He Follows His
Fathers Excellent Example, In Conducting His Government With Great Equity
And Justice, And Is Much Beloved And Respected By The People.
Proceeding three days to the westward, from the palace of Mangalu, through
a very beautiful plain, adorned with many
Cities and castles, which have
great abundance of silk and other manufactures, we come to a mountainous
district of the province of Chunchian, in the vallies of which there are
many villages and hamlets; the inhabitants being idolaters and husbandmen.
In these mountains they hunt lions, bears, stags, roebucks, deer, and
wolves. The plain is two days over, and for twenty days journey to the
west, the country is well inhabited, and finely diversified with mountains,
vallies, and woods. At the end of these twenty days, there lies, towards
the west, a populous province called Achbaluch Mangi, or the white city
on the borders of Mangi. On entering this province, we find a plain of two
days journey in extent, and containing a prodigious number of villages;
beyond which the country is diversified with mountains, vallies, and woods,
yet all well inhabited. In these mountains there are plenty of wild beasts,
among which are the animals that produce musk. This province produces rice
and other grain, and abundance of ginger. After twenty days journey through
these hills, we come to a plain and a province on the confines of Mangi,
called Sindinfu. The city of the same name is very large, and exceedingly
rich, being twenty miles in circumference; of old, this city and province
was governed by a race of rich and powerful kings. On the death of an old
king, he left the succession among three sons, who divided the city into
three parts, each surrounded by its own wall, yet all contained within the
former wall of the city; but the great khan subjected the city and province
to his dominion. Through this city and its environs there run many rivers,
some half a mile over, and some an hundred paces, all very deep; and on
these there are many handsome stone bridges, eight paces broad, having
marble pillars on each side, supporting wooden roofs, and on every bridge
there are houses and shops. After passing this city, all these rivers unite
into one great river called the Quian, or Kian, which runs from hence one
hundred days journey before it reaches the ocean; having many cities and
castles on its banks, with innumerable trading vessels. Proceeding four
days journey farther, we pass through a fine plain, containing many cities,
castles, and villages, and several beautiful green lawns or pastures, in
which there are many wild beasts.
Beyond this last mentioned plain is the wide country of Thebet, or Thibet,
which the great khan vanquished and laid waste; and in it there are many
ruined cities and castles, for the space of twenty days journey, which has
become an uninhabited wilderness, full of lions and other wild beasts.
Those who have to travel through this country must carry victuals along
with them, and must use precautions to defend themselves against the
ferocious animals of the desert.
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