adopted by all the neighbouring nations. To the east this country is bounded by Cathay, to the west by Turkestan, to the north by an extensive desert, and to the south by a very extensive desert named Sym, or Pym, in which diamonds are found, and which is situated between Cathay and India. The enumeration of the Mongol tribes made by Haitho has no resemblance with that of Carpini. He divides them into seven nations; viz. Tatars, Tangut, Kunat, Jalair, Soniah, Monghi, and Taboth. His descriptions of Turkestan, Khorasan, and Cumania, offer nothing new or important.

CHAP. V.

TRAVELS OF MARCO POLO.

The two Poli visit Bolgar.--Go to Bokhara.-Proceed to the Court of the Grand Khan.-Return home.-Marco Polo travels to China.---His Success. ---Favour at Court.---Embassage from Persia.---The Poli permitted to leave China.---Navigate the Indian Seas.--Pass through Armenia.---Their Arrival at Venice. Expedient to display their Wealth.-War with Genoa.-Marco Polo taken Prisoner.Writes his Narrative.--Released from Captivity.--Returns Home.-His Account of Asia.---Balkh.---Balaxia.---Cashmeer.-Sartam.---Desert of Lop.---Haunted by evil Spirits.---Their malicious Arts.--Tangut.-Manners of the Tatars.-Interment of the Khans.-The Yak.Pavilion of the Khan.-His white Horses.---Splendour of his Court.-City of Cambalu.-Its Form and Size.---Palace of the Khan.-Its Parks and Gar

dens.

WHILE the most powerful kingdoms in Europe trembled at the dangerous proximity of the Tatar hordes which were now firmly established in the east of Europe, the merchants of Genoa and Venice felt not a little satisfaction, perhaps, at the prospect of new and ample markets being thus opened for the commodities of the West. The character of a merchant is held in much respect by Eastern nations: pomp and profusion are reckoned by them among the virtues of a prince; the simplicity of the Tatars and their ignorance of Europe promised ample profits to those who first ventured to open a correspondence with them. The valuable productions of the East has so firmly associated the idea of wealth with that quarter of the world, that it would be matter of surprise if the enterprising merchants of the Italian states had neglected to try their fortunes at the courts of the Tatarian princes.

Two noble Venetians, named Maffio and Nicolo Polo were among the first to make the experiment. After disposing of a large stock of merchandize at Constantinople, they considered how they might employ their capital to the best advantage, and

resolved on a trading visit to the Tatars, who had now resumed the occupations of peace in the plains around the Volga. They accordingly purchased a stock of jewels, and crossed the Black Sea in 1254, to the camp of Barkah, brother or son of Baatu, whose usual residence was at Bolgar or Saraï. On their arrival, they placed all their merchandize at his disposal, and he repaid their confidence with princely generosity. They were now ready to depart, when a war broke out between Bareka or Barkah Khan, and his cousin Hulagu, which rendered it unsafe for them to return by the same road by which they had arrived; they turned, in consequence, towards the east, crossed the rivers Jaïk and Sihon, and arrived at length at the great city of Bokhara.

They met here with a Tatar nobleman who took much pleasure in their varied and instructive conversation, and prevailed on them to accompany him to the residence of the Grand Khan. They consequently set out, and after a journey of twelve months, reached the imperial residence, at what they considered the extremity of the East. Their reception at court was extremely favourable; and when it appeared, from their manners and discourse, that they were persons of respectability, the khan resolved to send them back, accompanied by one of his own officers, as ambassador to the pope. They had not proceeded far, however, on their return, when the Tatar fell sick and was left behind; but having the imperial passport, they continued their journey, and at the expiration of three years, employed in crossing the continent of Asia, arrived at Acre in the year 1269.

When our travellers reached Venice, after an absence from home of fifteen years, Nicolo Polo found that his wife, whom he had left with child, was dead after producing a son, to whom she gave the name of Marco, and who was now approaching the age of manhood. Accompanied by this young man, the two merchants again set forward on their journey to the interior of Asia in the year 1271, with letters to the Grand Khan from Gregory X. the newly-elected pope. In Badakshan, among the sources of the Oxus, our travellers remained a whole year, in consequence of the illness of young Marco, who profited, nevertheless, from the delay in acquiring a knowledge of the sur-1. rounding countries. They then proceeded directly to Khotan, crossed the great desert of Cobi, in a tedious journey of thirty days, entered the country of Tangut, and arrived at the city of Kan-cheu, where they again halted for a considerable time.

As soon as the Grand Khan, who at that time had his principal winter residence at Tai-yueu-fu, heard of their arrival in his dominions, he sent forward messengers a distance of forty days' journey to conduct them to his presence. He received

them with honour; and paying especial attention to young Marco, he took him under his protection, and made him an officer of his household. In this situation Marco Polo had an opportunity of displaying his abilities: he adopted the dress and customs of the country, and made himself master of the four principal languages then in use, which were probably the Mongol, the Turkish, the Manchu of eastern Tatary, and the Chinese. By his talents and the variety of his accomplishments, he soon acquired a great degree of influence at court, was employed on missions to the most distant provinces of the empire, and even held for the usual period of three years the high rank of governor of the city Yang-cheu-fu, in the province of Kiang Nang.

