But
The Pillar Lifted Itself Up, That The Mahometans, Might Remove The
Contested Stone, And Still Continues Suspended In The Air.
Departing from this city, we came into the province of Charahan[2], which
is about five days journey in length, and has plenty of provisions.
The
inhabitants are mostly Mahometans, intermixed with some Nestorian
Christians, and are subject to the nephew of the great khan. They are
diligent artificers in various manufactures, but are much subject to thick
legs, and the goitres or large wens on their throats, occasioned by the
bad quality of the waters of the country. The province of Cotam follows
between the east and the north-east[3]. It is subject to the nephew of the
great khan, and has many cities and towns, the chief city being called
Cotam. This province extends eight days journey in length, and possesses
every thing necessary for life, in sufficient abundance; particularly
cotton, flax, hemp, corn, and wine. The people are Mahometans, and not
warlike, but are skilful in various articles of manufacture.
Proceeding through the same country, we come to the province of Peim,
extending four days journey in length, and containing many towns and
castles, the city of Peim being the chief, near which there is a river in
which jaspers and chalcedonies and other valuable stones are found. The
inhabitants, who are Mahometans, are expert manufacturers, and are subject
to the great khan. There is a custom in this province, that when any
married man goes to a distance from home, and remains absent for twenty
days, it is lawful for his wife to marry another husband; and reciprocally,
if the wife absents herself for twenty days, the husband may take another
wife.
The next province, Ciascian[4], of which the chief city is named Sartan, is
subject to the Tartars, and has many cities and castles. In its rivers
abundance of jaspers, chalcedonies, and other fine stones are found, which
are carried by merchants all the way to Ouchach or Kathay, and sold there
with great profit From Peim to Sartem, and quite through this latter
province, the soil is very sandy, having very little water, and that
generally bad. When an army passes through this province, all the
inhabitants take their wives and children, with all their cattle and
valuables, two days journey into the sands, to places where they know that
good water is to be found, and remain there till the army has quitted the
country; after harvest also, they uniformly take all their corn into the
desert, and hide it in pits, and the wind soon obliterates all traces of
their footsteps, so that their enemies are unable to discover where they
have deposited these precious hoards. After travelling for five days
through the sands from this province, we arrive at the great city of Lop,
which is at the entrance of a great desert called the Wilderness of Lop[5].
The inhabitants of this place are Mahometans, and are subject to the great
khan.
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