- Forst. No Such Appellation Is To Be
Found In Modern Geography; But The Discontinuance Of The Designations,
Of Temporary And Continually Changing Associations Of The Wandering
Tribes Of The Desert, Is Not To Be Wondered At, And Even If Their
Records Were Preserved, They Would Be Altogether Unimportant.
- E.
SECTION IX.
Of the vast Countries to the North of Tartary, and many other curious
Particulars.
We now return to Campion, or Kantcheou, on the river Etzine. Proceeding
thence five days journey towards the east, we come to the country of
Erginul[1] in the province of Tangut, which is subject to the great khan.
In this kingdom there are many idolaters, with some Nestorians and Turks.
It contains many cities and castles, the chief place being of the same name
with the province.
Going south-east from this place towards Kathay, we come to the famous city
of Cinguy[2], situated in a province of the same name, which is tributary
to the great khan, and is contained in the kingdom of Tangut. Some of the
people are Christians, some of them Mahometans, and others are idolaters.
In this country there are certain wild cattle, nearly as large as
elephants, with black and white hair, which is short all over the body,
except on the shoulders, where it is three spans long, exceedingly fine,
pure white, and in many respects more beautiful than silk. I brought some
of this hair to Venice as a rarity. Many of these oxen are tamed and broke
in for labour, for which they are better adapted, by their strength, than
any other creatures, as they bear very heavy burdens, and when yoked in the
plough will do twice the work of others.
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