Is easily miswritten for VII., which
would be a just number.
NOTE 2. - In our day, as I learn from Pandit Manphul, the mines of rock
salt are at Ak Bulak, near the Lataband Pass, and at Daruna, near the
Kokcha, and these supply the whole of Badakhshan, as well as Kunduz and
Chitral. These sites are due east of Talikan, and are in Badakhshan. But
there is a mine at Chal, S.E. or S.S.E. of Talikan and within the same
province. There are also mines of rock-salt near the famous "stone bridge"
in Kulab, north of the Oxus, and again on the south of the Alai steppe.
(Papers by Manphul and by Faiz Baksh; also Notes by Feachenko.)
Both pistachioes and wild almonds are mentioned by Pandit Manphul; and see
Wood (p. 252) on the beauty and profusion of the latter.
NOTE 3. - Wood thinks that the Tajik inhabitants of Badakhshan and the
adjoining districts are substantially of the same race as the Kafir tribes
of Hindu Kush. At the time of Polo's visit it would seem that their
conversion to Islam was imperfect. They were probably in that transition
state which obtains in our own day for some of the Hill Mahomedans
adjoining the Kafirs on the south side of the mountains the reproachful
title of Nimchah Musulman, or Half-and-halfs. Thus they would seem to
have retained sundry Kafir characteristics; among others that love of wine
which is so strong among the Kafirs.
