When the Tartars had subdued a large portion of the earth, they came into

the country of the old man, and took from him his paradise. Being greatly

incensed at this, he sent out many of his resolute and desperate

dependents, by whom numbers of the Tartar nobles were slain. Upon this, the

Tartars besieged the city of the old man of the mountain; and, making him

prisoner, they put him to a cruel and ignominious death.

[1] It is impossible to explain this strange word, Melistorte. the

dominions of the old man of the mountain, and his earthly paradise, in

some other travels of the present volume, are said to have been

situated in the north of Persia.--E.

SECTION XX.

_Of several wonderful things in those parts_.

In that place[1], the friars have the special gift, that, through the power

of the name of Jesus Christ, and of his precious blood, which was shed on

the cross for the remission of our sins, they speedily expel devils from

those who are possessed. And as there are many possessed persons in those

parts, they are brought bound, from the distance of ten days journey all

around, to the friars; and being dispossessed of the unclean spirits, they

immediately believe in Christ, who hath delivered them, and are baptized in

his name, delivering up to the friars all their idols, and the idols of

their cattle, which are usually made of felt, or of womens hair. Then the

friars kindle a great fire in some public place, into which they cast the

idols before all the people. At the first, the idols used to come out of

the fire; but the friars, having sprinkled the fire with holy water, threw

in the idols again, where they were consumed to ashes; and the devils fled

away in the likeness of black smoke, when a noise was heard in the air,

crying out aloud, "Behold how I am expelled from my habitation!" By these

means, the friars have baptized great multitudes; but they mostly return

soon again to their idols, on which account, the friars have continually to

abide among them, to exhort and instruct them in the faith.

I saw another terrible thing in those parts. Passing by a certain valley,

near a pleasant river, I saw many dead bodies therein, and I heard issuing

therefrom many sweet and harmonious musical sounds, especially of lutes;

insomuch that I was much amazed. This valley is at least seven or eight

miles long, into which, whoever enters, is sure to die immediately; for

which cause, all who travel by that way pass by on one side, no one being

able to travel through that valley and live. But I was curious to go in,

that I might see what it contained. Making therefore my prayers, and

recommending myself to God, I entered in, and saw such vast quantities of

dead bodies, as no one would believe, unless he had seen them with his own

eyes. At one side of the valley, I saw the visage of a man upon a stone,

which stared at me with such a hideous aspect, that I thought to have died

on the spot. But I ceased not to sign myself with the sign of the cross,

continually saying "The Word became flesh, and dwelt with us." Yet I dared

not to approach nearer than seven or eight paces; and at length, I fled to

another part of the valley. I then ascended a little sand hill; from

whence, looking around, I saw on every side the before mentioned lutes,

which seemed to me to sound of themselves in a most miraculous manner,

without the aid of any musicians. On the top of this sand hill, I found

great quantities of silver, resembling the scales of fishes, and gathered

some of this into the bosom of my habit, to shew as a wonder; but, my

conscience rebuking me, I threw it all away, and so, by the blessing of

God, I departed in safety. When the people of the country knew that I had

returned alive from the valley of the dead, they reverenced me greatly;

saying, that the dead bodies were subject to the infernal spirits, who were

in use to play upon lutes, to entice men into the valley, that they might

die; but as I was a baptized and holy person, I had escaped the danger.

Thus much I have related, which I certainly beheld with mine own eyes; but

I have purposely omitted many wonderful things, because those who had not

seen them would refuse to believe my testimony.

[1] The place in which these wonderful things were seen, is no where

indicated; neither is the omission to be regretted, as the whole is

evidently fabulous.--E.

SECTION XXI.

_Of the Honour and Reverence shewn to the Great Khan_.

I shall here report one thing more concerning the great khan of Cathay, of

which I was a witness. It is customary, when he travels through any part of

his wide dominions, that his subjects kindle fires before their doors, in

such places as he means to pass, into which they fling spices and perfumes,

that he may be regaled by their sweet odour. And numberless multitudes

flock from all quarters, to meet him, and do him homage. Upon a certain

time, when the approach of the khan to Cambalu was announced, one of our

bishops, together with several minorite friars and myself, went out two

days journey from the city to meet him. When we came nigh to his presence,

we bore aloft a cross upon a pole, and began to sing _Veni Creator_, in a

loud voice, while I carried the censer. When he came up to the place where

we were singing by the way side, he called us to come towards him; for no

man dare approach within a stones throw of his chariot, unless called,

except those only who are appointed to attend upon his person. When we came

near, he took off his cap or helmet, of inestimable value, and did

reverence to the cross. I immediately put incense into the censer; and the

bishop, taking the censer into his own hands, perfumed the khan, and gave

him his benediction. Besides this, as those who approach the great khan

always bring with them some offering to present to him, according to the

ancient law. "Thou shalt not come empty handed into my presence," so we

carried some apples along with us, and reverently offered them to him on a

salver; and he was pleased to take two of our apples, of one of which he

eat a part. The khan then gave a sign for us to depart, lest we might have

been injured by the crowd of horses; upon which we turned aside to certain

of his barons, who had been converted to the Christian faith, and who were

then in his train, to whom we offered the remainder of our apples, which

they joyfully received, as If we had made them some great gift.

SECTION XXII

_Conclusion of the Travels, and Account of the Death of Friar Oderic_.

All the above were put down in writing by friar William de Solanga, as

dictated to him by friar Oderic, in the year of our Lord 1330, in the month

of May, and in the place of St Anthony at Padua. He hath not attempted to

render these relations into fine Latin, or in an eloquent style, but hath

written them even as rehearsed by Oderic himself.

I, friar Oderic of Portenau, in the Friuli, of the order of minorites, do

hereby testify, and bear witness to the reverend father Guidotus, minister

of the province of St Anthony, in the marquisate of Trevigi, by whom I was

commanded so to do, that all which is here written, was either seen by

myself or reported to me by credible and worthy persons; and the common

report of the countries through which I travelled, testifies all those

things which I have seen and related to be true. Many other wonderful

things I have omitted, because they were not seen by myself. It is farther

mine intention, soon again to travel into foreign and far distant lands, in

which I may live or die, as it may please the Almighty Disposer of events.

In the year of our Lord 1331, friar Oderic, resolving to enter upon his

intended journey, determined to present himself before Pope John XXII[1] on

purpose to receive his benediction, that his labour might be the more

prosperous; as he intended to travel into the countries of the infidels,

with certain friars who had agreed to accompany him. While journeying to

the residence of the pope, and not far distant from the city of Pisa, he

was encountered by an old man in the garb of a pilgrim, who saluted him by

name, saying, "Hail to you, friar Oderic." And when Oderic inquired how he

should know him, the old man answered, "While you were in India, I well

knew both you and your holy purpose; but now be warned from me, and return

to the convent whence you came, for in ten days you shall depart out of

this world." Upon this the old man immediately vanished, from his sight;

and Oderic, amazed at his words, determined to return to his convent, which

he did in perfect health, feeling no illness, or decay of his body or

faculties. And ten days afterwards, being then in his convent at Udina, in

the province of Padua, and having received the holy communion, as preparing

himself unto God, yea, being strong and sound of body, he happily rested in

the Lord, according as it had been revealed. Which holy death was signified

unto the foresaid supreme pontiff, under the hand of a public notary, in

the following words:

"On the 14th of January, in the year of our Lord 1331, the blessed Oderic,

a friar of the minorite order, deceased in Christ; at whose prayers God

shewed many and sundry miracles, which I, Guetelus, public notary of Udina,

son of Dora. Damiano de Portu Gruario, at the command and direction of the

noble lord Conradus, of the borough of Gastaldion, one of the council of

Udina, have written down with good faith to the best of my abilities; and I

have delivered a copy of the same to the friars minors: Yet not of the

whole, because they are innumerable, and too difficult for, me to write."

[1] This pope reigned from about 1317 to 1334, so that the original editor,

or fabricator of these travels, has so for been fortunate in his

chronology.--E.

CHAP. XIII.

_Travels of Sir John Mandeville into the East, in_ 1322[1].

The travels of Sir John Mandevil, or Mandeville, are to be found in Latin

in Haklyuts collection. An edition of this strange performance was

published in 8vo. at London in 1727, by Mr Le Neve, from a MS. in the

Cotton Library. This old English version is said to have been made by the

author from his own original composition in Latin. It is a singular mixture

of real or fictitious travels, and compilation from the works of others

without acknowledgement, containing many things copied from the travels of

Oderic, and much of it is culled, in a similar manner, from the writings of

the ancients. Though, from these circumstances, it is a work of no

authenticity and unworthy of credit, it has been judged indispensable to

give some account of its nature and contents.

Mandeville affirms that he was descended of an ancient and noble family,

and was born at St Albans. After receiving the rudiments of a liberal

education, he says that he studied mathematics, physic, and divinity, and

wrote books on all these sciences; and became expert in all the exercises

then befitting a gentleman. Having a desire to travel, he crossed the sea

in 1322, or 1332, for different manuscripts give both dates, and set out on

a journey through France towards the Holy Land, a description of which

country, replete with monkish tales, and filled with the most absurd holy

fables, occupies half of his ridiculous book. In the very outset he

pretends to have visited India, and the Indian islands, and other

countries; all of which appears to be fabulous, or interpolation. Before

proceeding to the Holy Land, perhaps the sole country which he really

visited, he gives various routes or itineraries to and from Constantinople,

containing no personal adventures, or any other circumstances that give the

stamp of veracity; but abundance of nonsensical fables about the cross and

crown of our Saviour, at the imperial city.

He pretends to have served in the army of the sultan of Egypt, whom he

calls Mandybron, who must have been Malek el Naser Mohammed, who reigned

from 1310 to 1341, and states a war against the Bedouins, or Arabs of the

desert, as the scene of his own exploits. Yet he seems to have been

entirely unacquainted with Egypt, and gives only a slight mention of Cairo.

He represents the sultan as residing in Bablyon, and blunders into pedantic

confusion between Babylon in Egypt, and Babylon in Chaldea, all of which is

probably an injudicious complement from books common at the time.

About the middle of the book he gives some account of the ideas of the

Saracens concerning Christ; and then falls into a roaming description of

various countries, obviously compiled without consideration of time or

changes of people and names; deriving most of his materials from ancient

authors, particularly from Pliny, and describing Mesopotamia, Chaldea,

Albania, Hircania, Bactria, Iberia, and others, as if such had actually

existed in the geography of the fourteenth century. Where any thing like

modern appears, it is some childish fable, as that the ark of Noah was

still visible on mount Ararat. He even gives the ancient fable of the

Amazons, whom he represents as an existing female nation.

