Chapter VIII: Prologue

CHAP. PAGE
PRELIMINARY ADDRESS OF RUSTICIANO OF PISA 1

I.—HOW THE TWO BROTHERS POLO SET FORTH FROM CONSTANTINOPLE TO
TRAVERSE THE WORLD 2

NOTES.—1. _Chronology._ 2. “_The Great Sea._” _The Port of
Soldaia._

II.—HOW THE TWO BROTHERS WENT ON BEYOND SOLDAIA 4

NOTES.—1. _Site and Ruins of Sarai._ 2. _City of Bolghar._
3. _Alau Lord of the Levant (i.e. |Hulaku|)._ 4.
_Ucaca on the Volga._ 5. _River Tigeri._

III.—HOW THE TWO BROTHERS, AFTER CROSSING A DESERT, CAME TO
THE CITY OF BOCARA, AND FELL IN WITH CERTAIN ENVOYS THERE 9

NOTES.—1. “_Bocara a City of Persia._” 2. _The Great Kaan’s
Envoys._

IV.—HOW THE TWO BROTHERS TOOK THE ENVOYS’ COUNSEL, AND WENT
TO THE COURT OF THE GREAT KAAN 11

V.—HOW THE TWO BROTHERS ARRIVED AT THE COURT OF THE GREAT KAAN 11

VI.—HOW THE GREAT KAAN ASKED ALL ABOUT THE MANNERS OF THE
CHRISTIANS, AND PARTICULARLY ABOUT THE POPE OF ROME 12

NOTE.—_Apostoille._ _The name |Tartar|._

VII.—HOW THE GREAT KAAN SENT THE TWO BROTHERS AS HIS ENVOYS
TO THE POPE 13

NOTES.—1. _The Great Kaan’s Letter._ 2. _The Seven Arts._
3. _Religious Indifference of the Mongol Princes._

VIII.—HOW THE GREAT KAAN GAVE THEM A TABLET OF GOLD, BEARING
HIS ORDERS IN THEIR BEHALF 15

NOTES.—1. _The Tablet._ 2. _The Port of Ayas._

IX.—HOW THE TWO BROTHERS CAME TO THE CITY OF ACRE; AND THENCE
TO VENICE 17

NOTES.—1. _Names of the deceased Pope and of the Legate._
2. _Negropont._ 3. _Mark’s age._

X.—HOW THE TWO BROTHERS AGAIN DEPARTED FROM VENICE, ON THEIR
WAY BACK TO THE GREAT KAAN, AND TOOK WITH THEM MARK, THE
SON OF MESSER NICOLO 19

NOTE.—_Oil from the Holy Sepulchre._

XI.—HOW THE TWO BROTHERS SET OUT FROM ACRE, AND MARK ALONG
WITH THEM 20

NOTE.—_Pope Gregory X. and his Election._

XII.—HOW THE TWO BROTHERS PRESENTED THEMSELVES BEFORE THE NEW
POPE 22

NOTES.—1. _William of Tripoli._ 2. _Powers conceded to
Missionary Friars._ 3. _Bundúḳdár and his Invasion of
Armenia; his character._ 4. _The Templars in Cilician
Armenia._

XIII.—HOW MESSER NICOLO AND MESSER MAFFEO POLO, ACCOMPANIED
BY MARK, TRAVELLED TO THE COURT OF THE GREAT KAAN 25

NOTE.—_The City of Kemenfu, Summer Residence of Kúblái._

XIV.—HOW MESSER NICOLO AND MESSER MAFFEO POLO AND MARCO
PRESENTED THEMSELVES BEFORE THE GREAT KAAN 26

NOTES.—1. _Verbal._ 2. “_Vostre Homme._”

XV.—HOW THE LORD SENT MARK ON AN EMBASSY OF HIS 27

NOTES.—1. _The four Characters learned by Marco, what?_
2. _Ramusio’s addition._ 3. _Nature of Marco’s
employment._

XVI.—HOW MARK RETURNED FROM THE MISSION WHEREON HE HAD BEEN
SENT 30

XVII.—HOW MESSER NICOLO, MESSER MAFFEO, AND MESSER MARCO,
ASKED LEAVE OF THE GREAT KAAN TO GO THEIR WAY 31

NOTES.—1. _Risks to Foreigners on a change of Sovereign._
2. _The Lady Bolgana._ 3. _Passage from Ramusio._

