The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2 / Page 156 (Color Image)

0156	The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2

those two editions with the Geographic Text one cannot doubt the correct reading.
As to the fact that Bengal had an evil notoriety for this traffic, especially the
province of Silhet, see the Ayeen Akhery, II. 9-11, Barbosa's chapter on Bengal, and
De Barros (Ramusio I. 316 and 391).

On the cheapness of slaves in Bengal, see Ibn Batuta, IV. 211-212. He says
people from Persia used to call Bengal Dûzakh pur-i ni'amat, "a hell crammed with
good things," an appellation perhaps provoked by the official style applied to it
of Jannat-ul-baldâ or "Paradise of countries."

Professor H. Blochmann, who is, in admirable essays, redeeming the long neglect
of the history and archæology of Bengal Proper by our own countrymen, says that
one of the earliest passages, in which the name Bangâlah occurs, is in a poem of
Hafiz, sent from Shiraz to Sultan Ghiâssuddin, who reigned in Bengal from 1367 to
1373. Its occurrence in our text, however, shows that the name was in use among
the Mahomedan foreigners (from whom Polo derived his nomenclature) nearly a
century earlier. And in fact it occurs (though corruptly in some MSS.) in the
history of Rashiduddin, our author's contemporary. (See Elliot, I. p. 72.)

Note 2.—"Big as elephants" is only a façon de parler, but Marsden quotes
modern exaggerations as to the height of the Arna or wild buffalo, more specific and
extravagant. The unimpeachable authority of Mr. Hodgson tells us that the Arna
in the Nepal Tarai sometimes does reach a height of 6 ft. 6 in. at the shoulder,
with a length of 10 ft. 6 in. (excluding tail), and horns of 6 ft. 6 in. (J. A. S. B.,
XVI. 710.) Marco, however, seems to be speaking of domestic cattle. Some of the
breeds of Upper India are very tall and noble animals, far surpassing in height any
European oxen known to me; but in modern times these are rarely seen in Bengal,
where the cattle are poor and stunted. The Ain Akbari, however, speaks of
Sharîfâbâd in Bengal, which appears to have corresponded to modern Bardwân, as
producing very beautiful white oxen, of great size, and capable of carrying a load of
15 mans, which at Prinsep's estimate of Akbar's man would be about 600 lbs.

CHAPTER LVI.

Discourses of the Province of Caugigu.

Caugigu is a province towards the east, which has a
king.¹ The people are Idolaters, and have a language
of their own. They have made their submission to the
Great Kaan, and send him tribute every year. And
let me tell you their king is so given to luxury that he
hath at the least 300 wives; for whenever he hears of
any beautiful woman in the land, he takes and marries
her.

They find in this country a good deal of gold, and
they also have great abundance of spices. But they

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

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