For 26 Years They Were Either Engaged In Mercantile
Transactions, Or Employed In Negociations With The Neighbouring States By
The Khan; They Were Thus Enabled To See Much, And To Collect Much Important
Information, The Result Of Which Was Drawn Up By Marco Polo.
He was the
first European who reached China, India beyond the Ganges, and the greater
number of the islands in the Indian Ocean.
He describes Japan from the
accounts of others: notices great and little Java, supposed to be Borneo
and Sumatra; and is the first who mentions Bengal and Guzerat by their
present names, as great and opulent kingdoms. On the east coast of Africa,
his knowledge did not reach beyond Zanguebar, and the port of Madagascar
opposite to it: he first made known this island to Europe. Such is a sketch
of the countries described by Marco Polo; from which it will easily be
perceived, how much he added to the geographical knowledge of Asia
possessed at that period.
The information he gives respecting the commerce of the countries he either
visited himself, or describes from the reports of others, is equally
important. Beginning with the more western parts of Asia, he mentions
Giazza, a city in the Levant, as possessed of a most excellent harbour,
which was much frequented by Genoese and Venetian vessels, for spices and
other merchandize. Rich silks were manufactured in Georgia, Bagdat, Tauris,
and Persia, which were the source of great wealth to the manufacturers and
merchants. All the pearls in Christendom are brought from Bagdat. The
merchants from India bring spices, pearls, precious stones, &c. to Ormus:
the vessels of this port are described as very stoutly built, with one
mast, one deck, and one sail. Among the most remarkable cities of China, he
particularly notices Cambalu, or Pekin, Nankin, and Quinsai. At the
distance of 2,500 Italian miles from this last city, was the port of Cauzu,
at which a considerable trade was carried on with India and the spice
islands. The length of the voyage, in consequence of the monsoons, was a
year. From the spice islands was brought, besides other articles, a
quantity of pepper, infinitely greater than what was imported at
Alexandria, though that place supplied all Europe. He represents the
commerce and wealth of China as very great; and adds, that at Cambalu,
where the merchants had their distinct warehouses, (in which they also
lived,) according to the nation to which they belonged, a large proportion
of them were Saracens. The money was made of the middle bark of the
mulberry, stamped with the khan's mark. Letters were conveyed at the rate
of 200 or 250 miles a day, by means of inns at short distances, where
relays of horses were always kept. The tenth of all wool, silk, and hemp,
and all other articles, the produce of the earth, was paid to the khan:
sugar, spices, and arrack, paid only 3-1/2 per cent. The inland trade is
immense, and is carried on principally by numerous vessels on the canals
and rivers.
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