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Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

PERSONAL HISTORY OF THE TRAVELLERS.   7

speed to Ta-tu (i.e. to Cambalu). On receiving Poh-lo's

report, the Emperor became convinced of the deceptions

practised upon him by Achmed, and said : " It was a good thing

that Wang Chu did kill him." ' In 1 284 Achmed's successor is

stated (chap. 209, p. 91) to have recommended Poh-lo, amongst

others, for minor Treasury posts. The same man (chap. 209,

p. i2-1-) subsequently got Poh-lo appointed to a salt super-

intendency in the provinces ; and as Yang-chou is the centre of

the salt trade, it is just possible that Marco's ` governorship ' of

that place may resolve itself into this.

" There are many other Puh-lo and Poh-lo mentioned, both

before Marco's arrival in, and subsequently to Marco's departure

in 1292 from, China. In several cases (as, for instance, in that

of P. Timur) both forms occur in different chapters for the same

man ; and a certain Tartar called ` Puh-lan Hi ' is also called

Puh-lo Hi.' One of Genghis Khan's younger brothers was

called Puh-lo Kadei. There was, moreover, a Cathayan named

Puh-lo, and a Naiman Prince Yoh-lo. Whether ` Puh-lo the

Premier ' or ` one of the Ministers,' mentioned in 1282, is the

same person as ` Poh-lo the ts'an chêng-,' or ` Prime Minister's

assistant ' of 1284, I cannot say. Perhaps, when the whole

Yüan Sid has been thoroughly searched throughout in all its

editions, we may obtain more certain information. Meanwhile,

one thing is plain : Pauthier is wrong, Yule is wrong in that

particular connection ; and M. Cordier gives us no positive view

of his own. The other possibilities are given above, but I

scarcely regard any of them as probabilities. On p. 99 of his

Introduction, Colonel Yule manifestly identifies the Poh-lo of

1282 with Marco ; but the identity of his title with that of Puh-lo

in 1277 suggests that the two men are one, in which case neither

can be Marco Polo. On p. 422 of Vol. I. Yule repeats this

identification in his notes. I may mention that much of the

information given in the present article was published in

Vol. XXIV. of the China Review two or three years ago. I notice

that M. Cordier quotes that volume in connection with other

matters, but this particular point does not appear to have caught

his eye.

" As matters now stand, there is a fairly strong presumption

that Marco Polo is once named in the Annals ; but there is no

irrefragable evidence ; and in any case it is only this once, and

not as Pauthier has it."

Cf. also note by Prof. E. H. Parker, China Review, XXV.

pp. 193-4, and, according to Prof. Pelliot (Bul. Ecole franc. Ext.

B