A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels Volume I Part 37

[4] Called in p. 404. Carchan.--E.

SECTION XI.

_Of the City of f.u.ko, or Foquien_.

Continuing my journey still farther to the east, I came to the city of Foquien, which is thirty miles in circuit. The poultry here are very large, and as white as snow, but have wool like sheep instead of feathers. This is a stately and most beautiful city, and standeth on the sea. Travelling onwards for eighteen days, I pa.s.sed through many provinces and cities; and in my way, I pa.s.sed over a certain great mountain, on one side of which all living creatures were quite black, whereas, on the other side, all were as white as snow; and the inhabitants of the two sides of the mountain differed exceedingly from each other, in their manners and customs. In these parts, all the married women wear a large tire or cap of horn, like a small barrel, on their heads, as a mark that they have husbands.

Journeying onwards for other eighteen days, I came to a city on a large river, over which there is a prodigiously great bridge. The host with whom I lodged in that city, willing to amuse me, carried me along with him to this bridge, taking with him in his arms certain diving birds bound to poles, and he tied a thread about every one of their necks, lest they might swallow the fish they were to catch. He carried likewise three large baskets to the river side. He then loosed his divers from the poles, on which they went into the water, and in less than an hour, they caught as many fish as filled the three baskets. Mine host then untied the threads from their necks, and sent them again into the water, where they fed themselves with fish. And, when satisfied, they returned to their master, allowing themselves to be fastened to the poles as before. I eat of these fish, and found them very good.

Travelling thence many days, I came to another city named Canasia[1], which signifies in their language the city of Heaven. I never saw so great a city, for it is an hundred miles in circ.u.mference, and every part of it is thoroughly inhabited, yea, many of its houses are ten or even twelve stories high. It has many large suburbs, which contain more inhabitants than even the city itself. There are twelve princ.i.p.al gates; and at the distance of about eight miles from every one of these there is a large city, each of them larger, in my opinion, than Venice or Padua. The city of Canasia is situated among waters or lakes, which are always stagnant, without flux or reflux, and it is defended against the violence of the wind in the same manner as Venice. In this city there are more than 10,002 bridges[2], many of which I counted and pa.s.sed over; and on every one of these, there stand certain watchmen, constantly keeping guard for the great khan, or emperor of Cathay. The people of the country informed me that they have to pay, as tribute to their lord, one _balis_ for every fire. Now one balis consists of five pieces of silken paper, which are worth one florin and a half of our coin. Ten or twelve households are counted as one fire, and only pay accordingly. All these tributary fires amount to eighty-five tomans, besides four tomans of the Saracens, making in all eighty-nine tomans; and one toman contains 10,000 fires[3]. The residue of the people consist of some Christians, some merchants, and some who travel through the country. I marvelled how it were possible for such an infinite number of people to live together, and get food; yet there is great abundance of provisions, such as bread and wine, and other necessaries, especially hogs flesh.

[1] Cansai, Quinzay, or Quinsay.--Hakluyt.

[2] In the Italian copy, published by Ramusio, the number of bridges is extended to 11,000.--Hakluyt.

[3] This enumeration would give 890,000 fires, or almost ten millions of households; which at four persons to each, would produce an aggregate population of 39 millions of people for Quinsay alone. The tribute, as stated by Oderic, amounts to 6,675,000 florins.--E.

SECTION XII.

_Of a Monastery, having many different kinds of Animals on a certain Hill_.

In this city of Quinsay, four of our friars had converted a powerful man to the Christian faith, in whose house I abode all the time I remained in that place. This man once addressed me, by the name of _Ara_ or father, asking me to visit the city. Embarking in a boat, he carried me to a certain monastery, where he spoke to one of the priests of his acquaintance, saying, "this Raban, or religious man of the Francs, coming from the western parts of the earth, is on his way to Cambalu to pray for the life of the great khan, and you must shew him some rare thing, that he may be able to say on his return to his own country, what strange and novel sights he has beheld in our city of Quinsay." Then the priest took two great baskets full of broken victuals, and led me to a small walled inclosure, of which he had the key, the door of which he unlocked, and we went into a pleasant green plot, in which stood a small hillock like a steeple, all adorned with fragrant herbs and trees. He then beat upon a cymbal, at the sound of which many animals of various kinds came down, from the mount, some like apes, some like cats, others like monkeys, and some having human faces, which gathered around him to the number of four thousand, and placed themselves in seemly order. He set down the broken victuals for them to eat; and when they had eaten, he rung again upon his cymbal, and they all returned to their places of abode. Wondering greatly at this strange sight, this man informed me that these creatures were animated by the souls of departed persons of rank, and that they were fed by him and his brethren out of love for the G.o.d that governs the world. He added, that, when a man was n.o.ble in this life, his soul entered, after death, into the body of some excellent beast, while the souls of the deceased common rude people, possess the bodies of vile animals. I then endeavoured to refute that gross error, but my arguments were all in vain, as he could not believe that any soul could exist without a body.