He next makes a transition to India, without any notice of his journey

thither; arid gravely asserts that he has often experienced, that if

diamonds be wetted with May-dew, they will grow to a great size in a course

of years. This probably is an improvement upon the Arabian philosophy or

the production of pearls by the oysters catching that superlative seminal

influence. The following singular article of intelligence respecting India,

may be copied as a specimen of the work: "In that countree growen many

strong vynes: and the women drynken wyn, and men not: and the women shaven

hire berdes, and the men not." From India he proceeds to the island of

Lamary, the Lambri of Marco Polo; and by using the Italian term "the star

transmontane," at once betrays the source of his plagiarism. His

descriptions seem disguised extracts from Polo, with ridiculous

exaggerations and additions; as of snail shells so large as to hold many

persons. His account of the pretended varieties of the human race, as of

nations of Hermaphrodites, and others equally ridiculous, which he places

in separate islands of the Indian ocean, are mere transcripts from Pliny.

His accounts of Mangi and Kathay, or southern and northern China, are most

inaccurately stolen from Marco Polo, and disguised or rather disfigured to

conceal the theft. "The city with twelve thousand bridges, has twelve

principal gates, and in advance from each of these a detached town, or

great city, extends for three or four miles." Though he pretends to have

resided three years in Cambalu, he does not seem to have known the name of

the khan, whom he served for fifteen months against the king of Mangi.

Leaving Cathay he goes into Tharsis, Turquescen, Corasine, and Kommania, in

which he seems to have transcribed from Oderic; and makes Prester John

emperor of India, a country divided into many islands by the great torrents

which descend from Paradise! He gives also an account of a sea of sand and

gravel, entirely destitute of water, the Mare arenosum of Oderic; to which

he adds that it moves in waves like the ocean. Though he makes Prester John

sovereign of India, he assigns Susa in Persia for his residence; constructs

the gates of his palace of sardonyx, its bars of ivory, its windows of rock

crystal, and its tables of emeralds; while numerous carbuncles, each one

foot in length, served infinitely better than lamps to illuminate the

palace by night. To many absurdities, apparitions, and miracles, copied and

disguised from Oderic, he adds two islands in the middle of the continent,

one inhabited by giants thirty feet high, while their elder brethren in the

other are from forty-five to fifty feet.

He borrows many fabulous stories from Pliny, and from the romances of the

middle, ages, yet so ignorantly as to reverse the very circumstances of his

authors. Andromeda is not the lady who was rescued by Perseus, but the

monster by which she was to have been devoured. Two _islands_ in India, one

called Brahmin, and the other Gymnosophist. And a thousand other fictions

and absurdities, too ridiculous even for the credulity of children. Of this

worse than useless performance, the foregoing analysis is perhaps more than

sufficient for the present work.--E.

[1] Forst. Voy. and Disc. in the Nerth, p. 148. Pinkert. Mod. Geogr. II.

xxxvi. Hakluyt, II. 76.

CHAP. XIV.

_Itinerary of Pegoletti, between Asof and China, in_ 1355[1].

In the year 1355, Francisco Balducci Pegoletti, an Italian, wrote a system

of commercial geography, of great importance, considering the period in

which it was written. Its title translated into English, is, "Of the

Divisions of Countries, and of their Measures, Merchandize, and other

things useful to be known by the Merchants of various parts of the World."

All of this curious work which has any reference to our present

undertaking, is the chapter which is entitled, "Guide or the Route from

Tana to Kathay, with Merchandize, and back again." This is published entire

by J. R. Forster, with several learned notes and illustrations, and is here

reprinted.

* * * * *

From _Tana_ or Asof to _Gintarchan_ or Astracan[2], is twenty-five days

journey with waggons drawn by oxen; but may be accomplished in ten or

twelve days, if the waggons are drawn by horses. On the road one meets with

a great number of armed _Moccols_, Moguls or Mongals. From Gintarchan to

_Sara_[3] by the river, it is only one days sail; but from Sara to

_Saracanco_[4], it takes eight days by water; one may, however, travel

either by land or water, whichever is most agreeable; but it costs much

less expence to go with merchandize by water. From Saracanco to Organci[5]

is a journey of twenty days with loaded camels; and whoever travels with

merchandize, will do well to go to Organci, as it is a very convenient

place for the expeditious sale of goods. From Organci to Oltrarra[6], it is

thirty-five or forty days journey, with camels: But in going direct from

Saracanco to Oltrarra, it takes fifty days journey; and if one has no

merchandize, it is a better way than to go by Organci. From Oltrarra to

Armalecco[7], it is forty-five days journey with loaded asses, and in this

road, one meets every day with Moguls. From Armalecco to Camexu[8], it is

seventy days journey on asses; and from Camexu to a river called the _Kara

Morin_[9], it is fifty days journey on horses. From this river, the

traveller may go to Cassai[10] to dispose of his silver there, as it is an

excellent station for the expeditious sale of merchandize; and from Cassai,

he may go through the whole land of Gattay or Kathay, with the money he has

received at Cassai for his silver[11]. This money is of paper, and called

balischi, four of which balischies are equal to one silver _somno_[12].

From Cassai to _Galmalecco_[l3], which is the capital of the empire of

Kathay, it is thirty days journey.

* * * * *

If the reader has any idea of the difficulty attendant on making out so

many places, disguised by a vicious orthography, a difficulty, which is

still more increased by the necessity there is for determining, with

accuracy, the situation of these places, and their probable distances from

each other, he will be ready to allow that the task is certainly not very

trifling, nor to be accomplished without much labour. In the foregoing

itinerary, Pegoletti certifies the existence of the paper money which had

been previously mentioned by Rubraquis, Haitho, Marco Polo, and Oderic:

Some of these authors describe it as having been fabricated of cotton

paper; while others remark very justly, that it was made of the bark of the

paper mulberry tree. Oderic calls it Balis, Pegoletti gives it the name of

Balis-chi. A Jesuit named Gabriel de Magaillans, pretends that Marco Polo

was mistaken in regard to this paper money; but the concurrent testimony of

five other credible witnesses of the fact, is perfectly conclusive that

this paper money did actually exist during the first Mogul dynasty, the

descendants of Zinghis, called the legal tribe of _Yu_ by the Chinese. On

the downfall of that race it was abolished.

Supposing the station on the Kara-morin and Cassai to be the same, which is

highly probable, the whole journey in this itinerary, from Asof to Pekin,

extends to 276 days, besides nine days more by water, or 285 in all; so

that allowing for delays, rests, accidents, and occasional trafficking, a

whole year may fairly be allowed, and as much for the return.

[1] Forster, Voy. and Disc, in the North, p. 150.

[2] Gintarchan, or Zintarchan, is, by Josaphat Barbaro, called also

Gitarchau; and Witsan, in his account of Northern and Eastern Tartary,

says Astracan was called of old _Citracan_. By the Calmuks, it is

called Hadschi-Aidar-Khan-Balgassun, or the city of Hadschi Aidar

Khan, whence all these names are derived by an obvious corruption,

like [Greek: Eis tnae polis], or the city, by way of eminence, by

which the Greeks distinguished Constantinople, and which the Turks

have corrupted into Estambol, and Stambol.--Forst.

[3] Sara is undoubtedly the town of Saray, situated on the eastern arm of

the Wolga, or Achtuba. The Astracan mentioned in the text by

Pegoletti, was not on the spot where that city now stands; both that

ancient Astracan and Saray having been destroyed by Timur Khan, or

Tamerlane, as he is usually called, in the winter 1395. The old town

of Saray was at no great distance from ancient Astracan.--Forst.

[4] Saracanco is probably the town which formerly existed on the river Jaik

or Ural, the remains of which are now known by the name of

Saratschik.--Forst.

[5] The name of Organci is easily recognized In the town of Urgenz in

Kheucaresm; which is named Dschordschanio by Abulfeda, and Korkang by

the Persians. But there were two towns of this name, the greater and

the lesser Urgenz, or Old and New Urgenz. The Old or Greater Urgenz

was situated near to where the Gihon discharges its waters into lake

Aral; the New or Ixsser Urgenz is to be found near Chiwa, or Chiva, on

the Gihon--Forst.

[6] Oltrarra is properly called Otrar, and also Farab, which latter name is

to be found in Abulfeda. It is situate on the river Sihon or Sire. The

Chinese, who cannot pronounce the letter _r_, call it Uotala.--Forst.

[7] Armalecco is the name of a small town called Almalig, which, according

to Nassir Ettusi and Ulug-beg, is in Turkestan. From the life of

Timur Khan, by Shersfeddin Ali, it appears that Almalig is situate

between the town of Taschkent and the river Irtiah, in the country of

the Gete, and on the banks of the river Ab-eile, which discharges

itself into the Sihon, or Sirr-Daria.--Forst.

[8] Came-xu is in all probability the name of Khame or Khami with the

addition of xu, instead of Tcheou or Tsheu, which, in the Chinese

language, signifies a town of the second rank.--Forst.

[9] Obviously the Kara-Moran, called Hoang-ho by the Chinese, or the Yellow

River.--Forst.

[10] Cassai, or Kaway, seems to be the place called Kissen, on a lake of

that name, near the northernmost winding branch of the Kara-moran, in

Lat. 41º.50'. N. long. 107°. 40'. E.--Forst.

[11] It is curious to notice, in the writings, of this intelligent

commercial geographer, and in the travels of Marco Polo, the peculiar

advantages in commerce enjoyed by the Chinese at so early a period, of

being paid in sliver for their commodities and manufactures. This

practice, which prevailed so early as 1260, the era of the elder

Polos, and even, in 851, when the Mahometan travellers visited

Southern China, still continues in 1810.--E.

[12] The value of the silver _somno_ is nowhere mentioned; but it is of no

importance, as it would not enable us to institute any comparison of

values whatsoever.--E.

[13] Gamalecco is undoubtedly Cambalu, Cambalig, or Khan-balig, otherwise

Pekin; exactly as Gattay is substituted for Katay Kathay, or Cathay.

--Forst.

CHAP. XV.

_Voyages of Nicolo and Antonio Zeno in 1380_.[1]

INTRODUCTION.

