A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels Volume I Part 26

When these people wish to commit robberies, by means of incantations addressed to the demons, they have the means of obscuring the air as if it were midnight darkness, that they may not be seen from any distance. This obscurity, when once raised, lasts for seven days; and they are perfectly acquainted with all the pa.s.ses of the mountains, in which they march one after another in single file, so that no one can possibly escape them, but all who fall in their way, must encounter death or captivity, the old being slain, and the young sold for slaves. I Marco, who write this book, was once very near falling into their hands, and in the utmost danger, of being either killed or taken prisoner by them in midst of this darkness, if I had not been so fortunate as to make my escape in to a castle, called Ganosulmi, while many of my companions in the journey were either taken or slain[10].

After travelling in this plain for five days, towards the south, the road again begins, by little and little, to descend for twenty miles together, the road itself being very bad, and not without danger from thieves. At the bottom of this declivity there is another plain of great beauty and fertility, which extend for two days journey in breadth. This fine country, which is called Cormos or Ormus[11], abounds in streams of water, and plantations of date palms, and there are abundance of birds of various kinds, particularly of popinjays, which are not like those of Europe.

After two days journey across this plain country, we arrive at the sea, in which is the island and city of Ormus, which is the capital of the kingdom, and a great emporium of commerce, to which many merchants resort, bringing spices, pearls, precious stones, cloth of gold and silver, and all the other rich commodities of India, The king is called Ruchinad Ben Achomach, having many cities and castles under his authority, and he makes himself the heir of all merchants who happen to die in that placed; yet he is himself tributary to the king of Chermain or Kerman. In summer the heat of this country is quite outrageous, and the inhabitants betake themselves to their summer houses, which are built in the waters. From nine o'clock in the morning till noon, there blows a wind, with such extreme heat, from the sands, that it is quite stifling and insufferable, and during this time the people sit in the water. The king of Kerman once sent an array of 5000 foot and 1600 horse against the king of Ormus, to compel the payment of tribute, when the whole army was stifled by that wind. The inhabitants of Ormus eat no flesh, or bread made of corn; but live upon dates, salt fish, and onions. The s.h.i.+ps of this country are not very stout, as they do not fasten them with iron nails, because the timber is too brittle, and would split in driving these home; but they are fastened with wooden pins, and sewed with twine made from the husks of certain Indian nuts, prepared in a peculiar manner; this twine or thread is very strong, and is able to endure the force and violence of the waters, and is not easily corrupted[12]. These s.h.i.+ps have only one mast, one beam or yard, and one deck, and are not payed with pitch, but with the oil and fat of fishes; and when they cross the sea to India, carrying horses or other cargoes, they lose many s.h.i.+ps, because they are not strengthened with iron. The people of this country are black, and have embraced the religion of Mahomet. It is the custom of this country, when the master of a family dies, that the widow shall mourn for him publickly once every day, for four years; but there are women who profess the practice of mourning, and are hired to mourn daily for the dead.

In returning from Ormus to Kerman, you pa.s.s through a fertile plain, but the bread made there cannot be eaten, except by those who are accustomed to it, it is so exceedingly bitter, on account of the water with which it is made. In this country there are excellent hot baths, which cure many diseases.

[1] Now Tebriz in Corcan.--E.

[2] This must refer to Fars, or Persia proper; as Tebriz is in Persia.--E.

[3] Perhaps Iracagemi?--E.

[4] Perhaps Kerman?--E.

[5] Inexplicably corrupt.--E.

[6] Timochaim and Arboresecco are inexplicable, perhaps from corrupt transcription. But Timochaim appears to nave been Mekran on the coast of the Indian sea, and perhaps reached to the Indus, as observed in a former note; and it may have included Sigistan.--E.

[7] Jasdi is almost certainly Yezd in Fars. Pinkerton considers Chiaman to be Crerina, which is impossible, as that place is afterwards named: Perhaps it may be the province named Timochaim, mentioned in the immediately preceding note.--E.

[8] As the route may be considered as nearly in a straight line south from Yesd, Crerina may possibly be the city of Kerrnan, and the cold elevated plain, a table land between the top of the Ajuduk mountains and a nameless range to the south, towards Gambroon or Ormus. Adgamad being destroyed, cannot now be ascertained, but it must have stood on the fine plain above described, and at the bottom of these southern mountains. Reobarle is not to be found In our maps, but must have been a name for the province of Ormus.--E.

