IIIF Color HighRes
National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
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| IIIF Color HighRes |
| Marco Polo : vol.1 |
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Citation Information
110
174•
Ii
THE DESCRIPTION OF THE WORLDS THE KINGS OF MAABAR find men of arms when they have war with sonic lord, then they have them from other y FB countries, and specially Saracens, for pay . There is no other thing which does to VB mention and so we will leave it and will go forward and will tell you of a province y [called]Maabar .'
HERE HE TELLS OF THE GREAT PROVINCE OF MAABAR. When one departs from the isle of Seilan and goes towards sunsetting about sixty miles then he finds the great province of Maabar which is called the greater Indie. And it is the best Indie2 that is in the world; and it is not an island but part of y P the solid land. And you may know that there are five' kings in this province who are all real brothers, and we shall tell you of each of them by himself. Moreover z you may know quite truly that this province is the noblest and the most rich that is to be found in the world. [78b] Moreover I shall tell you the truth of it how. z Now you may know that at this end of the province reigns one of these brothers who has the name Senderbandi devar,4 who is the chief and elder. And very large and z good and beautiful pearls are found in this his kingdom; and you shall know that the z z greater number of pearls and of precious stones which is found is found in Maabar and Seilan; and I will tell you how in this kingdom the stones and the pearls are found and are taken. z Now you may know that in this sea of this province there is a gulf or arm of the sea which VA P is between the said island' and the solid land and in all this gulf there is no water L more than ten paces deep or than twelve, and in some places there is some which z is not more than two paces deep • of water. And in this gulf the best pearls are taken, z y L and I will tell you how. There will be several merchants who will form a company and z agreement together and will take a large ship specially fitted out for this on which each by himself will have a room fitted and furnished for him, and in it a tub full of water and other necessary things. Those who do this, they take ships, & boats both large and small, R with anchors to be able to anchor, and go into this gulf, that is from the kalends of the R VB month of April till mid May, ins a place where the scallops are found in greater number, R which is called Bettala, which is on the firm land. And from there they go into the sea, R R namely the foresail gulf, sixty miles straight towards midday, and there they cast their L R anchors, and then from their large ships they enter into those small barques. And these FB
1 In FA, FB, L c.178 follows here as part of this chapter.
' TA,VB: la manor ixolla a reading rather supported by P just below. V: manor india
3 Z, R: "four"
4 VA: che a nome senderba E e apelado re de uar followed by P: regno nomine var; rex est nomine senderba
P: insulam quamdam
6 L: a quodam loco
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