In A Valley Near This City, There Are
Astonishing Numbers Of Quails And Partridges, For The Maintenance Of Which
The
Khan causes millet and other seeds to be sown, that they may have
plenty of food; and a number of
People are appointed to take care that no
person may catch any of these birds, which are so tame, that they will
flock around their keepers at a whistle, to receive food from their hands.
There are also a great number of small huts built, in different parts of
the valley, for shelter to these birds, during the severity of winter,
where they are regularly fed by the keepers. By these means, when the
emperor chooses to come to this part of the country, he is certain to find
abundance of game; and during winter, he has great quantities sent to him
on camels, or other beasts of burden.
Three days journey south-west from Iangamur is the city of Ciandu[9], which
was built by the great emperor Kublai-khan, and in which he had a palace
erected, of marvellous art and beauty, ornamented with marble and other
rare stones. One side of this palace extends to the middle of the city, and
the other reaches to the city wall. On this side there is a great inclosed
park, extending sixteen miles in circuit, into which none can enter but by
the palace. In this inclosure there are pleasant meadows, groves, and
rivers, and it is well stocked with red and fallow deer, and other animals.
The khan has here a mew of about two hundred ger-falcons, which he goes to
see once a-week, and he causes them to be fed with the flesh of fawns. When
he rides out into this park, he often causes some leopards to be carried on
horseback, by people appointed for this purpose, and when he gives command,
a leopard is let loose, which immediately seizes a stag or deer; and he
takes great delight in this sport.
In the middle of a fine wood, the khan has a very elegant house built all
of wood, on pillars, richly gilt and varnished; on every one of the pillars
there is a dragon gilt all over, the tail being wound around the pillar,
while the head supports the roof, and the wings are expanded on each side.
The roof is composed of large canes, three hand breadths in diameter, and
ten yards long, split down the middle, all gilt and varnished, and so
artificially laid on that no rain can penetrate. The whole of this house
can be easily pulled down and taken to pieces, like a tent, and readily set
up again, as it is all built of cane, and very light; and when it is
erected, it is fastened by two hundred silken ropes, after the manner of
tent cords, to prevent it from being thrown down by the winds. Every thing
is arranged in this place for the pleasure and convenience of the khan, who
spends three months here annually, in June, July, and August; but on the
twenty-eighth day of August he always leaves this, to go to some other
place, for the performance of a solemn sacrifice.
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