It Has Many Large Suburbs, Which Contain More Inhabitants
Than Even The City Itself.
There are twelve principal gates; and at the
distance of about eight miles from every one of these there is a large
city, each of them larger, in my opinion, than Venice or Padua.
The city of
Canasia is situated among waters or lakes, which are always stagnant,
without flux or reflux, and it is defended against the violence of the wind
in the same manner as Venice. In this city there are more than 10,002
bridges[2], many of which I counted and passed over; and on every one of
these, there stand certain watchmen, constantly keeping guard for the great
khan, or emperor of Cathay. The people of the country informed me that they
have to pay, as tribute to their lord, one balis for every fire. Now one
balis consists of five pieces of silken paper, which are worth one florin
and a half of our coin. Ten or twelve households are counted as one fire,
and only pay accordingly. All these tributary fires amount to eighty-five
tomans, besides four tomans of the Saracens, making in all eighty-nine
tomans; and one toman contains 10,000 fires[3]. The residue of the people
consist of some Christians, some merchants, and some who travel through the
country. I marvelled how it were possible for such an infinite number of
people to live together, and get food; yet there is great abundance of
provisions, such as bread and wine, and other necessaries, especially hogs
flesh.
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