And, when the eagles
themselves are taken, diamonds are found in their stomachs.
So now I have told you three different ways in which these stones are
found. No other country but this kingdom of Mutfili produces them, but
there they are found both abundantly and of large size. Those that are
brought to our part of the world are only the refuse, as it were, of the
finer and larger stones. For the flower of the diamonds and other large
gems, as well as the largest pearls, are all carried to the Great Kaan and
other Kings and Princes of those regions; in truth they possess all the
great treasures of the world.[NOTE 2]
In this kingdom also are made the best and most delicate buckrams, and
those of highest price; in sooth they look like tissue of spider's web!
There is no King nor Queen in the world but might be glad to wear them.
[NOTE 3] The people have also the largest sheep in the world, and great
abundance of all the necessaries of life.
There is now no more to say; so I will next tell you about a province
called Lar from which the Abraiaman come.
NOTE 1. - There is no doubt that the kingdom here spoken of is that of
TELINGANA (Tiling of the Mahomedan writers), then ruled by the Kakateya
or Ganapati dynasty reigning at Warangol, north-east of Hyderabad. But
Marco seems to give the kingdom the name of that place in it which was
visited by himself or his informants. MUTFILI is, with the usual Arab
modification (e.g. Perlec, Ferlec - Pattan, Faitan), a port called
MOTUPALLE, in the Gantur district of the Madras Presidency, about 170
miles north of Fort St. George. Though it has dropt out of most of our
modern maps it still exists, and a notice of it is to be found in W.
Hamilton, and in Milburne. The former says: "Mutapali, a town situated
near the S. extremity of the northern Circars. A considerable coasting
trade is carried on from hence in the craft navigated by natives," which
can come in closer to shore than at other ports on that coast. - [Cf.
Hunter, Gaz. India, Motupalli, "now only an obscure fishing
village." - It is marked in Constable's Hand Atlas of India. - H.C.]
The proper territory of the Kingdom of Warangol lay inland, but the last
reigning prince before Polo's visit to India, by name Kakateya Pratapa
Ganapati Rudra Deva, had made extensive conquests on the coast, including
Nellore, and thence northward to the frontier of Orissa. This prince left
no male issue, and his widow, RUDRAMA DEVI, daughter of the Raja of
Devagiri, assumed the government and continued to hold it for
twenty-eight, or, as another record states, for thirty-eight years, till
the son of her daughter had attained majority.
