National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

> > > >
Color New!IIIF Color HighRes Gray HighRes PDF   Japanese English
0459 The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2
The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2 / Page 459 (Grayscale High Resolution Image)

New!Citation Information

doi: 10.20676/00000269
Citation Format: Chicago | APA | Harvard | IEEE

OCR Text

dated 21st November, 1831. The gates were removed to India in the end of 1842.
The "Sikh Empire" practically collapsed with the murder of Sher Singh in
September, 1843.
It is not probable that there was any real connection between these Gates, of
Saracenic design, carved (it is said) in Himalayan cedar, and the Temple of Somnáth.
But tradition did ascribe to them such a connection, and the eccentric prank of a
clever man in high place made this widely known. Nor in any case can we regard
as alien to the scope of this book the illustration of a work of mediæval Asiatic art,
which is quite as remarkable for its own character and indisputable history, as for
the questionable origin ascribed to it. (Tod's Travels, 385, 504; Burgess, Visit to
Somnath, etc.; Jacob's Report on Kattywar, p. 18; Gildemeister, 185; Dowson's
Elliot, II. 468 seqq.; Asiatic Journal, 3rd series, vol. I.).

CHAPTER XXX.

Concerning the Kingdom of Kesmacoran.

Kesmacoran is a kingdom having a king of its own and
a peculiar language. [Some of] the people are Idolaters,
[but the most part are Saracens]. They live by mer-
chandize and industry, for they are professed traders, and
carry on much traffic by sea and land in all directions.
Their food is rice [and corn], flesh and milk, of which
they have great store. There is no more to be said
about them.¹

And you must know that this kingdom of Kesma-
coran is the last in India as you go towards the west and
north-west. You see, from Maabar on, this province is
what is called the Greater India, and it is the best of all
the Indies. I have now detailed to you all the kingdoms
and provinces and (chief) cities of this India the Greater,
that are upon the seaboard; but of those that lie in the
interior I have said nothing, because that would make too
long a story.²

And so now let us proceed, and I will tell you of
some of the Indian Islands. And I will begin by two
Islands which are called Male and Female.
VOL. II. 2 C