[9] There is a series of corruptions or absurdities here: a _Malabar_ government under a _Sultan_ Asiden, or Asi-o-din, situated at _Dely_, conquered by a secret expedition from _Turkestan_, requires a more correct edition of the original of Marco Polo to render intelligible.

We can suppose a tribe of Indians or Blacks not far from Gombroon, to have been under the rule of a mussel man Sultan, and conquered or subverted by a Tartar expedition from Touran, or the north of Persia: But this remains a mere hypothetical explanation.--E.

[10] For this paragraph, the editor is indebted to Mr Pinkerton, Mod. Geog.

II. xxii. who has had the good fortune to procure what he thinks an original edition from the MS. of Marco Polo.--E.

[11] By some singular negligence in translating, Mr Pinkerton, in the pa.s.sage quoted in the preceding note, has ridiculously called this country the plain of _Formosa_, mistaking the mere epithet, descriptive of its _beauty_ in the Italian language, for its name. The district was obviously a distinct small kingdom, named Ormus from its capital city; which, from its insular situation, and great trade with India, long maintained a splendid independence.--E.

[12] The two Mahometan travellers of the ninth century, give precisely the same account of the s.h.i.+ps of Siraf, in the same gulf of Persia.--E.

SECTION IV.

_Account of several other Countries, and their Princ.i.p.al Curiosities_.

From Kerman[1], in three days riding, you come to a desert which extends to Cobin-ham[2], seven days journey across, the desert. In the first three days you have no water, except a few salt, bitter ponds, of a green colour, like the juice of herbs; and whoever drinks even a small quant.i.ty of this water, cannot escape a dysentery, and even beasts that are compelled to drink of it, do not escape without a scouring. It is therefore necessary for travellers to carry water along with them, that they may avoid the inconvenience and danger of thirst. In the fourth day you find a subterranean river of fresh water[3]. The three last days of this desert are like the first three. Cobin-ham is a great city, where great mirrors of steel are made[4]. Tutia also, which is a cure for sore eyes, and spodio are made here in the following manner: From the mines of this country they dig a certain earth, which is thrown into furnaces, from which the vapours, forced downwards, through an iron grate, condense below into tutia of tutty[5], and the grosser matter remaining in the furnace is called spodio.

Leaving Cobin-ham, you meet with another desert of eight days journey in extent, and terribly barren, having neither trees or water, except what is extremely bitter, insomuch, that beasts refuse to drink of it, except when mixed with meal, and travellers are therefore obliged to carry water along with them. After pa.s.sing this desert, you come to the kingdom of Timochaim[6], in the north confines of Persia, in which there are many cities and strong castles. In this country there is an extensive plain, in which one great tree grows, which is called the Tree of the Sun, and by Christians Arbore-secco[7], or the dry tree. This tree is very thick, the leaves being green on one side, and white on the other, and it produces p.r.i.c.kly and husky sh.e.l.ls, like those of chesnuts, but nothing in them. The wood is strong and solid, and of a yellow colour like box. There are no other trees within an hundred miles, except on one side, where there are trees at the distance of ten miles. In this place, the inhabitants say that Alexander fought a battle against Darius[8]. The cities of this place are plentifully furnished with good things; the air is temperate, and the people handsome, especially the women, who are in my opinion the handsomest in the world.

[1] Marco here probably means the town or city of Kerm-s.h.i.+r, as that lies in the course of his present route from Ormus to the north-east of Persia.--E.

[2] This name is inexplicable; yet from the circ.u.mstance of its mines, and the direction of the journey, it may have been situated near the Gebelabad mountains; and some German editor may have changed _abad_, into the precisely similar significant termination _ham_. The original probably had Cobin-abad.--E.

[3] In confirmation of the idea entertained of the present route of Marco, from Ormus by Kerm-s.h.i.+r, to the north-east of Persia, there is, in the maps, a short river in the desert between Diden and Mastih, which has no outlet, but loses itself in the sands, on which account he may have called it subterraneous, as sinking into the earth.--E.

[4] More probably of copper, whitened by some admixture of zinc, and other metals, of the existence of which in this district there are sufficient indications in the sequel. These mirrors may have been similar to telescope metal.--E.

[5] What is here called Tutty, is probably the sublimed floculent white oxid, or flowers of zinc.--E.

