[On the Falco peregrinus, Lin., and other Falcons, see Ed. Blanc's paper
mentioned on p. 162. The Falco Saker is to be found all over Central
Asia; it is called by the Pekingese Hwang-yng (yellow falcon), (David
et Oustalet, Oiseaux de la Chine, 31-32.) - H. C.]
CHAPTER LVII.
OF THE KINGDOM OF ERGUIUL, AND PROVINCE OF SINJU.
On leaving Campichu, then, you travel five days across a tract in which
many spirits are heard speaking in the night season; and at the end of
those five marches, towards the east, you come to a kingdom called
ERGUIUL, belonging to the Great Kaan. It is one of the several kingdoms
which make up the great Province of Tangut. The people consist of
Nestorian Christians, Idolaters, and worshippers of Mahommet.[NOTE 1]
There are plenty of cities in this kingdom, but the capital is ERGUIUL.
You can travel in a south-easterly direction from this place into the
province of Cathay. Should you follow that road to the south-east, you
come to a city called SINJU, belonging also to Tangut, and subject to the
Great Kaan, which has under it many towns and villages.[NOTE 2] The
population is composed of Idolaters, and worshippers of Mahommet, but
there are some Christians also. There are wild cattle in that country
[almost] as big as elephants, splendid creatures, covered everywhere but
on the back with shaggy hair a good four palms long. They are partly
black, partly white, and really wonderfully fine creatures [and the hair
or wool is extremely fine and white, finer and whiter than silk. Messer
Marco brought some to Venice as a great curiosity, and so it was reckoned
by those who saw it]. There are also plenty of them tame, which have been
caught young. [They also cross these with the common cow, and the cattle
from this cross are wonderful beasts, and better for work than other
animals.] These the people use commonly for burden and general work, and
in the plough as well; and at the latter they will do full twice as much
work as any other cattle, being such very strong beasts.[NOTE 3]
In this country too is found the best musk in the world; and I will tell
you how 'tis produced. There exists in that region a kind of wild animal
like a gazelle. It has feet and tail like the gazelle's, and stag's hair
of a very coarse kind, but no horns. It has four tusks, two below and two
above, about three inches long, and slender in form, one pair growing
upwards, and the other downwards. It is a very pretty creature. The musk
is found in this way. When the creature has been taken, they find at the
navel between the flesh and the skin something like an impostume full of
blood, which they cut out and remove with all the skin attached to it.
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