XVIII.—HOW THE TWO BROTHERS AND MESSER MARCO TOOK LEAVE OF THE
GREAT KAAN, AND RETURNED TO THEIR OWN COUNTRY 34

NOTES.—1. _Mongol Royal Messengers._ 2. _Mongol
communication with the King of England._ 3. _Mediæval
Ships of China._ 4. _Passage from China to Sumatra._
5. _Mortality among the party._ 6. _The Lady Cocachin
in Persian History._ 7. _Death of the Kaan._ 8. _The
Princess of Manzi._

BOOK FIRST.

_Account of Regions Visited or heard of on the Journey from the
Lesser Armenia to the Court of the Great Kaan at Chandu._

CHAP. PAGE
I.—HERE THE BOOK BEGINS; AND FIRST IT SPEAKS OF THE LESSER
HERMENIA 41

NOTES.—1. _Little Armenia._ 2. _Meaning of_ Chasteaux. 3.
_Sickliness of Cilician Coast._ 4. _The phrase |“fra
terre.”|_

II.—CONCERNING THE PROVINCE OF TURCOMANIA 43

NOTES.—1. _Brutality of the people._ 2. _Application of
name |Turcomania|. Turcoman Hordes._

III.—DESCRIPTION OF THE GREATER HERMENIA 45

NOTES.—1. _Erzingan._ Buckrams, _what were they?_ 2.
_Erzrum._ 3. _Baiburt._ 4. _Ararat._ 5. _Oil wells of
Baku._

IV.—OF GEORGIANIA AND THE KINGS THEREOF 50

NOTES.—1. _Georgian Kings._ 2. _The Georgians._ 3. _The
Iron Gates and Wall of Alexander._ 4. _Box forests._
5. _Goshawks._ 6. _Fish Miracle._ 7. _Sea of Ghel
or Ghelan._ _Names ending in |-án|._ 8. _Names of the
Caspian, and navigation thereon._ 9. _Fish in the
Caspian._

V.—OF THE KINGDOM OF MAUSUL 60

NOTES.—1. _Atabeks of Mosul._ 2. _Nestorian and Jacobite
Christians._ 3. _Mosolins._ 4. _The Kurds._ 5. _Mush
and Mardin._

VI.—OF THE GREAT CITY OF BAUDAS, AND HOW IT WAS TAKEN 63

NOTES.—1. _Baudas, or Baghdad._ 2. _Island of Kish._ 3.
_Basra._ 4. _Baldachins and other silk textures;
Animal patterns._ 5, 6. _Hulákú’s Expedition._ 7.
_The Death of the Khalíf Mosta’sim._ 8. _Froissart._

VII.—HOW THE CALIF OF BAUDAS TOOK COUNSEL TO SLAY ALL THE
CHRISTIANS IN HIS LAND 68

NOTES.—1. _Chronology._ 2. “_Ses |Regisles| et ses
|Casses|._”

VIII.—HOW THE CHRISTIANS WERE IN GREAT DISMAY BECAUSE OF WHAT
THE CALIF HAD SAID 70

NOTE.—_The word “|cralantur|.”_

IX.—HOW THE ONE-EYED COBLER WAS DESIRED TO PRAY FOR THE
CHRISTIANS 71

X.—HOW THE PRAYER OF THE ONE-EYED COBLER CAUSED THE MOUNTAIN
TO MOVE 72

NOTE.—_The Mountain Miracle._

XI.—OF THE NOBLE CITY OF TAURIS 74

NOTES.—1. _Tabriz._ 2. _Cremesor._ 3. _Traffic at Tabriz._
4. _The_ Torizi. 5. _Character of City and People._

XII.—OF THE MONASTERY OF SAINT BARSAMO ON THE BORDERS OF
TAURIS 77

NOTE.—_The Monastery of Barsauma._

XIII.—OF THE GREAT COUNTRY OF PERSIA; WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF
THE THREE KINGS 78

NOTES.—1. _Kala’ Atishparastán._ 2. _The Three Kings._

XIV.—HOW THE THREE KINGS RETURNED TO THEIR OWN COUNTRY 79

NOTES.—1. _The three mystic Gifts._ 2. _The Worshipped
Fire._ 3. _Sávah and Ávah. The Legend in Mas’udi.
Embellishments of the Story of the Magi._