After the three Poli had resided about seventeen years in the dominions of the Grand Khan, enjoying in the highest degree his confidence and favour, they began to feel the natural wish to return to their native country. But the emperor, who had conceived an attachment to them all, and particularly valued the abilities of Marco, heard with much dissatisfaction of their desire to leave him: he reproached them with ingratitude, and declared that if gain was the object of their pursuit, he was willing to gratify their utmost wishes; but he positively refused to permit their departure. At this conjuncture an accident occurred which most unexpectedly relieved them from their disagreeable situation. An embassy arrived from Arghun, a Mongol prince who ruled in Persia, and grand nephew of Kublaï, to solicit in marriage a princess of the royal blood. The Great Khan complied with the request, and a princess was accordingly selected from among his grand-daughters, and accepted by the ambassadors in the name of their master. The betrothed queen soon after, with a numerous train of attendants, set out on her journey to Persia; but, after travelling for some months, it was found dangerous to attempt proceeding over-land, from the disturbed state of the country, and the party were compelled to retrace their steps to the capital.

It happened that at this very time Marco Polo, who had been engaged in some expedition in the Indian islands, came into port, and soon after gave to the emperor an account of the safe and easy navigation of those seas. This circumstance coming to the knowledge of the ambassadors of the king of Persia, they sought the acquaintance of the Polo family, and finding that these also longed for an opportunity of making their escape, it was arranged between them how the matter was to be compassed. The ambassadors represented to the khan the necessity of their hastening back to Persia with the princess committed to their charge, and the expediency of their employing for

that purpose the nautical experience of the Christians. The khan was unable to refuse his assent to so reasonable a proposal. Preparations were made on a great scale for this important expedition. Fourteen ships of four masts, and some of them with crews of two hundred and fifty men, were provisioned for two years. When the Polo family came to take leave of their friend and benefactor, the aged prince could hardly bear the thought of parting with them, entreated them to return to him after having visited their families, empowered them to act as his ambassadors with European princes, and loaded them with jewels and other valuable presents.

The fleet arrived safely in Ormuz after a voyage of eighteen months, touching, on the way, at the principal ports of the Indian islands. When the expedition arrived in Persia it was found that Arghun, to whom the young princess was betrothed, had died some time before, and that the country was distracted by the struggle between the usurper, who actually filled the throne, and Ghazan, the son of the deceased monarch. Of the subsequent fortunes of the princess history is silent. The Venetians, protected by the letters of the Great Khan, hastened to quit this theatre of intestine war, and passing through Armenia to Trebizond, and thence to Constantinople and Euboea, arrived in Venice in the year 1295, after an absence of four-and-twenty years.

When they arrived in their native city, they could hardly be recognized by even their nearest relations. The effects of time and climate on their figure and complexion; their foreign pronunciation, for they had almost forgotten their native language; their Tatarian air and demeanour, and the coarseness of their garments, completely disguised them from their kindred. The opinion had also long prevailed that they were dead. Some members of their family had taken possession of their dwellinghouse; and when they sought to be admitted, it was with difficulty they could bring the inmates of the house to understand that they were its lawful proprietors. Soon after they adopted a singular expedient to make their fellow-citizens acquainted with their return, and with the rich fruit of their distant journeys. They invited all their friends and connections to a splendid entertainment; when the company was assembled, the three travellers entered richly clad in robes of crimson satin; at the commencement of the feast they changed these vestments for similar ones of crimson damask, dividing the first among the attendants. Again, at the removal of the first course, they put on dresses of crimson velvet, the damask robes being in like manner distributed; and at the conclusion of the feast they again changed those splendid habiliments for plain robes, such

as were worn by their guests. The company wondered what all this meant. At length, when the cloth was removed, and the servants withdrawn, Marco Polo went into an adjoining chamber and brought forth the three coarse garments in which they had returned from their travels. They then began to rip open the seams and linings with which those patched and apparently worthless rags were doubled, and quickly brought to view a quantity of diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and other precious stones, which had been carefully sewn up so as to escape observation. When the company saw such a countless treasure, and revealed in a manner so unexpected, they were struck with amazement as if they had witnessed a miracle; but when they had recovered from their ecstasy of delight and astonishment, they were lavish of congratulations and civilities to their hosts, of whose wealth and nobility they had no longer any doubt.

They had not been long in Venice when news was brought that a Genoese fleet, under the command of Lampa Doria, had made its appearance in the Adriatic, and in consequence, a Venetian fleet, superior in number, immediately put to sea under the orders of Andrea Dandolo. Marco Polo, as an officer of experience, was appointed to the command of one of the gallies. In the engagement which ensued the Venetians were totally defeated, and our traveller, whose vessel was foremost in the attack, was wounded and forced to surrender.

From his prison in Genoa the fame of Marco Polo's great personal qualities, and the singular adventures of his life were soon spread abroad through the city; and he was visited by all the chief inhabitants, who endeavoured, as far as it was in their power, to mitigate the rigours of his captivity: he was called on continually so narrate the history of his travels, and to describe the court of the Grand Khan. His surprising relations were listened to with eagerness; but he was so often solicited to repeat them, that he at length thought of complying with the advice which was generally given him, to commit his narrative to writing. With that view he procured from Venice the notes which he had left in the possession of his father, and assisted by a fellow-prisoner, one Rustigielo of Pisa, he at length completed the history of his travels; but it is not perfectly ascertained whether the account which we now possess be a copy or only an abridgment of the original manuscript, which was first circulated, it is supposed, in 1298.

The merits and accomplishments of Marco Polo procured him so many friends among the principal citizens of Genoa, that after a captivity of four years he was at length released from prison. He married on his return to Venice, but very little is known of his subsequent life. Although a very remarkable character in