From Quinsay I went to the city of Chilenso, which is forty miles round, and contains 360 stone bridges, the fairest I ever saw. This place is well inhabited, has a vast number of s.h.i.+ps, and abundance of provisions and commodities. From thence I went to a great river called Thalay, which is seven miles broad where narrowest, and it runs through the midst of the land of the Pigmies, whose chief city is Kakam, one of the finest of the world. These Pigmies are only three spans in height, yet they manufacture larger and better cloths of cotton and silk, than any other people. Pa.s.sing that river, I came to the city of Janzu, in which there is a house for the friars of our order, and there are also three churches belonging to the Nestorians. This Janzu is a great and n.o.ble city, having forty-eight tomans of tributary fires, and abounds in all manner of victuals, flesh, fish, and fowl. The lord of this city has fifty tomans of _balis_ in yearly revenue from salt alone; and as every bali is worth a florin and a half of our money, one toman is worth 15,000 florins, and the salt revenue of this city is 750,000 florins. This lord has been known to forgive 200 tomans of arrears at one time to his people, or three millions of florins, lest they should be reduced to distress. There is a strange fas.h.i.+on in this city, when any one inclines to give a banquet to his friends: He goes about to certain taverns or cooks shops, informing each of the landlords, that such and such of his friends are to come there for entertainment in his name, and that he will allow a certain sum for the banquet. By this means his friends are better entertained in divers places, than if all had been collected into one. Ten miles from the city of Janzu, and at the mouth of the river Thalay, there is another city named Montu, which has a greater number of s.h.i.+ps than I ever saw in any part of the world. All the s.h.i.+ps are white as snow, and have banquetting houses in them; and there are many other rare and wonderful things, that no one would give credit to, unless he were to see them with his own eyes.

SECTION XIII.

_Of the city of Cambalu_.

Travelling eight days farther, through divers provinces and cities, I came by fresh water to a city called Lencyn, on the river Karamoran, which pervades the middle of Cathay, and does much injury when it breaks its banks and overflows the land. Pa.s.sing from thence many days journey to the eastwards, and within sight of many different cities, I came to the city of Sumakoto, which abounds more in silk than any city of the earth; insomuch that silk is reckoned scarce and dear, when the price of forty pounds weight amounts to four groats. It likewise abounds in all kinds of merchandize and provisions. Journeying still towards the east past many cities, I arrived at length at the great and renowned city of Cambalu, or Cambaleth, which is of great antiquity, and is the capital of Cathay. Being taken by the Tartars, they built a new city at the distance of half a mile, which they named Caido, which has twelve gates, each two miles distant from the other. The s.p.a.ce also between the two cities is thoroughly built upon, and inhabited; so that the whole is as one city, and is forty miles in circuit. In this city the great khan or emperor has his palace, the walls of which are four miles in circuit; and near to the imperial palace there are many other houses and palaces of the n.o.bles who belong to the court.

Within the precincts of the imperial palace, there is a most beautiful mount, all set over with trees, called the Green Mount, having a sumptuous palace on the top, in which the khan mostly resides. On one side of the mount is a great lake, abounding in geese and ducks, and all manner of water fowl, and having a most magnificent bridge; and the wood upon the mount is stored with all kinds of beasts and land birds. Hence when the khan is inclined to take the diversion of hunting or hawking, he needs not to quit his palace.

The princ.i.p.al palace in which the khan resides is very large, and contains fourteen pillars of gold, and all the walls are hung with red skins, which are reckoned the most costly in the world[1]. In the midst of this palace, there is a cistern two yards high, all of a precious stone called _merdochas_, which is wreathed round with gold, having the golden image of a serpent at each corner, as it were furiously menacing with their heads.

This cistern is farther ornamented by a rich net-work of pearls; and, by means of certain pipes and conduits, it continually supplies certain kinds of drink that are used at the court of the emperor[2]. Around this there stand many golden vessels, so that all who choose may drink abundantly.

There are likewise many golden peac.o.c.ks; and when any of the Tartars drink to the prosperity of their lord, and the guests clap their hands from mirth and joy, the golden peac.o.c.ks spread their wings and expand their trains, and appear to dance. This, I presume, is occasioned by magic art, or perhaps by means of some secret machinery below ground.

[1] These red skins, in the Latin of Hakluyt, _pelles rubes_, are probably the zaphilines pelles, or sables, of other travellers; converted into _red_ skins by some strange blunder.--E.

[2] This fountain of _four_ drinks, seems copied from honest Rubruquis; but with corrections and amendments.--E.

SECTION XIV.

_Of the Magnificence of the Great Khan_.