[6] Timochaim seems obviously Segistan, to which Mechran appears to have been then joined, from the circ.u.mstance before related of the Polos having gone from China by sea to this kingdom. The strange application of Timochaim is probably corrupt, and may perhaps be explicable on the republication of the Trevigi edition of these travels; till then, we must rest satisfied with probable conjecture.--E.

[7] The native name of this tree, and of the plain in which it grew, appears obviously to have been translated by Marco into Italian.--E.

[8] It is possible that this Arbore-secco may have some reference to Arbela.--E.

SECTION V.

_History of the a.s.sa.s.sins, and the manner in which their Prince was killed: With the description of several other Countries_.

Mulchet[1], in the Saracen language, signifies the place of Heretics, and the people of the place are called Hulehetici, or heretics in regard to the Mahometan law. The prince of this country is called the _old man_ of the mountain, concerning whom I Marco heard much from many persons during my travels. His name was Aloadin, and he was a Mahometan. In a lovely valley between two high and inaccessible mountains, he caused a pleasant garden to be laid out, furnished with the best trees and fruits that could be procured, and adorned with many palaces and banqueting houses, beautified with gilded bowers, pictures, and silken tapestries. Through this place, by means of pipes, wine, milk, honey, and water were distributed in profusion; and it was provided with beautiful damsels, skilled in music, singing and dancing, and in all imaginable sports and diversions. These damsels were dressed in silk and gold, and were seen continually sporting in the garden and its palaces. He made this garden with all its palaces and pleasures, in imitation of that sensual paradise, which Mahomet had promised to his followers. No man could enter into this garden, as the mouth of the valley was closed up by a strong castle, from which there was a secret entrance into the garden, which was called the Terrestrial Paradise.

Aloadin had certain youths from twelve to twenty years of age, chosen among such as seemed of a bold and dauntless character, who were initiated in all the pleasures and delights of this paradise, and whom he employed to entice others to join the select company of young enthusiasts, by representing the joys and pleasures of the paradise of Aloadin. When he thought proper, he caused ten or twelve of these youths to be cast into a deep sleep, by means of a potion, and then had them conveyed severally into different chambers of the garden palaces; where they were attended upon at their awaking by the beautiful damsels, and supplied with all kind of delicious meats and fruits and excellent wines, and in whose company they enjoyed all manner of luxurious delights, so that they imagined that they were actually transported into paradise. When they had revelled in delights for a few days, they were again cast into a deep sleep, and removed from the garden of pleasure; and being brought into the presence of Aloadin, were questioned by him where they had been. The old man then represented that it was the command of the prophet, that whoever was faithful and obedient to his lord, should enjoy the delights of paradise; and that if they would faithfully obey all his commands, they should be admitted to reside continually among the joys of which they had been permitted to partic.i.p.ate for a short time. Having thus roused their pa.s.sions for pleasure, they thought themselves happy to execute whatever commands they might receive, even at the utmost hazard of their lives, being a.s.sured, whether living or dead, that their obedience would secure them the eternal enjoyment of paradise and all its delights. By these means Aloadin used to procure the murder of other lords who were his enemies, by these his a.s.sa.s.sins, who despised all dangers, and contemned their lives when employed in his service. By this procedure he was esteemed a tyrant, and greatly dreaded by all around; and he had two vicars or deputies, one in the neighbourhood of Damascus, and another in Curdistan, who had similarly instructed young men under their orders. Besides this, he used to rob all pa.s.sengers who went past his borders. At length, in the year 1262, Ulau, or Houlagu-khan, sent an armed force against him, which besieged his castle for three years, and at length made themselves masters of it, partly by famine, and partly by undermining the walls[2].