XV.—OF THE EIGHT KINGDOMS OF PERSIA, AND HOW THEY ARE NAMED 83

NOTES.—1. _The Eight Kingdoms._ 2. _Export of Horses, and
Prices._ 3. _Persian Brigands._ 4. _Persian wine._

XVI.—CONCERNING THE GREAT CITY OF YASDI 88

NOTES.—1. _Yezd._ 2. _Yezd to Kerman. The Woods spoken of._

XVII.—CONCERNING THE KINGDOM OF KERMAN 90

NOTES.—1. _City and Province of Kerman._ 2. _Turquoises._
3. _|Ondanique| or Indian Steel._ 4. _Manufactures of
Kerman._ 5. _Falcons._

XVIII.—OF THE CITY OF CAMADI AND ITS RUINS; ALSO TOUCHING THE
CARAUNA ROBBERS 97

NOTES.—1. _Products of the warmer plains._ 2. _Humped oxen
and fat-tailed sheep._ 3. Scarani. 4. _The Karaunahs
and Nigudarian Bands._ 5. _Canosalmi._

XIX.—OF THE DESCENT TO THE CITY OF HORMOS 107

NOTES.—1. _Site of Old Hormuz and Geography of the route
from Kerman to Hormuz._ 2. _Dates and Fish Diet._ 3.
_Stitched Vessels. “|One rudder|,” why noticed as
peculiar._ 4. _Great heat at Hormuz._ 5. _The Simúm._
6. _History of Hormuz, and Polo’s Ruomedan Acomat._
7. _Second Route between Hormuz and Kerman._

XX.—OF THE WEARISOME AND DESERT ROAD THAT HAS NOW TO BE
TRAVELLED 123

NOTES.—1. _Kerman to Kúbenán._ 2. _Desert of Lút._ 3.
_Subterraneous Canals._

XXI.—CONCERNING THE CITY OF COBINAN AND THE THINGS THAT ARE
MADE THERE 125

NOTES.—1. _Kuh-Banán._ 2. _Production of Tútíá._

XXII.—OF A CERTAIN DESERT THAT CONTINUES FOR EIGHT DAYS’ JOURNEY 127

NOTES.—1. _Deserts of Khorasan._ 2. _The |Arbre Sol| or
|Arbre Sec|._

XXIII.—CONCERNING THE OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN 139

NOTE.—_The Assassins, Hashíshîn, or Muláhidah._

XXIV.—HOW THE OLD MAN USED TO TRAIN HIS ASSASSINS 142

NOTES.—1. _The story widely spread. Notable murders by the
Sectaries._ 2. _Their different branches._

XXV.—HOW THE OLD MAN CAME BY HIS END 145

NOTE.—_History of the apparent Destruction of the Sect by
Hulákú; its survival to the present time. Castles of
Alamut and Girdkuh._

XXVI.—CONCERNING THE CITY OF SAPURGAN 149

NOTE.—_Shibrgân, and the route followed. Dried Melons._

XXVII.—OF THE CITY OF BALC 151

NOTES.—1. _Balkh._ 2. _Country meant by |Dogana|._ 3.
_Lions in the Oxus Valley._

XXVIII.—OF TAICAN, AND THE MOUNTAINS OF SALT. ALSO OF THE
PROVINCE OF CASEM 153

NOTES.—1. _Talikan._ 2. _Mines of Rock-salt._ 3.
_Ethnological characteristics._ 4. _Kishm._ 5.
_Porcupines._ 6. _Cave dwellings._ 7. _Old and New
Capitals of Badakhshan._

XXIX.—OF THE PROVINCE OF BADASHAN 157

NOTES.—1. _Dialects of Badakhshan. Alexandrian lineage of
the Princes._ 2. _Badakhshan and the Balas Ruby._ 3.
_Azure Mines._ 4. _Horses of Badakhshan._ 5. _Naked
Barley._ 6. _Wild sheep._ 7. _Scenery of Badakhshan._
8. _Repeated devastation of the Country from War._ 9.
_Amplitude of feminine garments._

