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0188 Marco Polo : vol.1
Marco Polo : vol.1 / Page 188 (Color Image)

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doi: 10.20676/00000271
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·72·
for when one has taken it he finds on it at the navel in the middle under the belly
VB between the skin and the flesh a pustule of blood which grows on this animal when the
VB moon is full, which one cuts off with the whole skin¹ and takes it out, and they dry
it in the sun. And that blood is the musk from which comes so great [31a] odour.
VB And from this country is the finest musk that is found. The flesh of this animal is very good
to eat, & they are taken in great numbers. And you may know that in this country it²
L V exists in very great quantity and so good as I have told you. The men of this province
FB they live by trade and by crafts both of cloth of gold and of silk, and have abundance of
V P L all corn. And the province it is twenty-five³ days marches in size & is very fertile.·And
VB there are in this province most beautiful pheasants twice as large as those of our country
P V V VB in Italy, for they are about of the size of peacocks, a little less. And they have most
beautiful tails ten palms long at the most, and there are many of nine, & of eight,
L L and of seven at the least. Yet there are also pheasants of another sort which are of the
L L VA same size and altogether of the fashion of those of our country.⁴ Of the other birds
P P there are many most beautiful of many different kinds with very beautiful feathers and
VA P V VA very well coloured with very beautiful variety of colours.·But the people of this region
VB P P VB V are all idolaters and followers of lust, and they are commonly·tall and·very fat and have
V VB L Z small noses and the hair of the head black. And they have no beard except only so
R many⁵ hairs on the chin. The honourable ladies have no hair except on the top of
V the head; nowhere else have they any hair. The women are very white and have very
Z fair flesh,·and in all the members they are very well made in all respects. And you may
Z know that the men they delight themselves much in sensuality and take wives
enough, because their religion nor their usage does not hinder them, but they can
take as many⁶ of them as they wish and as they have the power to keep. Moreover
P Z I tell you that the men seek for beautiful wives rather than for noble, for if there is a very