Yet there is, toward the parts Meridionals many countries and many
regions, as the land of Ethiopia, that marcheth, toward the east to
the great deserts, toward the west to the kingdom of Nubia, toward
the south to the kingdom of Moretane, and toward the north to the
Red Sea.
After is Moretane, that dureth from the mountains of Ethiopia unto
Lybia the high. And that country lieth along from the sea ocean
toward the south; and toward the north it marcheth to Nubia and to
the high Lybia. (These men of Nubia be Christian.) And it
marcheth from the lands above-said to the deserts of Egypt, and
that is the Egypt that I have spoken of before.
And after is Lybia the high and Lybia the low, that descendeth down
low toward the great sea of Spain, in the which country be many
kingdoms and many diverse folk.
Now I have devised you many countries on this half the kingdom of
Cathay, of the which many be obeissant to the great Chan.
CHAPTER XXIX
OF THE COUNTRIES AND ISLES THAT BE BEYOND THE LAND OF CATHAY; AND
OF THE FRUITS THERE; AND OF TWENTY-TWO KINGS ENCLOSED WITHIN THE
MOUNTAINS
NOW shall I say you, suingly, of countries and isles that be beyond
the countries that I have spoken of.
Wherefore I say you, in passing by the land of Cathay toward the
high Ind and toward Bacharia, men pass by a kingdom that men clepe
Caldilhe, that is a full fair country.
And there groweth a manner of fruit, as though it were gourds. And
when they be ripe, men cut them a-two, and men find within a little
beast, in flesh, in bone, and blood, as though it were a little
lamb without wool. And men eat both the fruit and the beast. And
that is a great marvel. Of that fruit I have eaten, although it
were wonderful, but that I know well that God is marvellous in his
works. And, natheles, I told them of as great a marvel to them,
that is amongst us, and that was of the Bernakes. For I told them
that in our country were trees that bear a fruit that become birds
flying, and those that fell in the water live, and they that fall
on the earth die anon, and they be right good to man's meat. And
hereof had they as great marvel, that some of them trowed it were
an impossible thing to be.
In that country be long apples of good savour, whereof be more than
an hundred in a cluster, and as many in another; and they have
great long leaves and large, of two foot long or more. And in that
country, and in other countries thereabout, grow many trees that
bear clove-gylofres and nutmegs, and great nuts of Ind, and of
Canell and of many other spices.