Although we have admitted this article into our collection, on the

authority of Ramusio and J. R. Forster, we are disposed to consider the

whole as a fabrication, altogether unworthy of any credit. The first

section, indeed, may possibly have had some foundation in truth, as the

Zenos may have navigated about the close of the fourteenth century to the

Orkneys, and some imperfect and disfigured narrative of their voyage may

have fallen into the hands of Marcolini, the author or editor of these

strangely distorted and exaggerated or pretended voyages. In regard to the

second section, unless we could suppose, that, by Estoitland and Drogio,

some strangely distorted account of different districts in Ireland were

meant to be enigmatically conveyed, the whole of that section must be

pronounced a palpable and blundering forgery. But it appears obviously

intended by the relater, to impress upon his readers, that some portion of

the western hemisphere, afterwards named America, had been visited by

Antonio Zeno; and the high probability is, that Marcolini, a patriotic

Venetian, had invented the whole story, on purpose to rob the rival

republic of Genoa of the honour of haying given birth to the real

discoverer of the New World. If there be any truth whatever in the voyages

of the Zenos, it is only to be found in the first section of this chapter;

and even there the possible truth is so strangely enveloped in

unintelligible names of persons and places, as to be entirely useless. The

_second_ section is utterly unworthy of the slightest serious

consideration; and must either have been a posterior fabrication, engrafted

upon an authentic, but ignorantly told narrative; or the seeming

possibility of the _first_ section was invented to give currency to the

wild forgery of the _second_. Latin books, a library, gold, ships, and

foreign trade, corn, beer, numerous towns and castles, all in the most

northern parts of America in the _fourteenth_ century, where only nomadic

savages had ever existed, are all irrefragable evidence, that the whole, or

at least that portion of the voyages of the Zenos, is an idle romance. To

increase the absurdity, as if to try the gullability of the readers,

_Dedalus_, a king of Scotland! is assumed to have been the first discoverer

of the Western World; and his son _Icarus_ is introduced to give his name

to a civilized island, already named Estoitland in the narrative.

After this decided opinion of the falsehood and absurdity of the whole of

this present chapter, it may be necessary to state, that, in a work so

general and comprehensive as that we have undertaken, it did not seem

advisable or proper to suppress an article which had been admitted into

other general collections of voyages and travels. The remainder of this

introduction is from the work of Mr J. R, Forster, extracted partly from

Ramusio, and partly consisting of an ingenious attempt to explain and

bolster up the more than dubious production of Marcolini: But these

observations are here considerably abridged; as an extended, grave, and

critical commentary on a narrative we believe fabulous, might appear

incongruous, though it did not seem proper to omit them altogether.--E.

The family of Zeno, in Venice, was very ancient, and not only of the

highest rank of nobility, but celebrated for the performance of great

actions, and the highest offices of the state had been filled from time

immemorial by persons of the family. About the year 1200, Marin Zeno

assisted in the conquest of Constantinople, and he was Podesta, or governor

of that city, about 1205. He had a son named Pietro Zeno, who was father to

Rinieri Zeno, who was elected doge, or Duke of Venice, in 1282, and

governed the republic for seventeen years, during which period he waged a

successful war against the Genoese. he adopted Andrea, the son of his

brother Marco, who was afterwards raised to be captain-general of the

Venetian fleet, in the war against Genoa. Rinieri Zeno, the son of Andrea,

was the father of Pietro Zeno, who, in 1362, was captain-general of the

Venetian squadron in the allied fleet of the Christians against the Turks,

and had the surname of Dracone, from the figure of a dragon which he wore

on his shield. Pietro had three sons; Carlo Leone, the eldest, who was

procurator and captain-general of the fleet: of the republic, and; rescued,

her from imminent danger in a war in which, almost all Europe was leagued

for her destruction; the second, Nicolo, called likewise il Cavaliere, or

the night, shewed great valour in the last mentioned war of _Chioggia_

against the Genoese; Antonio was the youngest.

Francesco Marcolini, a learned Italia, extracted the whole of the ensuing

relation from the original letters of the two Zenos, Nicole and Antonio,

which is published in the collection of Ramusio; and declares that Antonio

laid down all the particulars of these voyages, and of the countries he and

his brother had visited, on a map, which he brought with him to Venice, and

which he hung up in his house as a sure pledge and incontestible proofs of

the truth of his relations, and which still remained as an incontrovertible

evidence in the time of Marcolini. Many have been inclined to reject the

whole of this narrative because the names which it assigns to several of

the countries are nowhere else to be found. After having carefully

examined, and made a translation of the whole, I am fully convinced that

the narrative is true, and that it contains internal proofs of its own

authenticity, and I hope fully to solve, in the course of this

dissertation, all the difficulties attending the names, which have been

strangely perverted by a vicious orthography.

It has been alleged that the whole narrative has the appearance of a mere

fable; and it may be asked where is _Friesland_ and the other countries

which it mentions, to be found? Who has ever heard of a _Zichmuni_ who

vanquished Kako, or Hakon, king of Norway, in 1369, or 1380? All this is

very plausible; but we think a good deal may be done for clearing away the

difficulties.

Marcolini extracted this relation from the original letters of the two

Zenos, who were of one of the most considerable families in Venice; a

family which could not be supposed to have boldly forged a story of this

kind. The truth could easily have been detected, whether these brothers

existed or not, and whether they ever made voyages to the north. Besides

this, the map, actually constructed by Antonio, and hung up in his house at

Venice, existed in the time of Marcolini, as a sure and incontestable proof

of the fidelity of the narrative. How then is it possible to harbour any

doubts? In this case, there must be an end of all faith in history.

I once held, that the countries described by the Zenos had been swallowed

up by an earthquake; but, reflecting that so great a revolution in nature

must have left some historical vestiges, or traditions, I examined the

matter over again, and found that the countries described, bore a strong

resemblance to the Orkneys, Shetland, Faro, and Western Islands, &c. The

Zenos having represented _Porland_ as composed of a cluster of small

islands, I suspected the other names might likewise refer to collective

groups. Thus _Estland_ appeared to resemble in name the Shetland, Zetland,

or Hitland Islands; and on comparing the names of _Tolas, Broas, Iscant,

Trans, Mimant, Dambre_, and _Bres_, with those of Yell, Zeal or Teal,

Burray or Bura, of which name there are two places, West Bura, and East

Bura, and when taken collectively the Buras, Unst, Tronda, Main-land,

Hamer, which is the name of a place in the mainland of Orkney, and Brassa,

or Bressa, the resemblance seemed so obvious, that I no longer harboured

any doubt. The land of _Sorani_, which lay over against Scotland, naturally

suggested the _Suderoe_, or southern islands of the Norwegians, now called

the Western Islands or Hebrides. _Ledovo_ and _Ilofe_, are the Lewis and

Islay. _Sanestol_, the cluster of islands named _Schants-oer. Bondendon_,

Pondon, or Pondon-towny in Sky. _Frisland_, is Faira or _Fera_, also called

Faras-land. _Grisland_ seems Grims-ay, an island to the North of Iceland:

though I would prefer Enkhuysan to the eastwards of Iceland, but as that

was probably nothing more than an island of ice, we are compelled to assume

Grims-ay, _Engroneland_ is obviously Greenland. _Estoitland_ must have been

_Winland_, the Newfoundland of the moderns; and the Latin books may have

been carried there by bishop Eric of Greenland, who went to Winland in

1121. _Drogio_ lay much farther south, and the people of _Florida_, when

first discovered, had cities and temples, and possessed gold and silver.

_Icaria_ with its king _Icarus_, could be no other than Ireland[2] and

perhaps the name took its origin from Kerry; and as _Icarus_ was chosen for

the name of its first king and lawgiver, his father must of course be

_Dedalus_ who, in all probability, was some Scottish prince, having a name

of a similar sound. _Neome_ I take to be Strom-oe, one of the Faro isles,

_Porland_ probably meant the Far-oer, or Faro islands; as Far-oe, or Far-

land, is easily transmuted into _Porland_.

It is true that we find no such name as _Zicumni_ among the princes of the

Orkneys. The race of the ancient earls of Orkney, descendants of Jarl

Einar-Torf, becoming extinct, Magnus Smak, king of Norway, nominated, about

1343, Erngisel Sunason Bot, a Swedish nobleman, to be Jarl or Earl of

Orkney. In 1357 Malic Conda, or Mallis Sperre, claimed the earldom.

Afterwards, in 1369, Henry Sinclair put in his claim, and was nominated

earl in 1370, by King Hakon. In 1375, Hakon nominated Alexander Le-Ard to

be earl for a year. But Sinclair vanquished Le-Ard, and by a large sum

procured the investiture from Hakon in 1379, and we know from history, that

he remained earl in 1406, and was likewise possessed of Shetland. The name

_Sinclair_, or _Siclair_, might easily to an Italian ear seem _Zichmni_;

and as Sinclair vanquished Le-Ard, who represented the king of Norway, it

was no great impropriety to say that he had beaten the king of Norway.

After these elucidations, there can be no reason left to doubt of the truth

of this narrative of the Zenos which besides, as considered with relation

to the geography of the north at that period, is of great importance

--Forst.

[1] Ramusio. Forst. Voy. and Disc, p. 158.

[2] This is a most unlucky blunders as Icaria and Estoitland are obviously

one and the same place in the narrative of Marcclini, and therefore,

both must be America, or both Ireland, or both in nubibus.--E.

SECTION I

_Narrative of Nicolo Zeno_.

Nicolo Zeno, surnamed _il Cavaliere_, or the knight, had a strong desire to

see distant countries, that he might become acquainted with the manners and

languages of foreign nations, by which he might acquire credit and

reputation, and might render himself the more useful to his country. Being

a man of great property, he fitted out a ship with this view, at his own

expence, in 1380, and sailed through the Straits of Gibraltar to the

northwards, intending to visit England and Flanders. By a storm, which

lasted many days, his ship was cast away on the coast of _Frislanda_[1].

The vessel was entirely lost, but the crew got safe on shore, and part of

the cargo was saved. Zeno and his people were soon attacked by the natives,

attracted by the hopes of a rich plunder, against whom they were hardly

able, in their weary and weather-beaten state, to defend themselves; but,

fortunately for them, _Zichmni_, or Sinclair, the reigning prince or lord

of _Porlanda_[2], who happened to be then in _Frislanda_, and heard of

their shipwreck, came in all haste to their relief, of which they stood in

great need. After discoursing with them for some time in Latin, he took

them under his protection; and finding Nicolo Zeno very expert, both in

naval and military affairs, he gave him, after some time, the post of

admiral of his fleet, which Nicolo for some time refused, but at length

accepted.

Not long afterwards, Nicola wrote an account of these circumstances to his

brother Antonio, inviting him to come to _Frislanda_; who accordingly soon

arrived there, and lived four years along with Nicolo in that country; and

remained ten years in the service of _Zichmni_, or Sinclair, the prince of

that country, after the death of his brother Nicolo.

