At The End Of These Three Days
Journey, We Come To Quinsay, Or Guinsai, Its Name Signifying The City Of
Heaven, to denote its excellence above all the other cities of the world,
in which there are so much riches,
And so many pleasures and enjoyments,
that a person might conceive himself in paradise. In this great city, I,
Marco, have often been, and have considered it with diligent attention,
observing its whole state and circumstances, and setting down the same in
my memorials, of which I shall here give a brief abstract. By common
report, this city is an hundred miles in circuit[1]. The streets and lanes
are very long and wide, and it has many large market places. On one side of
the city there is a clear lake of fresh water, and on the other there is a
great river, which enters into the city in many places, and carries away
all the filth into the lake, whence it continues its course into the ocean.
This abundant course of running water causes a healthful circulation of
pure air, and gives commodious passage in many directions both by land and
water, through those numerous canals, as by means of these and the
causeways, by which they are bordered, carts and barks have free
intercourse for the carriage of merchandize and provisions. It is said that
there are twelve thousand bridges, great and small, in this city, and those
over the principal canals are so high, that a vessel without her masts may
go through underneath, while chariots and horses pass above.
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