When the great khan sits upon his imperial throne of state, his queen or empress sits upon his left hand; and on another and lower seat two women are seated, who accompany the emperor in the absence of his spouse; and underneath them all the other ladies of the imperial family are placed. All the married ladies wear ornaments on their heads, shaped like a mans foot, a cubit and a half long[1], ornamented with cranes feathers, and richly set with large oriental pearls. The eldest son and heir apparent of the emperor, is seated on the right hand of the throne, and below him sit all the n.o.bles of the imperial race. There are likewise four secretaries, who write down every word spoken by the emperor. The barons and others of the n.o.bility stand all around, with numerous trains of their followers, and all preserve the most profound silence, unless permitted to speak by the emperor; except his jesters and stage-players, nor even they but as they are ordered. Certain barons are appointed to keep the palace gate, to prevent all who pa.s.s from treading on the threshold.

When the khan holds a solemn feast, he is attended upon by about 14,000 barons, who have their heads ornamented by circlets or coronets of gold, and who minister to him in all things; and they are all richly dressed in cloth of gold, ornamented with precious stones, the dress and ornaments of each being worth 10,000 florins[2]. His court is kept in the most perfect order, the immense mult.i.tude of attendants being regularly arranged under officers of tens, hundreds, and thousands, so that every one perfectly knows his own place and performs his duty. I, friar Oderic, was personally at Cambalu for three years, and was often present at the royal banquets; for we of the minorite order have a habitation appointed for us in the emperors court, and are enjoined to go frequently into the presence, that we may bestow our blessing on the emperor. I inquired from some of the attendants at court concerning the numbers in the imperial establishment, who a.s.sured me that, of stage-players, musicians, and such like, there were at least eighteen tomans, and that the keepers of dogs, beasts, and fowls, were fifteen tomans[3]. There are four hundred physicians of the body to the emperor, eight of whom are Christians, and one Saracen. The whole of these attendants are supplied with all manner of apparel, victuals, and necessaries, from the palace.

When the khan makes a progress from one country to another, there are four troops of hors.e.m.e.n appointed, having orders to keep each at the distance of a days journey from the presence; one in advance, one in the rear, and one on either hand, like a cross, the emperor being in the middle; and each troop has its regular days journey appointed for it, that all may keep in due order, and be regularly supplied with provisions. The great khan is carried in a chariot, having two wheels, on which a splendid throne is built of aloes wood, magnificently adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls; and this moving throne is drawn by four elephants, richly caparisoned; before which, four war horses, in magnificent housings, are led for his particular use. Close to the chariot, and keeping hold of it, eight barons attend on either side, to prevent all persons from approaching too near, or from incommoding the emperor. Two milk-white ger-falcons are carried in the chariot along with the emperor, that he may fly them at any game that comes in the way. No one dare come within a stones throw of the chariot in which the emperor rides, except those who are expressly appointed. The number of his own followers, and of those who attend the empress, and on his eldest son, would appear quite incredible to any person who had not seen the same, and is therefore omitted. The whole empire is divided into twelve great provinces, one only of which has 2000 great cities within its bounds; and the whole is so extensive, that one may travel continually for six months in any one direction, besides the islands under his dominion, which are at least 5000 in number.

[1] In the plates of La Monarchie Francaise, by Pere Montfaucon, the French ladies of the fourteenth century are represented as wearing conical caps on their heads, at least one third of their own height.--E.

[2] One hundred and forty millions of florins, as the value of the dresses of the n.o.bles of the imperial court! It seems that most writers concerning China are apt entirely to forget the power of numbers, in the fervour of their admiration.--E.

[3] Odericus, or his Bolandist biographer, seems to have forgot that thirty-three tomans make 330,000 useless ministers of luxury and folly. I strongly suspect the Minorites, for the honour of Oderic, have ignorantly borrowed and exaggerated from Marco Polo, to decorate the legend of the favourite Saint of Udina.--E.

SECTION XV.

_Of the Inns established over the whole Empire, for the use of Travellers_.

That travellers may have all things necessary throughout the whole empire, the emperor has caused certain inns to be provided in sundry places upon the highways, where all kinds of provisions are in continual readiness.

When any intelligence is to be communicated to him, his messengers ride post on horses or dromedaries; and when themselves and their beasts are weary, they blow their horns, and the people at the next inn provide a man and horse in readiness to carry forward the dispatch. By this means, intelligence, which would take thirty days in the ordinary way of travelling, is transmitted in one day, and he is consequently immediately informed of any important matter which may occur in the most distant parts of his dominions.

About twenty days journey from Cambalu, there is a forest of six days journey in circuit, containing an incredible number of different kinds of beasts and birds, to which the khan usually goes for hunting, once in three or four years, attended by his whole train. The attendants environ the whole forest, and, with the a.s.sistance of dogs, drive all the lions, stags, and other beasts before them, into a beautiful open plain in the midst of the forest. Then the khan, mounted on a throne, carried by three elephants, rides forwards to the throng of animals, and shoots five arrows among the herd; and after him, all his barons in succession, and the rest of his courtiers and family attendants, discharge their arrows in like manner.