Nicolo Zeno having been shipwrecked in 13SO, on the island of _Frislanda_,

and saved by prince _Zichmni_ from the rude attacks of the natives, put

himself and all his people under the protection of this prince, who was

lord of certain islands lying to the south of _Frislanda_, which were

called _Porlanda_, and were the most fertile and most populous of all the

islands in those parts. _Zichmni_, or Sinclair, was besides this duke of

_Sorany_[3], a place which lies on one side of Scotland. Of these northern

parts, I, Antonio Zeno, have constructed a map, which hangs up in my house;

and which, though it be much decayed by time, may serve to give some

information to the curious.

_Zichmni_ the lord of all these countries, was a man of great courages and

famous for his skill in navigation. The year before the arrival of Nicolo

Zeno, he had defeated the king of Norway in a pitched battle, and was now

come with his forces to conquer _Frislandia_, which is much larger than

Iceland. On account of the knowledge of Nicolo Zeno in maritime affairs,

the prince took him and all his crew on board his fleet, and gave orders to

his admiral to treat him with the highest respect, and to take his advice

in every affair of importance.

_Zichmni_ had a fleet consisting of thirteen vessels, two of which only

were galleys, the rest being small barks, and only one of the whole was a

ship[4]. With all these they sailed to the westward, and without much

difficulty made themselves masters of _Ledovo_ and _Ilofe_[5], and several

other smaller islands and turning into a bay called _Sudero_, in the haven

of the town of _Sanestol_[6] they took several small barks laden with

fish[7]; and here they found _Zichmni_ who came by land with his army,

conquering all the country as he went. They stayed here but a short time,

and then shaped their course to the westwards, till they came to the other

cape of the gulf or bay, and here turning again, they found certain islands

and broken lands, all of which they brought under subjection to _Zichmni_,

or Sinclair. These seas were all full of shoals and rocks, insomuch that if

Nicolo Zeno and the Venetian mariners had not acted as pilots, the whole

feet, in the opinion of all who were in it, must have been lost; so small

was the skill of their people in comparison with ours, who had been trained

up in the art and practice of navigation from their childhood. After the

proceedings already mentioned, the admiral, by the advice of Nicolo Zeno,

determined to make for the shore, at a town called _Bondendon_[8], with a

view to get intelligence of the success which _Zichmni_ had met with in the

prosecution of the war on land. They here learned, to their great

satisfaction, that he had fought a great battle, in which he had put the

army of the enemy to flight; and in consequence of this intelligence, the

inhabitants sent ambassadors from all parts of the island, agreeing to

yield the country to his pleasure, and took down their flags and ensigns in

every town and castle. It was therefore thought advisable to remain at

_Bondendan_ for his arrival, as they had received reports that he would

certainly be there in a short time. On his arrival there were great

congratulations and rejoicings, as well for the victory obtained by land as

for the success of the naval expedition; and the Venetians were much

honoured and extolled for their skill, every tongue being loud in their

praises, and Nicolo Zeno was much applauded for his prowess. The prince

caused Nicolo to be brought into his presence, and bestowed high

commendations for the skill he had exerted in saving the fleet, and for the

great valour he had displayed in the taking of many towns, where indeed

there was no great difficulty or opposition; in reward for which he

bestowed upon him the honour of knighthood, and distributed rich and

liberal presents among his followers. Departing from _Bondendon_, the fleet

returned in triumph to _Frislanda_, the chief city of which is situated on

the south-east side of the island within a gulf, of which there are many in

that island. In this gulf or bay, there are such vast quantities of fish

taken, that many ships are yearly laden thence to supply Flanders,

Britannia[9], England, Scotland, Norway, and Denmark; and the produce of

this fishing brings great riches into the country.

The foregoing circumstances were contained in a letter sent by Nicolo Zeno

to his brother Antonio, in which he invited him to come to _Frislanda_; and

accordingly the latter set sail for this purpose, and, having surmounted

many dangers, safely joined his brother in that far distant country.

Antonio remained fourteen years in Frisland or Orkney; four years of that

time along with his brother, and ten years alone after the death of Nicolo.

The elder Zeno ingratiated himself so much into the favour of the prince,

that he was appointed admiral of a fleet which was sent out upon an

expedition against _Estland_[10], which lies between Frisland and Norway.

The invaders committed great ravages in that country, but hearing that the

king of Norway was coming against them with a considerable fleet, they

departed in haste; and being assailed by a violent tempest, they were

driven on certain shoals where a part of their ships were lost, and the

remainder were saved upon _Grisfand_[11], a large but uninhabited island.

The fleet of the king of Norway was overtaken by the same storm and mostly

perished; of which _Zichmni_, who was personally engaged in this

expedition, was apprized in consequence of one of the enemy's ships having

likewise been forced to take refuge in _Grisland_. Finding himself driven

so far to the north, and having repaired his ships, Zichmni now resolved to

make an attack upon the island of Iceland, which was under the dominion of

the king of Norway; but finding it too well fortified and defended for his

small force, and reflecting that his diminished fleet was now in bad

repair, he deemed it prudent to retire. In his way homewards, however, he

made an attack upon the islands of _Estland_, of which there are seven in

number. These are _Tolas_, Yeal or Zel; _Broas_, Brassa sound; _Iscant_,

Unst or Vust; _Trans_, Trondra; _Mimant_, Mainland; _Danbert_[12]; and

_Bres_, or Bressa; all of which he plundered, and built a fort in Bres,

where he left Nicolo Zeno in the command, with a sufficient garrison and a

few small barks, while he returned himself to Frisland. In the ensuing

spring, Nicolo Zeno resolved to go out upon discoveries; and, having fitted

out three small vessels, he set sail in July, shaping his course to the

northwards, and arrived in _Engroveland_[13], where he found a monastery of

predicant friars, and a church dedicated to St Thomas, hard by a mountain

that threw out fire like Etna or Vesuvius.

In this place there is a spring of boiling hot water, by means of which the

monks heat their church, monastery, and cells. It is likewise brought info

their kitchen, and is so hot that they use no fire for dressing their

victuals; and by enclosing their bread in brass pots without any water, it

is baked by means of this hot fountain as well as if an oven had been used

for the purpose. The monks have also small gardens, covered over in winter,

which being watered from the hot spring are effectually defended from the

extreme cold and snow, which are so rigorous in this region so near the

pole. By these means they produce flowers, and fruits, and different kinds

of herbs, just as they grow in temperate climates; and the rude savages of

those parts, from seeing these to them supernatural effects, take the

friars for gods, and supply them with poultry, flesh[14], and various other

things, reverencing the monks as their lords and rulers. When the frost and

snow is considerable, the monks warm their apartments as before described,

and by admitting the hot water, or opening their windows, they are able in

an instant to produce such a temperature as they may require.

In the buildings of their monastery they use no more materials than are

presented to them by the before mentioned volcano. Taking the burning

stones which are thrown from the crater, they throw them, while hot, into

water, by which they are dissolved into excellent lime; which, when used in

building, lasts forever. The same stones, when cold, serve to make their

walls and vaults, as they cannot be broken or cut except with an iron

instrument. The vaults which they build with these stones are so light as

to require no props for supporting them[15]. On account of these great

conveniences, the monks have constructed so many walls and buildings of

different kinds, as is really wonderful to see. The coverings or roofs of

their houses are constructed for the most part in the following manner:

Having carried the wall to its full height, they make it to incline or bend

in gradually till it form a regular vault. They are little incommoded with

rain in this country; as the climate is so extremely cold, that the first

snow that falls does not thaw for nine months.

The monks live mostly on fish and wild fowl; for, in consequence of the

boiling hot water running into a large and wide haven of the sea, that bay

is kept from freezing, and there is so great a concourse of sea fowl and

fish in that place, that they easily take as many of them as they can

possibly have occasion for, with which they maintain a great number of

people round about, whom they keep constantly employed either in building

or in catching fish and fowls, and in a thousand other necessary

occupations relative to the monastery. The houses of these natives are

built on the hill near the monastery, of a round form, about twenty-five

feet wide at the bottom, and growing gradually narrower as they go up, in a

conical form, ending in a small hole at top, to admit light and air; and

the floor of the house is so hot, that the inhabitants feel no cold within

doors at any season. To this place many barks resort in summer from the

neighbouring islands, from the cape above Norway, and from _Trondon_ or

Drontheim, which bring to the fathers all kind of commodities and

merchandize that they have occasion for; taking fish in exchange, dried

either in the sun or by means of cold, and the furs of various animals. The

commodities brought here for sale are, wood for fuel, wooden utensils, very

ingeniously carved, corn, and cloth for making into garments. By these

means the monks are plentifully supplied with every thing they need, in

exchange for their furs and fish, which are in great request by all the

neighbouring nations. Monks resort to this monastery from Norway and

Sweden, and other countries; but principally from Iceland. It often happens

that many barks are detained here ail the winter, by the sea becoming

frozen over.

The fishermens boats of this country are made in the form of a weavers

shuttle, long and narrow, and pointed at each end; constructed of a light

frame of fish bones, cased all over with the skins of fishes, sewed

together in many doubles, and so tight and strong, that it is wonderful to

see the people bind themselves fast within them during storms, and allow

the winds and waves to drive them about, without fear of their boats

splitting or of themselves being drowned. Even when they are driven against

a rock, they remain sound and without hurt or damage. In the bottom of each

boat there is a kind of sleeve or nose, tied fast in the middle by a

string; and when any water gets into the boat, they let it run into the

upper half, of the sleeve, which they then fasten with two pieces of wood,

after which they loosen the under band, and squeeze the water out; and they

repeat this operation as often as may be necessary with great facility, and

without danger.

The water, of the boiling spring, being sulphureous, is conveyed into the

monastery, and the cells of the principal friars, by means of pipes made of

copper, tin, or stone; and is so hot that it heats the apartments like a

stove, without communicating any disagreeable or unwholesome stench. Their

sweet water for drinking is conveyed in a subterraneous canal of masonry,

into a great copper reservoir in the middle of the court of the convent;

and this reservoir being contained within a larger bason supplied from the

boiling, spring, is continually kept of a proper temperature, and prevented

from freezing. This they use in the preparation of their victuals, for

drinking, and for watering their gardens. Thus they derive much convenience

and comfort from the adjoining volcano, and these good friars make it their

chief study to keep their gardens in order, and to erect commodious and

even elegant buildings. For this latter purpose they are in no want of good

workmen and ingenious artizans, as they give good wages, so that there is a

great resort of workmen and artizans of every denomination; they are

likewise very bountiful to those who carry them fruits, and seeds, and

other articles; and as great profits are to be made, and provisions are

very cheap, there is a great resort of workmen and artists of every

denomination, and of traders to this place. Most of these monks speak

Latin, particularly the superiors and principals of the monastery.

