Born 1220.—Died about 1293, or 1294.
Born in Brabant—Travels into Egypt—Despatched by St. Louis on
a mission into Tartary—Constantinople—Black Sea—Traverses the
Crimea—Imagines himself in a new world—Moving city—Extreme
ugliness of the Tartars—Desert of Kipjak—Tombs of the
Comans—Crosses the Tanais—Travels on foot—Camp of Sartak—Goes
to court—Religious procession—Departs—Reaches the camp
of Batou—Is extremely terrified—Makes a speech to the
khan—Is commanded to advance farther into Tartary—Suffers
extraordinary privations—Travels four months over the steppes
of Tartary—Miraculous old age of the pope—Wild asses—Distant
view of the Caucasus—Orrighers—Point of prayer—Buddhists—Court
of Mangou Khan—Audience—Appearance and behaviour of the
emperor—Karakorum—Disputes with the idolaters—Golden
fountain—Returns to Syria Page 17