys from his chief city of Cambaluc, on that road one can see many fine

sights of taking beasts and birds in great plenty. There is no amusement in the world FB

which is equal to it. And the great lord always goes on two elephants or one, specially R

when he goes hawking, for the narrowness of the passes which are found in sonic places, because

two or one pass better than many; but in his other doings he always goes on four elephants,

on which he has a very beautiful wooden room, which is all covered inside with cloth

of beaten gold and outside it is wrapped round & covered with lion skins, in which. L R

room • the great Kaan always stays when he goes hawking because he is troubled with the gout.. VA R

And the room is covered over with cloths of silk & of gold. The great lord always keeps P

there' twelve of the best gerfalcons that he has. And several barons, twelve of his R

favourites•with twelve women, stay there also continually to make amusement and corn- y V

pang for him. Round these elephants ride other barons who accompany the lord. Moreover VA

I tell you that when the great lord shall go in this room on the elephants and

be talking to some of the other barons and knights who ride very close round him, who FB P FB P

do not leave hirn, and, when they see pheasants or cranes or other birds pass, point them out

to the falconers who are with the king, and they immediately cry out[and]say to him, Sir,

cranes are passing, and the great lord immediately has the room uncovered above and FB

then sees the cranes, he has those gerfalcons taken [42c] which he wishes and lets

them go after those cranes. And those gerfalcons often take the cranes and kill before LT FA

him, .fighting with then' for a long time. And he sees it always sitting in his room lying on R FB

his couch, and it is a very great amusement and great delight to him; and to all R

the other barons and knights also who ride round the lord. And you may know R

well in truth that there never was, nor do I believe that there is nor will be, any FB LT

man in this world who can find so great amusement and so great delight as he does, FB

nor who has the power to do it. And when he is gone hawking for some hours, so R

far that he is come to a great plain, to a place of his which is called Caccia modun, VA LT

then he finds his pavilions and tents spread there in order and the tents of his sons TA L R

and of his barons, knights, and falconers, and of his concubines and of theirs, which R FB

tents are indeed more than ten thousand very beautiful and rich. And I will describe VA

to you how his pavilion is made; it is so large. First the tent where he holds his P

court is indeed so large that' a thousand knights stay under there. And this tent

1 il FA,FB: laiens LT: ibi

2 fait son pauilon. il est si grant la tende ... est bien si grant qe B. reads very plausibly il est si

grant

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