I Strongly Suspect The Minorites, For The Honour Of Oderic,
Have Ignorantly Borrowed And Exaggerated From Marco Polo, To Decorate
The Legend Of The Favourite Saint Of Udina.
- E.
SECTION XV.
Of the Inns established over the whole Empire, for the use of Travellers.
That travellers may have all things necessary throughout the whole empire,
the emperor has caused certain inns to be provided in sundry places upon
the highways, where all kinds of provisions are in continual readiness.
When any intelligence is to be communicated to him, his messengers ride
post on horses or dromedaries; and when themselves and their beasts are
weary, they blow their horns, and the people at the next inn provide a man
and horse in readiness to carry forward the dispatch. By this means,
intelligence, which would take thirty days in the ordinary way of
travelling, is transmitted in one day, and he is consequently immediately
informed of any important matter which may occur in the most distant parts
of his dominions.
About twenty days journey from Cambalu, there is a forest of six days
journey in circuit, containing an incredible number of different kinds of
beasts and birds, to which the khan usually goes for hunting, once in three
or four years, attended by his whole train. The attendants environ the
whole forest, and, with the assistance of dogs, drive all the lions, stags,
and other beasts before them, into a beautiful open plain in the midst of
the forest. Then the khan, mounted on a throne, carried by three elephants,
rides forwards to the throng of animals, and shoots five arrows among the
herd; and after him, all his barons in succession, and the rest of his
courtiers and family attendants, discharge their arrows in like manner.
Then all the surviving beasts are allowed to go away into the forest, and
all the people go among those beasts which are slain, and each person knows
by the particular marks on their own arrows, which of the beasts he has
right to.
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