To This The Khan Answered, "Since You Glory
In Your Shame, You May Go And Act According To Your Customs." The
Messengers Who Brought Back This Favourable Answer, Were Received With
Great Rejoicings By The Nation; And The Above Custom Continued When I Marco
Was Among Them.
After leaving the province of Chamil, we enter into that of
Chinchintalas[3], subject to the great khan, which is bounded by the desert
on the north, and is sixteen days journey in length.
It has large cities
and many castles, the inhabitants being divided into three sects or
religions: The greater number are idolaters, a considerable number are
Mahometans, and a small proportion are Nestorian Christians. In this
province there are mountains containing mines of steel, and andanicum or
audanicum, and also a mineral substance called salamander or asbestos, from
the wool of which an incombustible cloth is manufactured, which, if cast
into the fire does not burn. This cloth is actually made of stone in the
following manner, as I was informed by a Turk named Curifar, an intelligent
industrious person of my acquaintance, who had the superintendence of the
mines in this province. A certain mineral is found in these mountains,
which yields fibres resembling wool: After being thoroughly dried in the
sun, this substance is pounded in a brass mortar, and then washed to remove
all earthy impurities; and the clean fibrous matter is spun in the same
manner as wool, and woven into cloth. When this cloth requires to be
cleaned or whitened, it is thrown into the fire for an hour, and is then
taken out unhurt, and as white as snow.
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