This is all that is known of _Engroveland_ or Greenland, from the relation

of Nicolo Zeno, who gives likewise a particular description of a river that

he discovered, as is to be seen in the map which I, Antonio Zeno, have

drawn of all these countries. Not being able to bear the cold of these

northern and inhospitable regions, Nicolo Zeno fell sick, and soon

afterwards returned to Frisland, where he died. He left two sons behind

him, John and Thomas; the latter of whom had likewise two sons, Nicolo, the

father of the celebrated Cardinal Zeno, and Peter, from whom was descended

the rest of the Zenos who are now living. After the death of Nicolo, his

fortune, honours, and dignity, devolved upon his brother Antonio; and,

though he made great supplications and entreaties for the purpose, he was

not permitted to return to his native country; as Zichmni, who was a man of

a high spirit and great valour, had resolved to make himself master of the

sea, and for this purpose made use of the talents and advice of Antonio,

and ordered him to go with a few barks to the westwards, because in the

summer several islands had been discovered by some of the fishermen. Of

this voyage and the discoveries which were made in consequence of it,

Antonio gives an account in a letter to his brother Carlo, which we here

give exactly as it was written, having only altered a few antiquated

words[16].

[1] Faira, or Fara, in the Orkneys, called Farras-land, and corrupted into

Feislanda or Frisland.--Forst.

[2] Mr Forster is not happy in his explanation of this word, Porlanda or

Porland, which he endeavours to derive from Fara-land; precisely the

same with Fris-land from Faras-land, only dropping the genitive _s_.

Porland seems used as a general name of the earldom, perhaps connected

with the strange name Pomona, still used for mainland, the largest of

the Orkney islands. Frisland the particular Fara islands, or one of

them.--E.

[3] Sorany or Sorani, of which Sinclair is said to have been duke or lord,

Mr Forster considers to have been the Sodor-oe, or southern islands of

the Norwegians, or those now called the Western Islands; and traces

the corruption from the Norwegian plural _Suder-oer_ contracted

_Soroer_, varied _Soroen_ and transmuted to _Sorani_. All this may be

possible; but it does not appear in Scots history that the Sinclairs

ever held the Western Islands, and certainly not at this period:

Sorani ought therefore to be looked for in Caithness; or it may

possibly refer to _Roslin_ near Edinburgh, which belonged to the

family of Sinclair.--E.

[4] By this latter distinction, Zeno probably means a decked vessel.--E.

[5] It is hardly possible to mention all the little islands, and the places

situated on the largest of the Orcadian Islands, which by the ancients

was called Pomona, and on account of its size, is likewise called

Mainland, also _Hross-ey_, i.e. _Gross-ey_, or large island. The town

was called _Kirkiu-og_ or the harbour near the church, now called by

the Scots, Kirkwall.--Forst.

In this note Mr Forster wanders from the subject in hand, and his

observations have no reference to the present expedition. _Ledovo_ is

probably the Island of Lewis, and _Ilofe_ may possibly be Hay, though

that conjecture would lead them too far to the south.--E.

[6] _Sudero_, or _Suder-oe_, might mean the Western Islands so called by

the Norwegians; but certainly here means some bay of Sutherland, as

they here met the troops of Sinclair, who had marched by land. The

town of _Sanestol_ is quite inexplicable. Though Mr Forster supposes

it to have been the cluster of islands called Schant, or Shanti-oer,

which he thinks is here corrupted into Sanestol: But, if correct in

our opinion, that they must have been on the main land of Scotland,

his conjecture must be erroneous. These conquests could be nothing

more than predatory, incursions, strangely exaggerated.--E.

[7] This is a very early mention of salted fish, yet within the lifetime of

William Beukels, the supposed inventor of the art of pickling herrings

who died in 1397. Professor Sprengel has shewn that herrings were

caught at _Gernemue_, or Yarmouth, so early as 1283. In Leland's

Collectanea we meet with a proof that pickled herrings were sold in

1273; and there are German records which speak of them so early as

1236. Vide Gerken, Cod. Diplom. Brandenb. I. 45. and II. 45l.--Forst.

[8] This is certainly a place in the isle of Sky called Pondontown.--Forst.

[9] Britannia in this place is assuredly put for Britany in France.--E.

[10] Estland is probably meant for Shetland, formerly called Yaltaland or

Hitland, and afterwards changed into Zet-land and Shetland. This will

appear more distinctly in the sequel, when the names given by Zeno to

the particular islands of the group, come to be compared with, the

modern names.--Forst.

[11] Grisland seems to be the island which lies to the eastward of Iceland,

called Enkhuyzen; perhaps the island of Grims-ey to the north, of

Iceland.--Forst.

[12] Probably Hamer, a place on the north of Mainland.--Forst.

[13] Engrgroneland, Groenland, or Greenland.--Forst.

[14] The poultry here mentioned in the text; must have been ptarmagans and

the flesh that of the reindeer.--Forst.

[15] The lime or mortar here described, appears to be the terra puzzuolana

or terras, a compound of lime and oxid of iron, which forms an

indestructible cement, even under water; and the remarkably light

stones ejected from the volcano, and used in the construction of their

vault, were probably of pumice.--E.

[16] The greater part of this concluding paragraph must necessarily be in

the language of the editor; perhaps of Ramusio. It contains, however,

some palpable contradictions, since Nicolo Zeno could hardly be

supposed to mention the _rest_ of the Zenos, descendants of his

grand-nephew, while still living himself; neither does it appear how

the sons of Nicolo got back to Venice; and there is no account of

Antonio ever being allowed to return at all.--E

SECTION II.

_Sequel of the Narrative by Antonio Zeno_.

Twenty-six years ago, four fishing boats, which had been overtaken by a

violent storm, were driven out to sea for a great many days; and on the

cessation of the tempest, they discovered an island called _Estoitland_,

which lay above a thousand miles to the westward of _Frisland_. One of the

boats, containing six men, was cast away upon this island; and the men,

being made prisoners by the inhabitants, were conducted to a fine and

populous city where the king resided, who sent for various interpreters,

but none could be found except one who spoke Latin. This man, who, in like

manner, had been cast by accident on the same island, asked them, by order

of the king, from what country they had come; and being made acquainted

with their case, the king ordered that the should stay in the country.

These orders they obeyed, as indeed they could not do otherwise, and they

remained five years on the island, during which time they learned the

language of the people. One of them was in various parts of the island, and

affirms that it is a very rich country, abounding in every commodity and

convenience in life, being little less than Iceland, but much more fertile,

having a very high mountain in the centre, from whence four great rivers

take their source, and traverse the whole country.

The inhabitants are a very ingenious and sensible people, and have arts and

handicrafts of every kind as we have; and it is highly probable that they

formerly carried on some traffic with Europe, as this man says he saw Latin

books in the kings library, but which at present they do not understand;

for they have a language of their own, and peculiar letters or characters

in which it is written. They trade with _Engroveland_ or Greenland, and get

from thence furs, brimstone, and pitch. To the south of _Estoitland_ there

is a very large and populous country, which abounds with gold. The people

sow corn, and make the liquor called beer, which is drank by the people of

the north as wine is among us in Italy. They have large and extensive

woods; make their buildings with walls; and have a great number of towns

and castles. They build ships and navigate the sea; but they have not the

loadstone, and know nothing about the use of the compass; on which account

these fishermen were held in high estimation, insomuch that the king sent

them with twelve ships to the southward to a country called Drogio. In

their voyage thither, they had such contrary winds and stormy weather that

they thought to have foundered at sea; but escaping that death, they met

with a fate still more dreadful, as they were made prisoners by the

savages, who are cannibals, and most of them were devoured. But the

Frisland fisherman and his companions, by teaching these barbarians the way

to catch fish with nets, saved their lives. This man used to go every day

to the sea or the rivers, in which he caught vast quantities of fish, which

he gave away among the principal people of the country; by which means he

got into such high favour that he was beloved and respected by every body.

The fame of this man spread abroad through the whole country; and one of

the lords, being very desirous to have him, that he might see and learn

this new and wonderful art of catching fish, made war against the lord with

whom he lived, and prevailing in consequence of his superior power and

greater skill in war, the fisherman and his companions were given up to him

as the price of peace. During thirteen years that he resided in these

parts, he says that he was transferred in this manner to twenty-five

different lords, as they were continually at war with each other to procure

possession of him; so that by wandering about the country in this manner he

became perfectly well acquainted with every part of it, He says that it is

a very extensive country, and as it were a new world; but that the

inhabitants are a rude unpolished people, without the enjoyment of any

convenience of life; for, although they take or kill many wild animals in

hunting, they have not the sense to make their skins into garments, but all

go naked, and are miserably pinched with cold. They are besides extremely

uncivilized and savage, continually engaged in wars against each other, in

which they commit horrible ravages, and devour their prisoners. They know

not the use of any metal, and live by the chase, being armed with spears of

wood made sharp at the point, and use bows, the strings of which are made

of slips of hide. They are divided into small tribes, each of which has its

lord or governor, and the laws or customs of the several tribes differ much

from each other. Farther to the southwest, however, the manners are more

civilized in proportion to the increasing mildness of the climate; and

there the people are not without some degree of knowledge, making use of

gold and silver, and having cities and temples dedicated to idols, in which

they offer up human sacrifices.

After residing many years among this savage people, the principal fisherman

became desirous of returning into his own country, but his companions being

without hope of ever seeing it again, wished him prosperity in his attempt,

and resolved to remain where they were. Bidding them farewell, he fled

through the woods, in the direction which led towards _Drogio_, and was

received with great kindness by one of the lords of that country who knew,

him, and who was a determined enemy to the lord from whence he had escaped.

Thus passing from one lord to another, with all of whom he was well

acquainted, as he had formerly resided with them all, he at length, and

with great difficulty, arrived in Drogio, where he stayed three years. Then

fortunately hearing that some small vessel had arrived on the coast, he

went thither, and learned, to his unspeakable satisfaction, that they were

from _Estoitland_. Upon this, he earnestly requested to be taken on board,

which they did very willingly; and as he understood the language of the

country, which the others did not, he became their interpreter. He

afterwards made repeated voyages from _Estoitland_ to _Drogio_ and acquired

great riches. After which, he equipped a bark of his own, in which he

returned to _Frisland_ where he made a report to his lord of all that had

befallen him, and of the discovery he had made of an extensive and wealthy

country.