Then all the surviving beasts are allowed to go away into the forest, and all the people go among those beasts which are slain, and each person knows by the particular marks on their own arrows, which of the beasts he has right to.

SECTION XVI.

_Of the four Solemn Feasts held yearly by the Great Khan_.

The great khan celebrates four great feasts every year; on the anniversaries of his birth, his circ.u.mcision, his coronation, and his marriage. Sitting upon his throne of state, all his kindred, barons, and stage-players, attend in great ceremony and in rich attire; the highest order being dressed in green, the second in red, and the third in yellow, all girt with golden girdles, half a foot broad, and every one holding a small ivory tablet in his hand, they all stand in regular order, keeping the most profound silence. On the outside, all the stage-players, and the musicians, with their musical instruments, are arranged. In one of the corners of a certain great gallery, all the philosophers or magicians attend, waiting for certain hours and moments, and when the fortunate moment is arrived, a crier calleth out in a loud voice, "Prostrate yourselves before the emperor," and then all fall upon their faces. After a certain interval, the crier again orders the whole a.s.sembly to rise up, and they do so. At another particular moment, fixed by the philosophers, orders are given in a loud voice, for every one to stop their ears with their fingers; afterwards they are called upon to take out their fingers. Many similar things are performed in this manner, which they pretend to be significant, but which, being vain and ridiculous, I gave no attention to, and am not inclined to write. When the hour of music comes, the philosophers give the word, and they all sound their instruments, making a great and melodious noise; after which, orders are given to cease from the music. Then come the women musicians, who sing sweetly before the emperor, which I thought delightful. After them, the lions are led in, and are made to pay their obeisance to the emperor. Then the jugglers cause golden cups, full of wine, to fly up and down in the air, and to apply themselves to mens mouths, that they may drink. And many other strange things are performed, which I omit to mention, as no one would believe me.

I was informed by certain credible persons, that in the mountains of Kapsei, in the kingdom of Kalor, which is in the dominions of the great khan, there grow certain gourds, or pompions, which open when ripe, and a little beast is found within them, resembling a young lamb. I have likewise heard, that there grow certain trees upon the sh.o.r.e of the Irish sea, which carry a fruit like gourds, and that these fall into the sea at certain times, and are changed into birds called Bernacles.

SECTION XVII.

_Of various Provinces and Cities of the East_.

After a residence of three years in Cambalu, I departed from the empire of Kathay, and travelled fifty days to the west, when I arrived in the dominions of Pretegoani[1], whose princ.i.p.al city is Cosan. Continuing my journey for many days, I came to the province of Casan, which is well inhabited, and one of the first countries in the world, for abundance of provisions, and commodities of all kinds, especially of chesnuts; and, is so extremely populous, that, on leaving the gates of any one city, we may always have the gates of another within sight. This country is fifty days journey in breadth, and it is above sixty days journey in length. This is one of the twelve great provinces belonging to the great khan.

Farther on, I came into another kingdom belonging to the khan, called Tebek or Thibet, which is, in my opinion, more abundant in bread and wine than any other country in the world. The inhabitants mostly dwell in tents of black felt, The princ.i.p.al city is surrounded by beautiful walls, built of large white and black stones, disposed chequerwise; and all the highways of the country are well paved. In this country, from certain religious notions, no one dares shed the blood of a man, or of any beast. The Aba.s.si, who is their Pope, dwells in the city already mentioned, being the head or prince of all the idolaters, on whom he bestows gifts; just as our Pope of Rome considers himself to be the head of all the Christians. The women of this country wear a prodigious number of ornaments, and they have two long teeth like the tusks of a boar. When any man dies in this country, his son a.s.sembles all the priests and musicians that he can procure, to do honour to his father, whose body he causes to be carried out into the fields, accompanied by all the kindred, friends, and neighbours of the family. Then the priests, with great solemnity, cut off the head of the deceased, which they give to his son; after which, they divide the whole body into small pieces, which they leave strewed about the place; and then the whole company return home in solemn procession, accompanied with prayers, the son bearing his fathers head. On their departure from the field, the vultures of the country, accustomed to similar banquets, come down from the mountains, and carry off all the remains of the deceased person; who is thereupon p.r.o.nounced holy, because the angels of G.o.d, as they say, have carried him to paradise. When the procession returns to the dwelling of the deceased, the son boils the head of his father, and eats the flesh, converting the skull into a drinking cup, out of which he, and all his family, and kindred, carouse with much, mirth and solemnity, in remembrance of his father. This nation has many other vile and abominable customs, which I refrain from describing, because no one would believe them unseen.