Garrison, and that the smallest of such garrisons musters 1000
men; whilst there are some of 10,000, 20,000 and 30,000; so that the total
number of troops is something scarcely calculable. The troops forming
these garrisons are not all Tartars. Many are from the province of Cathay,
and good soldiers too. But you must not suppose they are by any means all
of them cavalry; a very large proportion of them are foot-soldiers,
according to the special requirements of each city. And all of them belong
to the army of the Great Kaan.[NOTE 11]
I repeat that everything appertaining to this city is on so vast a scale,
and the Great Kaan's yearly revenues therefrom are so immense, that it is
not easy even to put it in writing, and it seems past belief to one who
merely hears it told. But I will write it down for you.
First, however, I must mention another thing. The people of this country
have a custom, that as soon as a child is born they write down the day and
hour and the planet and sign under which its birth has taken place; so
that every one among them knows the day of his birth.