As this strange and marvellous story was confirmed by the testimony of the

sailors he had brought along with him, it gained full credit; and

accordingly Zichmni determined to send me, Antonio Zeno, with a fleet into

these parts; and so great was the desire among the people to embark in this

expedition, that our fleet was well manned and equipped without expence to

the public. I accordingly set sail with a great number of ships and men,

but not commander in chief as I expected, for Zichmni went in person on the

expedition. Our great preparation for the voyage to _Estoitland_ began in

an unlucky hour as, three days before our departure, the fisherman died who

was to have been our guide; yet Zichmni would not give up the enterprise,

but took for, his guides several of the sailors who had returned with the

fisherman from _Estoitland_. Shaping our course to the westwards, we passed

several islands subject to _Frisland_, and arrived at _Ledovo_, or the

Lewis, where we staid a week to refresh ourselves, and to provide the fleet

with necessaries. Departing thence, we arrived on the first of July off the

island of _Ilofe_, or Islay; and the wind being favourable, did not stop

there but stood on our voyage. Not long afterwards, being in the main sea,

we were overtaken by a dreadful tempest, which tossed us to and fro, at the

mercy of the winds and waves for eight days, so that we knew not

whereabouts we were. By the violence of this tempest, we lost many of our

vessels, but after the return of good weather, we collected the remains of

our shattered fleet, and having a fair wind, we stood on to the westwards,

and at length descried the coast of _Estoitland_, and arrived in a good and

safe harbour. Here we saw an infinite number of armed men running furiously

towards the shore, apparently for the purpose of defending the island. Upon

this, Zichmni commanded signs of peace to be made, and the islanders sent

ten men to us who could speak ten different languages; but we could

understand none of these, excepting one man who happened to be an

Icelander. This man was brought to our prince, and gave the following

account of the country; and people.

The land was called _Icarta_, and all its kings were named _Icarus_, after

the name, of its first king, who was the son of _Daedalus_ king of

Scotland. This _Daedalus_ had discovered and conquered the island, and

after instituting the body of laws by which they are still governed, had

left them his son to be their king. After this, _Daedalus_[1] sailed in

quest of farther discoveries, but was overtaken by a violent storm and

drowned. In memory of which, they named their island Icaria, the sea

surrounding it the _Icarian_ sea, and all their successive kings _Icarus_.

He stated, moreover, that they were perfectly contented with the state in

which they had been placed by Providence, and not choosing to make the

smallest change in their manners and customs, would admit no strangers into

their land; and therefore requested the prince not to attempt violating the

laws of their king, of glorious memory, as any such attempt would turn to

his manifest destruction, since they were resolved to sacrifice their lives

in defence of their laws. They were willing, however, to receive _one_ of

our men, who should be advanced to the rank of a chief, on purpose to learn

our language; having already received _ten_ different men with that view

from ten different nations.

Upon this _Zichmni_ sailed from the harbour, as if meaning to go away from

the island; but being in want of wood and water, he skirted along the coast

at some distance, and put into another harbour on the eastern side of the

island with all his fleet. Here the mariners went on shore, and procured

the necessary supplies with all possible speed, lest they might be attacked

by the natives. This precaution was by no means unnecessary, for the

inhabitants near this harbour made signals by fire and smoke to the rest of

the country; and taking to their arms, were soon joined by others, and came

down upon our men with bows and arrows, and other weapons, and in the

conflict, many of them were killed, and others dangerously wounded[2]. We

were therefore obliged to depart, and made a large circuit round the

island, always accompanied on the shore and on the hills by a vast number

of armed men to oppose our landing. Seeing that nothing could be done here,

Zichmni set sail to the eastwards with a fair wind; and after six days

sail, we came in sight of land, which we found to be a very good country,

with an excellent harbour. We descried a mountain at a considerable

distance, which emitted smoke, and Zichmni sent an hundred soldiers to

explore the country, and to inquire if it were inhabited. In the meantime,

we took in wood and water, and caught vast quantities of fish and sea-fowl,

and procured immense numbers of eggs; so that our people, before almost

famished, had now more provisions than they could eat. To this harbour, we

gave the name of port _Trin_, and the point that stretched out into the sea

was named Cape _Trin_. The soldiers who had been sent out to examine the

country, returned at the end of eight days, and reported they had been all

through the island, quite to the smoking mountain, and that the smoke we

saw proceeded from a fire at its bottom, where there was a spring of liquid

pitch which ran into the sea. They said likewise, that the interior of the

island was inhabited by a wild people, who were very short in stature, and

timid, and hid themselves in, caves.

On receiving this piece of intelligence, and considering that the island

was blest with a pure and wholesome air, good soil, fine rivers, and many

other advantages, Ziehmni resolved to people it and to build a town at Port

Trin, and took, great pains to discover the whole of it, and to explore the

seas on both sides of _Engroveland_, or Greenland. But many of his people

began to murmur, being quite wearied with so tedious a voyage, alleging,

that as the winter was fast approaching, they should not be able to return

home before the ensuing summer, if they made any longer delay. On this

account, retaining only the row-boats, and as many men as were willing to

stay with him. Zichmni sent away all the rest of the people with the ships,

giving the command to me, Antonio Zeno, much against my will. Taking

therefore our departure, we sailed twenty days to the eastwards, without

seeing any land; on which we shifted our course to the south-east, and

after five days, we came in sight of the island of Neome[3], so that we

passed Iceland without seeing it. We here procured refreshments from the

inhabitants, who were subject to Zichmni, and sailed thence in three days

to _Frisland_, where we were received with great joy, as the people

thought, in consequence of our long absence, that their prince and the

whole armament had been lost.

As to the particulars concerning the people and their customs, the animate,

and the productions of these countries, I have written all these in a

separate book, in which I have described the country, and the wonderful

fishes of _Frisland, Estland_, Norway, _Estoitland, Drogio, Icaria_, and

_Engroveland_, on both its sides. I have composed likewise, the life of my

brother Nicolo Zeno, with an account of his discoveries; and a history of

the life and acts of _Zichmni_, a prince as worthy of immortal fame as any

that ever lived, having been famous for his valour, enterprising spirit,

and humanity.

[1] Or Icarus, for the language in Forster is ambiguous, and does not

clearly fix this important historical fact!--E.

[2] The expression is here so equivocal as to leave in doubt whether the

killed and wounded were _Icarians_ or _Frislanders_, or part of

both.--E.

[3] _Neome_ seems to be the isle or Stromoe, one of the Faro Islands; as it

is in fact to the southward of Iceland, and only three days sail from

the Orkneys, the Faras-islands, or _Frisland_ of this author.--Forst.

CHAP. XVI.

_Travels of John Schildtberger into Tartary, in 1394_[1].

John Schildtberger, a native of Munich in Bavaria, went with the army of

King Sigismund of Hungary, against the Turks in 1394. In 1395, being taken

prisoner, he was sent by Bajazet, whose name he always writes _Weyasit_,

into Asia. In the great battle, in which Bajazet was defeated, and taken

captive by Timur, Schildtberger was again made prisoner, and accompanied

that conqueror in all his expeditions, till his death in 1405, at Otrar or

Farab, though Schildtberger says that he died in his capital of Samarcand.

After the death of Timur, he entered into the service of Shah-Rokh, and was

left by that prince among the auxiliary troops, which assisted his brother

Miran-Shah against Kara-Joseph, a Turkomanian emir of the black-weather

tribe. Miran-shah having been made prisoner and beheaded by Kara-Joseph,

Schildtberger followed the standards of Abubekr, the son of Miran-shah.

At this time, there lived in the court of Abubekr, a prince named Zegra, a

son of the khan of Great Tartary, to whom Ideku[2] sent word that he would

resign to him the sovereignty of Kiptschak. Zegra accordingly set out for

Great Tartary, accompanied by Schildtberger, and four others. Their route

lay through _Strana_[3], which produces good silk; then through _Gursey_,

Gurghia, or Georgia, which is inhabited by Christians; after this, through

the country of, _Lahinsham_[4], where silk is cultivated; and through

_Schurban_, or Shirvan, where the silk is produced from which the silk

stuffs of Damascus and _Kaffer_[5] are made. They next passed through

_Bursa_[6], which is situated in Turkey, and from whence the fine silk, of

which velvet is manufactured, is sent to Venice and Lucca: This is an

unhealthy country. Their route next lay through _Temur-capit_, Demir-Kapi

or, Derbent, which signifies, in the Tartarian language, the Iron-gate, and

which separates Persia from Tartary. They then went through a town of great

strength, called _Origens_[7], situated in the middle of the _Edil_. After

this, their way was through the mountainous country of Setzalet, in which

there are many Christians, who have a bishop and some Carthusian monks, who

perform the service in the Tartarian language, that the common people may

understand what is sung and read. They were now arrived in Great Tartary,

at the camp of Ideku, who had just assembled all his forces and was going

to march into the land of _Ibissibur_[8]. In this expedition, they employed

two months of continual marching; in the course of which, they crossed a

range of mountains, thirty-two days journey in length, and at their

extremity, there is a desert, which is the end of the world[9]; which

desert is uninhabitable from the number of reptiles and wild beasts with

which it is infested. These mountains are inhabited by roaming savages, who

are hairy all over, except their faces and hands[10], and who subsist on

green leaves and roots, or whatever they can procure. In this country,

also, there, are wild asses as large as horses. The inhabitants employ

dogs, as large as asses, to draw carts and sledges, and some times feed

upon them. They are Christians, and they bury, their young people who die

in celibacy, with music and rejoicing, eating and drinking at their graves.

In this country they cultivate nothing but beans, and they eat no bread.

Having made a conquest of _Bissibur_, they marched into. _Walor_[11], which

they also conquered, and then returned into Kiptschak.

At this period, there was a high officer of state among the Tartars, called

Obmann, who had usurped the power of nominating and deposing the khan, and

to whom all the lords or chiefs were subservient. This anomalous dignity

was now held by Ideku; who, as has been already mentioned, had invited

Zegra to accept the dignity of khan. This Ideku, with the khan, all the

nobility, and the whole people, wandered continually up and down the

country, with their wives and children, their cattle, and whole property,

to the number of about 100,000 people, having no fixed abodes, but dwelling

in moveable huts, at all seasons of the year. At this time there was a king

in Tartary, named _Schudicho chey_ or _Kom_, or Schadibeck-knan, the son of

Timur-Utluck, grandson of Timur-melik-aglen, and great-grandson of Urus-

Khan, This Schadibeck reigned from 1401 to 1406. Immediately on hearing

that Ideku was approaching, he took to flight; but was pursued, and killed

in a skirmish. Ideku appointed _Polat_ or Pulad-khan, the son[12] of

Schadibeck, to be his successor, who reigned a year and a half, between

1406 and 1408. After him _Segel-Aladie_, or Zedy-khan, the son of

_Tokatmysch_ or Toktemysch-khan, got possession of the throne; but he was

soon expelled by Timur-Khan, the son of Timur-Uduck, and brother of Pulad-

Khan, who reified fourteen months. Thebak, the brother of Pulad-khan, took

the field against Timur-khan, and killed him, but was unable to attain the

sovereignty, as his brother Kerunhardin ascended the throne, which he only

held for five months. Thebak again endeavoured to dispossess his brother

Kerunhardin, but was unable to effectuate his purpose; for at this

juncture, Ideku interposed, and conferred the sovereignty on Zegra, in the

room of both. Zegra, however, continued khan only for nine months, when

Mohammed-khan, son of the before-mentioned Timur-khan, and grandson of

Timur Utluck, gained a pitched battle against Ideku and Zegra, in which

Ideku was made prisoner, and Zegra fled into a country called

Descht-Kiptscha. Mohammed was in his turn driven from the throne by Waroch;

from whom Mohammed soon after retook his dominions. He was again driven out

by Doblaberd, who only kept possession for three days, when he was in his

turn dethroned by Waroch. He again was soon afterwards slain by Mohammed,

who a third time attained the sovereign power. After these repeated

revolutions, Zegra made ah unsuccessful attempt to recover the throne, in

which enterprize he lost his life.