Departing from thence[3], you come to a pleasant enough country, diversified by hills and plains with excellent pasture, and abundance of fruits, the soil being very fertile[4]. This continues for six days journey, and then you enter a desert of forty or fifty miles without water; after which you come to the city of Sa.s.surgan[5], where there are plenty of provisions, and particularly the best melons in the world, which are as sweet as honey. Pa.s.sing from thence, we come to a certain city named Batach, Balach, or Balk, which was formerly large and famous, having sumptuous marble palaces, but is now overthrown by the Tartars. In this city it is reported that Alexander married the daughter of Darius. The eastern and north-eastern frontiers of Persia reach to this city; but in proceeding between the east and north-east from this place, We found no habitations for two days journey, the inhabitants having endured so many grievances from thieves, that they were compelled to fly to the mountains for safety. There are many rivers in this country, and much game, and lions are also to be met with. As travellers can find no food in this part of their journey, they must carry enough with them for two days. At the end of two days journey, we came to a castle called Thaican, Thalkan, or Thakan, where we saw pleasant fields and abundance of corn. The mountains to the south of this place are high, some of which contain white salt, so extremely hard that it has to be dug out and broken with iron tools; and the inhabitants, from thirty days journey all around, come here to procure salt, which is of most excellent quality, and is in such amazing quant.i.ties, that the whole world might be supplied from these mines. The other mountains produce abundance of almonds and pistachio nuts.

Going between the east and north-east from hence, the country is fruitful, but the inhabitants are perfidious Mahometans, murderers, thieves, and drunkards. Their wine is boiled, and truly excellent. They go bareheaded, except that the men bind a string or fillet, ten handbreadths long, about their heads. They make breeches and shoes of the skins of wild beasts, and use no other garments. After three days journey is the town of Scasom[6], seated in a plain, through the middle of which there flows a great river; and there are many castles in the surrounding mountains[7]. There are many porcupines in this country, which are hunted by dogs; and these animals, contracting themselves with great fury, cast their sharp quills at the men and dogs, and often wound them. The nation has a peculiar language, and the shepherds dwell in caves in the mountains. We went three days journey from thence, without meeting any inhabitants, to the province of Balaxiam, Balascia or Balasagan, which is inhabited by Mahometans, who have a peculiar language. Their kings, who succeed each other hereditarily, pretend to derive their lineage from Alexander and the daughter of Darius, and are called Dulcarlen, which signifies Alexandrians. In this country the famous Ballas rubies are found, and other precious stones of great value, particularly in the mountains of Sicinam. No person dares either to dig for these stones, or to send them out of the country, without the consent and licence of the king, on pain of death; and he only sends them to such as he thinks fit, either as presents, or in payment of tribute; he likewise exchanges many of them for gold and silver, lest they should become too cheap and common. In other mountains of the same province, the best lapis lazuli in the world is found, from which azure or ultramarine is made.

There are mines also of silver, copper, and lead. The climate is very cold, yet it produces abundance of large, strong, and swift horses, which have such hard and tough hoofs, that they do not require iron shoes, although they have to run among rocks. It is said, that not many years ago, the king's uncle was in the exclusive possession of a breed of horses descended from the famous Bucephalus, and marked on the forehead exactly as he was; and refusing to let the king have any of his stud, he was put to death, on which his widow, in revenge, destroyed the whole race. The mountains of this country produce the sacre falcon, the lanner, the goshawk, and the sparrowhawk, all excellent in their kind, and much used by the inhabitants in the chase, as they are all much addicted to hunting. The soil of this country produces excellent wheat, and barley without husks, and oil made of nuts and mustard, which resembles the oil from lintseed, but is more savoury than other oil. The men of the country are excellent archers and keen hunters, and are mostly clothed in the skins of beasts; while the women contrive to put sixty or eighty yards of cotton cloth into the skirts of their garments, as the bulkier they look they are esteemed the handsomer. The plains of this country are large, and well watered with fine rivers, but the hills are high and steep, and the pa.s.ses very difficult of access, by which the inhabitants are secured against invasions; and in these mountains there are flocks of from four hundred to six hundred wild sheep, which are very difficult to catch. If any one contracts an ague by living in the moist plains, he is sure to recover his health by a few days residence in the mountains, which I Marco experienced in my own person after a whole years sickness.

The province Bascia, or Vash, on a river of that name which falls into the Gihon, is ten days journey to the south of Balaxiam, and the country is very hot, on which account the people are of a brown colour. They have a language of their own, and wear gold and silver ear-rings, artificially ornamented with pearls and other precious stones; they eat flesh and rice, and are crafty and cruel idolaters.

