NOTE 6. - "Note is taken at every post," says Amyot, in speaking of the
Chinese practice of last century, "of the time of the courier's arrival,
in order that it may be known at what point delays have occurred."
(Mem. VIII. 185.)
NOTE 7. - The post-system is described almost exactly as in the text by
Friar Odoric and the Archbishop of Soltania, in the generation after Polo,
and very much in the same way by Magaillans in the 17th century. Posts had
existed in China from an old date. They are spoken of by Mas'udi and the
Relations of the 9th century. They were also employed under the ancient
Persian kings; and they were in use in India, at least in the generation
after Polo. The Mongols, too, carried the institution wherever they went.
Polo describes the couriers as changed at short intervals, but more
usually in Asiatic posts the same man rides an enormous distance. The
express courier in Tibet, as described by "the Pandit," rides from Gartokh
to Lhasa, a distance of 800 miles, travelling day and night. The courier's
coat is sealed upon him, so that he dares not take off his clothes till
the seal is officially broken on his arrival at the terminus. These
messengers had faces cracked, eyes bloodshot and sunken, and bodies raw
with vermin. (J. R. G. S. XXXVIII. p. 149.) The modern Turkish post from
Constantinople to Baghdad, a distance of 1100 miles, is done in twenty
days by four Tartars riding night and day. The changes are at Sivas,
Diarbekir, and Mosul. M. Tchihatcheff calculates that the night riding
accomplishes only one quarter of the whole. (Asie Mineure, 2'de Ptie.
632-635.) - See I. p. 352, pai tze.
CHAPTER XXVII.
HOW THE EMPEROR BESTOWS HELP ON HIS PEOPLE, WHEN THEY ARE AFFLICTED WITH
DEARTH OR MURRAIN.
Now you must know that the Emperor sends his Messengers over all his Lands
and Kingdoms and Provinces, to ascertain from his officers if the people
are afflicted by any dearth through unfavourable seasons, or storms or
locusts, or other like calamity; and from those who have suffered in this
way no taxes are exacted for that year; nay more, he causes them to be
supplied with corn of his own for food and seed. Now this is undoubtedly a
great bounty on his part. And when winter comes, he causes inquiry to be
made as to those who have lost their cattle, whether by murrain or other
mishap, and such persons not only go scot free, but get presents of
cattle. And thus, as I tell you, the Lord every year helps and fosters the
people subject to him.
[There is another trait of the Great Kaan I should tell you; and that is,
that if a chance shot from his bow strike any herd or flock, whether
belonging to one person or to many, and however big the flock may be, he
takes no tithe thereof for three years.