On the death of Zegra, Schildtberger, and the other four Christians who had

been in his service, attached themselves to Manustzusch, who had been

counsellor to that prince. This person went upon a journey to Kaffa in the

Crimea, where six different religions are professed among the mixed

inhabitants of that peninsula, a part of whom are Christians; After a

residence there of five months, Manustzusch crossed the straits of Zabake

in the country called _Zeckchas_ or Zikchia, where he sojourned for six

months. But the sultan of Turkey sent a message to the sovereign of that

country, requesting that Manustzusch might not be allowed to remain there

any longer; and upon this he removed into the land of _Magrill_[13].

Schildtberger and his Christian companions, reflecting that they were now

only three days journey from the Black Sea, formed a resolution to

endeavour to return into their own country. With this view, having taken

leave of Manustzusch, they went, to the capital of the country of

_Bathan_[14] whence they requested to be conveyed across into Christendom,

but were refused. Upon this they rode four days journey along the coast,

when at length they espied a ship at about eight Italian miles from the

shore. They made signals to the people on board by means of fire, and a

boat was sent to inquire their purpose; and having convinced the boats crew

that they, were Christians, by rehearsing the Lords prayer, Ave Maria, and

creed, and these people having reported an account of them to the captain,

of the ship, boats were sent back to bring them, on board. Having escaped

many dangers, they landed at Constantinople, where they were well received

by John Palaeologus, the Grecian emperor, who: sent them by sea to the

castle of Kilia, at the mouth of the Danube. Schildtberger here parted from

his companions, and went with some merchants to Akkerman[15] in Wallachia.

From thence he went to _Sedhof_ Sutschawa the capital of Moldavia, or the

lesser Walachia. Hence to _Lubick_ called otherwise Lwow or Lemberg, the

capital of White Russia, where he was detained by illness for three months.

From that place he went to Cracow, the capital of Poland; and by Breslau in

Silesia, Misnia, Eger, Ratisbon, and Freysingen, back to Munich, having

been absent for more than thirty-two years.

[1] Forster, Voy. and Disc. in the North, p. 158.

[2] About this period, many abuses subsisted among the Golden Tribe on the

Wolga. Mamay and Ideku, or Yedeghey-khan, called Edigi by

Schildtberger, had not the title of great khan of the Golden Tribe in

Kiptschak, but held in fact the supreme power in their hands, and set

up khans from among the royal family, or deposed them at their

pleasure.--Forst

[3] The names are much disfigured, and the commencement of the journey is

not mentioned; but, from the course afterwards, this may be some

corruption for Armenia, or one of its districts.--E.

[4] Perhaps a corruption for Daghistan.--E.

[5] Perhaps Kahira, or Cairo.--E.

[6] Schildtberger, or his transcriber, calls this the town of Bursa, by

mistake for the mountain of Al-Burs.--Forst.

[7] Probably Agrachan; as both Astracan and Saray had been demolished by

Timur. As to his saying that it stood in the middle of the Edil,

Etilia, or Wolga, that may be a mistake; but at any rate, Edil

signifies any river whatever.--Forst.

[8] Bissibur or Issibur, is the ancient Russian town of Isborsk.--Forst. It

would appear that the present expedition was into Siber, or Siberia

--E.

[9] This appears to refer to the Uralian chain, and the frozen regions of

the north of Russia.--E.

[10] A mistake, by confounding close-made dresses of fur with the notion of

naked men, covered all over with shaggy hair.--E.

[11] Probably Wolgar, Bulgar, or Bulgaria, is here meant.--E

[12] From the sequel he appears rather to have been his brother.--E.

[13] This is probably a corruption for Mangrill, or Mingrelia.--E.

[14] Forster explains this by substituting the names of Bebian and Bedias

as synonymous. No such name occurs in our best maps; but there is a

place near the country of Mingrelia in Guria on the Black-Sea, named

Batum, which may be here indicated--E.

[15] This place is called in the text Weisseburgh, signifying the White

Town, otherwise named Akkerman or Akkiermann, Asprecastro,

Tschetatalba, and Belgorod.--Forst.

From the concluding sentence, Schildtberger, who began his travels,

or rather captivity in 1394, must have returned to Munich about 1426

or 1427--E.

CHAP. XVII.

_Travels of the Ambassadors of Mirza Shah Rokh, King of Persia, from Herat

to Khanbalek in Katkay, in 1419_[1].

INTRODUCTION.

This curious embassy, sent by Mirza Shah Rokh one of the sons of Timur, or

Timour the Great, better known in Europe by the name of Tamerlane,

travelled from Herat, in Persia, the residence of their sovereign, to

Khanbalek, Cambalu, or Peking, the imperial city of Kathay, Khatay, Kitay,

or Northern China, where Yong-lo, or Ching-tsu, the third emperor of the

race of Ming then kept his court. Yong-lo began to reign, in 1404, and died

in 1425, the year in which the ambassadors returned to Persia, the race of

Ming, a Chinese dynasty, was founded in 1368, fifty-one years before the

present embassy, by Hoang-vu, who had expelled the Mongol khans, the

degenerate and enervated descendants of Gingis or Zengis. This journey was

described by the famous Persian historian, Emir-Khond, or Emir-Khovand,

usually known by the name of Mirchond, in his performance, entitled, "Of

the Wonders of the World." Nicolas Witsen[2], a learned burgomaster of

Amsterdam, has inserted this curious journey, in his curious work, "Of

North and East Tartary," Having translated it for that purpose from the

Persian into Dutch. The singularly excellent work of Witsen is extremely

rare, and very seldom to be met with, as the author suppressed the work,

from motives which are now unknown. The library of the university of

Goettingen; formerly possessed a copy, which had belonged to the library of

the Empress of Russia, and which was purchased at the sale of the effects

of the late Mr Thunnman for eighty-six dollars. These travels are contained

in the fourth volume of the French collection by Thevenot; who says that it

was written in Persian, in twelve pages, without notes or explanation. He

makes no mention of the translator, but probably borrowed the article from

Witsen, without acknowledgment. The present edition is taken from Astleys

collection, and is enriched by several notes and elucidations, by Mr John

Reinhold Forster; who, while he regrets the scarcity of Witsens valuable

work in Dutch, forgets to inform us of the existence of this tract in

Thevenot, or in the collection of Astley. This journey throws some light on

the interior part of Tartary, or Central Asia; and is therefore an

important addition to our scanty knowledge of that little known and

interesting country, the real storehouse of nations, and the scourge,

during many centuries, of all the surrounding countries, from the sea of

Japan to the Baltic, and from the Frozen Ocean, to the seas of China,

India, Persia, Arabia, and Roum, or the Mediterranean.

The present edition has been carefully corrected and enlarged, by collation

with the abstract which Forster published from the Dutch translation by

Witsen. This journal gives many curious remarks on the magnificence of the

Chinese court, and respecting the ceremonial observed in giving audience to

ambassadors, which still continue nearly the same. The editor of Astley

labours hard to explain away the want of notice In these travels, and in

the repeated journeys of Marco Polo, respecting the great Chinese wall. But

the only rational explanation of this omission, is the clear conclusion

that it was not then built. We learn from this narrative, that the paper

money of the former Mogul Khans of Kathay was no longer in use, and that

silver money, under the same denomination of Balishes, had been substituted

in its place.

[1] Astley IV. 621. Forst. Voy. and Disc. 158.

[2] I suspect this learned Dutchman has been sometimes quoted in Latin, by

the name of Candidius.--E.

SECTION I.

_The Journey of the Ambassadors from Herat to Khanbalek, and their

reception at the Court of the Emperor of Kathay_.

In the year of the Hejirah 822, or 1419 of the Christian era, the Sultan

Mirza Shah Rokh, king of Persia, sent ambassadors from Herat, his royal

residence, to the emperor of Kathay, or China, of whom Shadi Khoja was the

chief. At the same time, Mirza Baysangar, the son of Shah Rokh, sent Soltan

Ahmet, and a painter named Khoja Gayath Addin, to accompany his fathers

ambassadors, giving orders to his servants to keep an exact journal of

their travels, and to take notice of every thing that was remarkable in

every city and country they travelled through; carefully noting the nature

of the roads, the police, and customs of the people, and the magnificence

and government of the various sovereigns. Leaving Herat[1] on the 11th of

the month Zi'lkaa-deh[2], the ambassadors arrived at Balkh on the 8th of

Zi'lhejjeh, where they were detained by the rains till the first of

Moharram, in the year 823 of the Hejira[3], or Thursday, 16th January 1420;

on which day they departed from Balkh, and arrived in twenty-two days

journey at Samarkand. They here found Soltan Shars, and Mehemmed Bakhshi,

the ambassadors of Ulug-Beg[4], who had been sent to accompany them,

together with all his Kathayans: And the ambassadors of Khorassan,

Badakshan, and from other princes, having here joined company, they all set

out together with those of Kathay[5].