The province of Chesmur, Khesimus, Khaschimir, or Cashmere, is seven days journey from Bascia. The inhabitants have also a peculiar language of their own, and are given to idolatry beyond all others, and addicted to enchantment, forcing their idols to speak, and darkening the day. The people of this country are not wholly black, but of a brown complexion, the air being temperate. They are extremely lean, although they use abundance of flesh and rice; yet the natives will shed no blood, and employ the Saracens who live among them to slaughter their cattle. They have many strong cities and towns, and being surrounded by deserts and rugged mountains, they are in no danger of any foreign enemies, so that the king of this country yields tribute to none. Coral is held in great estimation in this country, and sells dearer than in any other part of the world.

There are certain hermits in this province, who live with great abstinence in cells and monasteries, devoting their whole lives to the service of their idols, and observing the strictest chast.i.ty; Many of these men are reputed as saints and are held in high estimation among the people. From this province you may go to the Indies and the ocean; but I shall not now follow out the course to India, but returning to Balaxiam, shall trace the way to Kathay, betwixt the east and north-east.

Beyond Balaxium is a certain river, on which there are many castles and villages, belonging to the brother of the king of Balaxium; and after three days journey, we came to Vachan[8], which extends three days journey in length, and as much is breadth, The inhabitants of this country have a peculiar language, and are Mahometans; they are brave Warriors, and good huntsmen, as their country abounds in wild beasts. Departing from thence, in a direction between the east and north-east, we ascended for three whole days journey, until we came to an exceeding high mountain, than which there is none said to be higher in the world. In this place, between two mountains, is a plain, in which is a great lake, and a fine river runs through the plain, on the banks of which are such excellent pastures, that a lean horse or ox will become quite fat in ten days. It contains also great quant.i.ties of wild beasts, and particularly very large wild sheep, having horns six spans long, out of which they make various kinds of vessels. This plain continues twelve days journey in length, and is called _Pamer_, in which there are no habitations, so that travellers must carry all their provisions along with them. This plain is so high and cold that no birds are to be found; and it is even said, that fires do not burn so bright in this place, and do not so effectually boil or dress victuals as in other places[9]. From hence, the way to Kathay leads, for forty days journey, between the east and the north-east, through mountains, hills, and vallies, in which there are many rivers, but no villages, neither any verdure, except that some huts and cottages are to be seen among the mountains; but the inhabitants are savage and wicked idolaters, who live by hunting, and are clothed in the skins of wild beasts; the country is called Palow[10]. After this you come to the province of Caschar[11], which is inhabited by Mahometans, who are tributary to the great khan of the Mongals or Tartars. The soil is fertile, and the country is full of pleasant fields, gardens, and orchards, producing vines, fruit trees, cotton, hemp, and flax, and extends five days journey. The inhabitants have a particular language, and have many merchants, manufacturers, and artizans, but they are so covetous, that they do not allow themselves either good meat or drink. Among them there are some Nestorian Christians, who also have some churches,

[1] Called likewise Mulete or Alamut; Marco makes here a sudden return to the north-west of Persia; and from the abruptness of the transition, it has been probably disarranged in transcription. This country has been likewise called the land of the a.s.sa.s.sins; it is near Cashbin in Dilem, on the borders of Mazenderan.--E.

[2] The last of these princes was named Moadin, who, as mentioned in the text, was made prisoner, and put to death by Houlagu-khan. In the sequel of this work, there will be found other and more full accounts of this old man of the mountain, or prince of the a.s.sa.s.sins.

--E.

[3] The transition seems here again abrupt, and unconnected; at least the intermediate country of Mazerderan and Chora.s.san to the desert, probably of Margiana, is very slightly pa.s.sed over.--E.

[4] In this section, Marco seems to trace his journey along with his father and uncle from Giazza towards Tartary; but the regular connection appears to have been thrown into confusion, by ignorant transcribers and editors.--E.

[5] Probably Satugar of the modern maps, on the western border of Balk.--E.

[6] Forster considers this place to be Sca.s.se or Al-shash, on the river Sirr or Sihon, perhaps the Tashkund of modern maps, in the province of Shash. The distances given by Marco must be strangely corrupted by transcribers and editors, or Marco must have forgot when he wrote his travels, perhaps twenty-six years after he pa.s.sed this country, when only a boy. The distance between Balk, on one of the branches of the Sihon or Oxus, and Shash on the Jihon or Sirr, is at least 350 miles in a straight line; which he appears to have travelled in _five_ days, but which would more probably occupy fifteen.--E.

[7] This river is probably the Sirr or Sihon; and the mountains of Karatan and Arjun pervade the district, the two chains being separated by the river.--E.