So When They Saw They Could Hold Out No
Longer They Gave Themselves Up, On Condition That Their Lives Should Be
Spared, But Still That They Should Never Quit The Island.
And this befel
in the year of our Lord 1279.[NOTE 1] The Great Kaan ordered the Baron
who had fled so disgracefully to lose his head.
And afterwards he caused
the other also, who had been left on the Island, to be put to death, for
he had never behaved as a good soldier ought to do.[NOTE 2]
But I must tell you a wonderful thing that I had forgotten, which happened
on this expedition.
You see, at the beginning of the affair, when the Kaan's people had landed
on the great Island and occupied the open country as I told you, they
stormed a tower belonging to some of the islanders who refused to
surrender, and they cut off the heads of all the garrison except eight; on
these eight they found it impossible to inflict any wound! Now this was by
virtue of certain stones which they had in their arms inserted between the
skin and the flesh, with such skill as not to show at all externally. And
the charm and virtue of these stones was such that those who wore them
could never perish by steel. So when the Barons learned this they ordered
the men to be beaten to death with clubs. And after their death the stones
were extracted from the bodies of all, and were greatly prized.[NOTE 3]
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