XXX.—OF THE PROVINCE OF PASHAI 164

NOTE.—_On the country intended by this name._

XXXI.—OF THE PROVINCE OF KESHIMUR 166

NOTES.—1. _Kashmir language._ 2. _Kashmir Conjurers._ (See
App. L. 2.) 3. _Importance of Kashmir in History
of Buddhism._ 4. _Character of the People._ 5.
_Vicissitudes of Buddhism in Kashmir._ 6. _Buddhist
practice as to slaughter of animals._ 7. _Coral._

XXXII.—OF THE GREAT RIVER OF BADASHAN; AND PLAIN OF PAMIER 170

NOTES.—1. _The Upper Oxus and Wakhan. The title_ Nono. (See
App. L. 3.) 2. _The Plateau of Pamir._ (See App. L. 4
and 5.) _The Great Wild Sheep. Fire at great
altitudes._ 3. _Bolor._

XXXIII.—OF THE KINGDOM OF CASCAR 180

NOTE.—_Kashgar._

XXXIV.—OF THE GREAT CITY OF SAMARCAN 183

NOTES.—1. _Christians in Samarkand._ 2. _Chagatai’s
relation to Kúblái mis-stated._ 3. _The Miracle of
the Stone._

XXXV.—OF THE PROVINCE OF YARCAN 187

NOTE.—_Yarkand. Goître prevalent there._

XXXVI.—OF A PROVINCE CALLED COTAN 188

NOTES.—1. _Government._ 2. “_Adoration of Mahommet._”
3. _Khotan._

XXXVII.—OF THE PROVINCE OF PEIN 191

NOTES.—1. _Position of Pein_ (App. L. 6.) 2. _The_ Yu _or
Jade._ 3. _Temporary marriages._

XXXVIII.—OF THE PROVINCE OF CHARCHAN 194

NOTE.—_Position of Charchan and Lop._

XXXIX.—OF THE CITY OF LOP, AND THE GREAT DESERT 196

NOTES.—1. _Geographical discrepancy._ 2. _Superstitions
as to Deserts: their wide diffusion. The Sound of
Drums on certain sandy acclivities._ 3. _Sha-chau to
Lob-nor._

XL.—CONCERNING THE GREAT PROVINCE OF TANGUT 203

NOTES.—1. _Tangut._ 2. _Buddhism encountered here._ 3.
_Kalmak superstition, the “|Heaven’s Ram|.”_ 4.
_Chinese customs described here._ 5. _Mongol disposal
of the Dead._ 6. _Superstitious practice of avoiding
to carry out the dead by the house-door; its wide
diffusion._

XLI.—OF THE PROVINCE OF CAMUL 209

NOTES.—1. _Kamul._ 2. _Character of the people._ 3.
_Shameless custom._ 4. _Parallel._

XLII.—OF THE PROVINCE OF CHINGINTALAS 212

NOTES.—1. _The Country intended._ 2. _Ondanique._ 3.
_Asbestos Mountain._ 4. _The four elements._ 5 and 6.
_The Story of the Salamander. Asbestos fabrics._

XLIII.—OF THE PROVINCE OF SUKCHUR 217

NOTES.—1. _Explanatory._ 2. _The City of Suhchau._ 3.
_Rhubarb country._ 4. _Poisonous pasture._

XLIV.—OF THE CITY OF CAMPICHU 219

NOTES.—1. _The City of Kanchau._ 2. _Recumbent Buddhas._ 3.
_Buddhist Days of Special Worship._ 4. _Matrimonial
Customs._ 5. _Textual._

XLV.—OF THE CITY OF ETZINA 223

NOTES.—1. _Position of Yetsina._ 2. _Textual._ 3. _The Wild
Ass of Mongolia._

XLVI.—OF THE CITY OF CARACORON 226

NOTES.—1. _Karakorum._ 2. _Tartar._ 3. _Chorcha._
4. _Prester John._

XLVII.—OF CHINGHIS, AND HOW HE BECAME THE FIRST KAAN OF THE
TARTARS 238

NOTES.—1. _Chronology._ 2. _Relations between Chinghiz and
Aung Khan, the Prester John of Polo._

