[Bretschneider, Med. Res. (II. p. 47), says: "Marco Polo states with
respect to the kingdom of Cascar (I. 189) that it was subject to the
Great Khan, and says the same regarding Cotan (I. 196), whilst Yarcan
(I. 195), according to Marco Polo, belonged to Kaidu. This does not agree
with Rashid's statements about the boundary between Kaidu's territory and
the Khan's." - H. C.]
Kashgar was at this time a Metropolitan See of the Nestorian Church.
(Cathay, etc. 275, ccxlv.)
Many strange sayings have been unduly ascribed to our traveller, but I
remember none stranger than this by Colonel Tod: "Marco Polo calls
Cashgar, where he was in the 6th century, the birthplace of the Swedes"!
(Rajasthan, I. 60.) Petis de la Croix and Tod between them are
answerable for this nonsense. (See The Hist. of Genghizcan the Great, p.
116.)
On cotton, see ch. xxxvi. - On Nestorians, see Kanchau.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
OF THE GREAT CITY OF SAMARCAN.
Samarcan is a great and noble city towards the north-west, inhabited by
both Christians and Saracens, who are subject to the Great Kaan's nephew,
CAIDOU by name; he is, however, at bitter enmity with the Kaan.[NOTE 1]
I will tell you of a great marvel that happened at this city.
[Illustration: View of Samarcand. (From a sketch by Mr. Ivanoff.)
"Samarcan est une grandisme cite et noble."]
It is not a great while ago that SIGATAY, own brother to the Great Kaan,
who was Lord of this country and of many an one besides, became a
Christian.[NOTE 2] The Christians rejoiced greatly at this, and they built
a great church in the city, in honour of John the Baptist; and by his name
the church was called. And they took a very fine stone which belonged to
the Saracens, and placed it as the pedestal of a column in the middle of
the church, supporting the roof. It came to pass, however, that Sigatay
died. Now the Saracens were full of rancour about that stone that had been
theirs, and which had been set up in the church of the Christians; and
when they saw that the Prince was dead, they said one to another that now
was the time to get back their stone, by fair means or by foul. And that
they might well do, for they were ten times as many as the Christians. So
they gat together and went to the church and said that the stone they must
and would have. The Christians acknowledged that it was theirs indeed, but
offered to pay a large sum of money and so be quit. Howbeit, the others
replied that they never would give up the stone for anything in the world.
And words ran so high that the Prince heard thereof, and ordered the
Christians either to arrange to satisfy the Saracens, if it might be, with
money, or to give up the stone. And he allowed them three days to do
either the one thing or the other.