The Inhabitants Are Idolaters, And Have A Peculiar
Language.
The king has about three hundred wives.
The province has much
gold and many spices, but these cannot be easily transported, as it is far
distant from the sea. It has also many elephants and much game. The
inhabitants live on flesh, rice, and milk, having no wine, but they make an
excellent drink of rice and spices. Both men and women ornament their
faces, necks, hands, bellies, and legs, with the figures of lions, dragons,
and birds, and these are so firmly imprinted, as to be almost indelible.
There are in this country professors of this foolish art of skin
embroidery, who follow no other trade but this needle work, and dying of
fools skins; and the person who has the greatest number and variety of
these images, is considered the finest and most gallantly ornamented.
Amu or Aniu, twenty-five days journey to the east of the province of
Cangigu, is subject to the great khan, and its inhabitants are idolaters
who have a peculiar language. This country abounds in provisions, and has
great quantities of cattle and many horses; and these last being excellent,
are carried by the merchants for sale into India. The country is full of
excellent pastures, and therefore abounds in buffalos and oxen. Both men
and women wear bracelets of gold and silver of great value on their legs
and arms, but those of the women are the most valuable.
The province of Tholoman, which is likewise subject to the great khan, is
at the distance of eight days journey east from Amu; the inhabitants are
idolaters, and use a peculiar language; both men and women are tall, well
shaped, and of a brown complexion.
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