XLVIII.—HOW CHINGHIS MUSTERED HIS PEOPLE TO MARCH AGAINST PRESTER
JOHN 240

XLIX.—HOW PRESTER JOHN MARCHED TO MEET CHINGHIS 241

NOTES.—1. _Plain of Tanduc._ 2. _Divination by Twigs and
Arrows._

L.—THE BATTLE BETWEEN CHINGHIS KAAN AND PRESTER JOHN. DEATH OF
CHINGHIS 244

NOTE.—_Real circumstances and date of the Death of
Chinghiz._

LI.—OF THOSE WHO DID REIGN AFTER CHINGHIS KAAN, AND OF THE
CUSTOMS OF THE TARTARS 245

NOTES.—1. _Origin of the |Cambuscan| of Chaucer._ 2.
_Historical Errors._ 3. _The Place of Sepulture of
Chinghiz._ 4. _Barbarous Funeral Superstition._

LII.—CONCERNING THE CUSTOMS OF THE TARTARS 251

NOTES.—1. _Tartar Huts._ 2. _Tartar Waggons._ 3. _Pharaoh’s
Rat._ 4. _Chastity of the Women._ 5. _Polygamy and
Marriage Customs._

LIII.—CONCERNING THE GOD OF THE TARTARS 256

NOTES.—1. _The old Tartar idols._ 2. _Kumiz._

LIV.—CONCERNING THE TARTAR CUSTOMS OF WAR 260

NOTES.—1. _Tartar Arms._ 2. _The Decimal Division of their
Troops._ 3. _Textual._ 4. _Blood-drinking._ 5.
_|Kurút|, or Tartar Curd._ 6. _The Mongol military
rapidity and terrorism._ 7. _Corruption of their
Nomade simplicity._

LV.—CONCERNING THE ADMINISTERING OF JUSTICE AMONG THE TARTARS 266

NOTES.—1. _The Cudgel._ 2. _Punishment of Theft._ 3.
_Marriage of the Dead._ 4. _Textual._

LVI.—SUNDRY PARTICULARS ON THE PLAIN BEYOND CARACORON 269

NOTES.—1. _Textual._ 2. _Bargu, the Mecrit, the Reindeer,
and Chase of Water-fowl._ 3. _The bird |Barguerlac|,
the Syrrhaptes._ 4. _Gerfalcons._

LVII.—OF THE KINGDOM OF ERGUIUL, AND PROVINCE OF SINJU 274

NOTES.—1. _Erguiul._ 2. _Siningfu._ 3. _The Yak._ 4. _The
Musk Deer._ 5. _Reeves’s Pheasant._

LVIII.—OF THE KINGDOM OF EGRIGAIA 281

NOTES.—1. _Egrigaia._ 2. _Calachan._ 3. _White Camels, and
Camlets: Siclatoun._

LIX.—CONCERNING THE PROVINCE OF TENDUC, AND THE DESCENDANTS
OF PRESTER JOHN 284

NOTES.—1. _The name and place Tenduc. King George._ 2.
_Standing Marriage Compact. The title |Gurgán|._ 3.
_Azure._ 4. _The terms |Argon| and |Guasmul|. The
|Dungens|._ 5. _The Rampart of Gog and Magog._ 6.
_Tartary cloths._ 7. _Siuen-hwa fu._

LX.—CONCERNING THE KAAN’S PALACE OF CHAGANNOR 296

NOTES.—1. _Palace._ 2. _The word |Sesnes|._ 3. _Chagan-nor._
4. _The five species of Crane described by Polo._ 5.
_The word |Cator|._

LXI.—OF THE CITY OF CHANDU, AND THE KAAN’S PALACE THERE 298

NOTES.—1. _Two Roads._ 2. _Chandu, properly Shangtu._
3. _Leopards._ 4. _The Bamboo Palace. Uses of the
Bamboo._ 5. _Kúblái’s Annual Migration to Shangtu._
6. _The White Horses. The Oirad Tribe._ 7. _The
Mare’s Milk Festival._ 8. _Weather Conjuring._ 9.
_Ascription of Cannibalism to Tibetans, etc._ 10.
_The term |Bacsi|._ 11. _Magical Feats ascribed to
the Lamas._ 12. _Lamas._ 13. _Vast extent of Lama
Convents._ 14. _Married Lamas._ 15. _Bran._ 16.
_Patarins._ 17. _The Ascetics called |Sensin|._ 18.
_Textual._ 19. _Tao-sze Idols._

BOOK SECOND.