And
though a good deal is exported, much is consumed in the province, for the
people are very much given to costly apparel. Thus silk goods are very
conspicuous in the shops of the capital. (Richthofen.)
[1] My lamented friend Lieutenant F. Garnier had kindly undertaken to send
me a plan of Ch'eng-tu fu from the place itself, but, as is well
known, he fell on a daring enterprise elsewhere. [We hope that the
plan from a Chinese map we give from M. Marcel Monnier's
Itineraires will replace the promised one.
It will be seen that Ch'eng-tu is divided into three cities: the Great
City containing both the Imperial and Tartar cities. - H.C.
[2] I find the same expression applied to the miskal or dinar in a MS.
letter written by Giovanni dell' Affaitado, Venetian Agent at Lisbon
in 1503, communicated to me by Signor Berchet. The King of Melinda was
to pay to Portugal a tribute of 1500 pesi d'oro, "che un peso
val un ducato e un quarto."
CHAPTER XLV.
CONCERNING THE PROVINCE OF TEBET.
After those five days' march that I spoke of, you enter a province which
has been sorely ravaged; and this was done in the wars of Mongu Kaan.
There are indeed towns and villages and hamlets, but all harried and
destroyed.[NOTE 1]
