- The history of the Tartar conquerors of China, whether Khitan,
Churche, Mongol, or Manchu, has always been the same. For one or two
generations the warlike character and manly habits were maintained; and
then the intruders, having adopted Chinese manners, ceremonies, literature,
and civilization, sank into more than Chinese effeminacy and degradation.
We see the custom of employing only female attendants ascribed in a later
chapter (lxxvii.) to the Sung Emperors at Kinsay; and the same was the
custom of the later Ming emperors, in whose time the imperial palace was
said to contain 5000 women. Indeed, the precise custom which this passage
describes was in our own day habitually reported of the T'ai-P'ing
sovereign during his reign at Nanking: "None but women are allowed in the
interior of the Palace, and he is drawn to the audience-chamber in a
gilded sacred dragon-car by the ladies" (Blakiston, p. 42; see also
Wilson's Ever-Victorious Army, p. 41.)
[1] [There is no trace of it in Harlez's French translation from the Manchu
of the History of the Kin Empire, 1887. - H.C.]
[2] See also Oppert (p. 157), who cites this story from Visdelou, but does
not notice its analogy to Polo's.
CHAPTER XXXIX.
HOW PRESTER JOHN TREATED THE GOLDEN KING HIS PRISONER.
And on this the Golden King was so sorely grieved that he was like to die.
And he said to them: "Good, my sons, for God's sake have pity and
compassion upon me. Ye wot well what honourable and kindly entertainment ye
have had in my house; and now ye would deliver me into the hands of mine
enemy! In sooth, if ye do what ye say, ye will do a very naughty and
disloyal deed, and a right villainous." But they answered only that so it
must be, and away they had him to Prester John their Lord.
And when Prester John beheld the King he was right glad, and greeted him
with something like a malison.[1] The King answered not a word, as if he
wist not what it behoved him to say. So Prester John ordered him to be
taken forth straightway, and to be put to look after cattle, but to be well
looked after himself also. So they took him and set him to keep cattle.
This did Prester John of the grudge he bore the King, to heap contumely on
him, and to show what a nothing he was, compared to himself.
And when the King had thus kept cattle for two years, Prester John sent for
him, and treated him with honour, and clothed him in rich robes, and said
to him: "Now Sir King, art thou satisfied that thou wast in no way a man to
stand against me?" "Truly, my good Lord, I know well and always did know
that I was in no way a man to stand against thee." And when he had said
this Prester John replied: "I ask no more; but henceforth thou shalt be
waited on and honourably treated." So he caused horses and harness of war
to be given him, with a goodly train, and sent him back to his own country.
And after that he remained ever friendly to Prester John, and held fast by
him.
So now I will say no more of this adventure of the Golden King, but I will
proceed with our subject.
[1] "Lui dist que il feust le mal venuz."
CHAPTER XL.
CONCERNING THE GREAT RIVER CARAMORAN AND THE CITY OF CACHANFU.
When you leave the castle, and travel about 20 miles westward, you come to
a river called CARAMORAN,[NOTE 1] so big that no bridge can be thrown
across it; for it is of immense width and depth, and reaches to the Great
Ocean that encircles the Universe, - I mean the whole earth. On this river
there are many cities and walled towns, and many merchants too therein,
for much traffic takes place upon the river, there being a great deal of
ginger and a great deal of silk produced in the country.[NOTE 2]
Game birds here are in wonderful abundance, insomuch that you may buy at
least three pheasants for a Venice groat of silver. I should say rather
for an asper, which is worth a little more.[NOTE 3]
[On the lands adjoining this river there grow vast quantities of great
canes, some of which are a foot or a foot and a half (in girth), and these
the natives employ for many useful purposes.]
After passing the river and travelling two days westward you come to the
noble city of CACHANFU, which we have already named. The inhabitants are
all Idolaters. And I may as well remind you again that all the people of
Cathay are Idolaters. It is a city of great trade and of work in
gold-tissues of many sorts, as well as other kinds of industry.
There is nothing else worth mentioning, and so we will proceed and tell
you of a noble city which is the capital of a kingdom, and is called
Kenjanfu.
NOTE 1. - Kara-Muren, or Black River, is one of the names applied by the
Mongols to the Hwang Ho, or Yellow River, of the Chinese, and is used by
all the mediaeval western writers, e.g. Odoric, John Marignolli,
Rashiduddin.
The River, where it skirts Shan-si, is for the most part difficult both of
access and of passage, and ill adapted to navigation, owing to the
violence of the stream. Whatever there is of navigation is confined to the
transport of coal down-stream from Western Shan-si, in large flats. Mr.
Elias, who has noted the River's level by aneroid at two points 920 miles
apart, calculated the fall over that distance, which includes the contour
of Shan-si, at 4 feet per mile.
