Through This
City There Runs A River Of A Mile Broad, With Handsome Buildings On Both
Sides, And The River Is Constantly Covered With Vessels Carrying Sugar And
Other Goods.
This river disembogues itself at the distance of five days
journey south-east from Cangiu, into the sea at Zaitum all the country
between being extremely pleasant, and abounding in trees and shrubs of
camphor.
Zaitum is a famous port, and much frequented by ships with rich
cargoes from India, for the supply of Mangi and Kathay, and from this port
the productions of these regions are dispersed all over India. At this port
such quantities of pepper are imported, that what comes through Alexandria
into our western world is not to be compared to it, being hardly an
hundredth part. The concourse of merchants to this famous emporium is
incredible, as it is one of the most commodious ports in the whole world,
and is exceedingly productive in revenue to the great Khan, who receives
ten in the hundred of all merchandize. The merchants pay likewise so high
for freights, that not above a half of their cargoes remains to themselves
for sale, and yet of that moiety they make immense profits. The inhabitants
of Zaitum are idolaters, and much given to pleasure, and in it there are
many artizans employed in embroidery and arras-work[18].
This river is large, wide, and swift, one arm of it reaching to Quinsai,
and the other to Zaitum[19], and at the parting of these branches, the city
of Tringui is situated, where porcelain dishes are made[20]. I was told of
a certain earth which is cast up into conical heaps, and left exposed to
the weather for thirty or forty years without stirring; after which,
refined by time, it is made into dishes, which are painted and baked in
furnaces; and so cheap is this manufacture, that eight of these dishes may
be bought for one Venetian groat[21]. From this province of Concha, the
great Khan derives nearly as great a revenue as he does from Quinsai.
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