Having passed through the cities of Tashkend, Sayram, and Ash[6], they

entered into the country of the Mongols[7] on the eleventh of _Rabiya-al-

akher_, and learnt that the _horde_ was in great confusion, Awis-khan being

at war with Shir Mehemmed Aglan. These disturbances being settled, Amir

Khudadad, who commanded in that country, came to inform them, that the

ambassadors might proceed safely on their journey. On the 18th of Jomada-

al-awal, they came to a place named Bilgotu[8], on the territories of

Mehemmed-Beg, where they waited for the Dajis[9], and the retinue of the

Shah of Badakshan. After their arrival, they passed the river _Kenker_[10]

on the twenty-second of Jomada-al-awal, and next day, they saw Mehemmed-

Beg, prince of that horde, whose son, Soltan Shadi Karkan[11], was son-in-

law to Shah Rokh, and a daughter of that prince had married Mirza Mehemmed

Juki[12]. On the twenty-eighth of the before named month, they entered the

country of Ilduz[13], which was occupied by the tribe of Jel, and under the

dominion of Shir Behram, or Scheir Begrahim; and though the sun was then in

the summer solstice, they were often astonished to find ice two inches

thick in this vast desert. On the eighth of Jomada-al-akher, they were

alarmed, by receiving, news that the son of Ahmed Beg had plundered the

Daji, who was ambassador from Awis, or Oweys Khan; and they made every

possible haste to pass through the defiles of the mountains,

notwithstanding of much hail and rain falling at the time. At the end or

the month, they arrived at Tarkan[14], where there is a great temple, with

a huge idol, which the idolatrous inhabitants say is the image of

Shakmonni, or Shamku. Departing from thence on the second of Rajeb, they

came on the fifth to Karakoja.[l5] And certain Kathayans came here on the

tenth, who took a list of the names of the ambassadors and all their

retinue. On the nineteenth they arrived at the town of Ata-Sufi, where Kha

Zadeh Taj'oddin resided, a person descended from the prophet, originally of

the city of Tormul, and son-in-law to Amir Fakr'oddin, chief of the Moslems

in Kabul[16].

On the twenty-second of Rajeb they arrived at Kabul[17], in which place

Amir Fakr'oddin had built a fine mosque; near which was a temple of the

idolaters, set round with images, and strange figures of various sizes, and

at the doors there were two gigantic statues that seemed to fight. Mengli

Timur Bayri, a handsome young man, was governor of this city. Departing

thence on the twenty-fifth of Rajeb, they entered on the desert of Noman

Cobi, where they only found water once in two days; and on the twelfth of

Shaaban, they saw lions, oxen, and other wild beasts; the oxen, named Gau

Kottahs, are very large and strong, insomuch that they are able to toss a

man and horse into the air. Their tails are remarkably long and hairy, and

are in great estimation all over the East, where they are often carried on

long poles, by way of ornament, and are likewise much employed for driving

away flies. On the fourteenth, they arrived at a place within twelve stages

of Sekju[18], the first city in Kathay. From this time, the Kathayans came

daily to meet them, erecting tents or huts, adorned with green boughs, in

the desert for their accommodation, and plentifully supplied their tables

with fowls, and various kinds of flesh, fruits, fresh and dried, and other

victuals, all served on porcelain or china dishes, besides several kinds of

strong liquors; and henceforwards they were as splendidly regaled in the

desert as they afterwards were in the cities of Kathay. According to the

list taken by the Kathayans, Amir Shadi Khoja, and Gaksheh, had 200 persons

in their retinue; Soltan Ahmed and Gayath-addin, 500; Argdak, sixty;

Ardvan, fifty; and Taj'oddin, fifty; in all 860 persons; among whom were

many merchants, who were passed as belonging to the retinue of the

ambassadors, and who were, afterwards under the necessity of performing the

services which fell to their lot, according to the register. In taking this

list, the Kathayan officers made them swear that there were no other

persons besides those named, and informed them that they would be despised

if they did not tell the truth.

It is remarkable, that among the many viands and liquors supplied to them,

in the before-mentioned entertainment, there was a pot of Chinese _tea_,

which the Jesuit Trigault imagined had only come into use in China of late

years. Tea is called _Tscha_ by the Chinese, and its use is very ancient,

as the earlier of the two Mahometan travellers, who wrote in 851 and 867,

mention the use, by the Chinese in that early period, of the infusion of

the leaves of a shrub called _sah_ or _tsha_. Even at that time, the use of

tea must have become an article of constant and extensive consumption in

China, as the emperor derived a large revenue from the tax on that

article[19].

On the sixteenth of the month Shaaban, they were informed that the Dankji,

governor of the borders of Kathay, intended to entertain them that day with

an imperial feast; and on their arrival at his encampment, they found a

square arpent[20] of ground inclosed with tents, the cords of which,

fastened to pegs in the ground, were so interlaced together that there was

no entrance into the inclosure but by four gates, which were left on

purpose. In the midst of this place, they had erected a great and very high

awning of cloth, supported on wooden pillars; at one end of which was an

imperial canopy of state, erected on two richly varnished pillars, between

which stood a great chair of state as if for the emperor, and other seats

on both sides. The ambassadors were placed on the left hand of the imperial

throne, arid the Kathayan officers on the right. Before each ambassador

there were two tables, one of which was covered with various meats and

fruits, and the other with cakes and delicate bread, ornamented with

festoons of silk and paper. The other persons present had only one table to

each. At the opposite end of this great banqueting tent, there stood a

buffet or side-board, full of vessels of china and of silver, for serving

the liquors. During the entertainment, they were regaled by a band of

music, and a number of young persons, in strange dresses, performed various

tricks for their amusement. They were likewise much amused by the

performance of a comedy, the actors of which wore masks representing the

faces of animals; and a child, inclosed in the body of an artificial stork,

walked about and performed a variety of surprising motions. In short,

nothing could be more magnificent.

Next day, being the seventeenth of Shaaban, they continued their journey

through the desert, and arrived in a few days at a karaul[21] or strong

fortress, in the mountains, which is built across the road in a pass or

defile, so that travellers must necessarily enter by one gate and pass

through the other. Here the ambassadors and all the members of their

retinues were carefully numbered, and a new list made of all their names.

From the karaul they went to Sekju or So-chew[22], where they were lodged

in a large public building over the gate of the city; in which, as in all

their other lodgings, they were amply provided with every necessary and

convenience, as provisions, beds, and horses; and even the servants had

mattresses and coverlets allowed for their beds. So-chew is a large and

strong city, quite square, in the entrance into Kathay. It has sixteen

market places, each fifty cubits square, which are always kept clean. In

these there are several covered halls or galleries, having shops on both

sides; and a handsome hall of entrance, adorned with pictures. There are

hogs kept in every house, and the butchers hang their pork in the shambles

along with the mutton[23]. The city wall is flanked with towers at every

twenty paces distance; and there is a gate in the middle of each side, from

each of which one may see the opposite gate, as the streets pass straight

through the middle of the city, dividing it into four quarters. Over each

gate there is a pavilion of two stories, the roof of which is tiled with

porcelain, and is shaped like an asses back, or penthouse, according to the

fashion of Kathay, which is likewise followed in Mazanderan. Each of the

temples in this place occupy nearly ten arpents of ground, and all are very

neat, with their brick pavements polished like glass. At the gates there

stand a number of fine youths, who, after regaling strangers, show them the

temples.

From So-chew it is ninety-five days journey to Cambalu, or Khanbalek, where

the emperor resides, the whole way leading, through a populous country,

insomuch that travellers always lodge at night in a large town. Throughout

the whole way there are many structures named Kargu, and Kidifu. The former

are a species of corps-de-garde, which are sixty cubits high, and are built

within sight of each other, having always persons on guard, who are

relieved every ten days. These are intended to communicate alarms speedily

to the seat of government, which they do by means of fires; and

intelligence can be sent, in this manner, in the space of a day and a

night, from the distance of three months journey[24]. The Kidifus are a

kind of post-houses, which are built at ten _merres_[25] from each other,

having fixed establishments of people, with houses to live in, and ground

to cultivate for their support; and all letters to the imperial city are

sent by couriers from one to another. From Sakju, or So-chew, to Kamju[26],

there are nine stages or days journey, and the dankji who resides in

Kan-chew is superior to all the other governors on the frontiers. At each

stage the ambassadors were furnished with 450 horses, mules, and asses, and

fifty-six chariots or waggons. The servants who tended the horses were

called _Ba-fu_; the muleteers, who had charge of the mules and the

asses,_Lu-fu_; and the men who drew the chariots, _Jip-fu_. These chariots

were each drawn by twelve young men with cords on their shoulders, and they

dragged through all difficulties from one lodging to another, the _Ba-fu_

always running before as guides. At all the lodging places, where the

ambassadors and their retinue stopped nightly, provisions were always found

in abundance. At every city the ambassadors were feasted in a hall set

apart for that special purpose, called _Rasun_, in each of which there

stood an imperial throne under a canopy, with curtains at the sides, the

throne always facing towards the capital of the empire. At the foot of the

throne there always was a great carpet, on which the ambassadors sat,

having their people ranked in regular rows behind them, like the Moslems at

their prayers. When all were properly arranged, a guard beside the throne

gave a signal, by calling out aloud three times; on which all the Kathayan

officers bowed their heads to the ground towards the throne, and obliged

the ambassadors to make a similar reverence; after which every one sate

down to his appointed table.

On the twenty-fifth of Ramazan, the dankji, or governor of Kan-chew invited

the ambassadors to a feast, intimating that they were to consider it as a

banquet given them by the emperor; but as it was the fast of the Moslems,

the ambassadors sent an apology, yet he sent them all the victuals which

had been prepared for the entertainment. In Kanchew they saw a temple, each

side of which extended 500 _kes_ or cubits, having in the middle of it an

idol fifty feet in length, lying as if asleep. The hands and feet of this

gigantic idol were nine feet long, and the head was twenty-one feet round.

There were numbers of smaller idols, each a cubit high, behind this large

one and above his head, in such natural attitudes that they seemed alive.

The great idol was gilt all over, having one hand under his head, and the

other stretched down along his thigh. This idol was called _Samonifu_, and

vast numbers of people were constantly prostrating themselves before him.

The walls were also adorned with many figures. All round the great temple,

there were numerous small temples, like the chambers in caravanseras,

having curtains of tapestry or brocade, gilded easy chairs and stools,

chandeliers, and vessels, for ornament. There were ten other temples in the

city of Kan-chew like the former, and a tower having eight fronts, twenty

cubits in circumference, and fifteen stories high. Each story was twelve

cubits high, so that the whole tower was 180 cubits in height. In every

story was a chamber finely varnished, and a gallery round, embellished with

paintings. One of these paintings represented the emperor of Kathay sitting

among his courtiers, and with boys and girls on either hand. This structure

is called _Teherki felek_ by the Moslems, and resembles a kiosk. At the

bottom there were the figures of giants, which seemed to carry the whole

tower on their backs. The whole was constructed of wood, richly gilded and

varnished, and so exquisitely polished, that it seemed of burnished gold.

In a vault under the edifice, there is an iron axis resting on a plate of

iron, and reaching from the bottom to the top of the tower: and the whole

was so ingeniously contrived, that it could easily be turned round on this

axis, in so surprizing a manner, that all the smiths, carpenters, and

painters of the world ought to go there, to learn the secrets of their

respective trades[27].

Before the ambassadors left Kan-chew, they were furnished with horses and

carriages, which they returned here in their way back. In this place also,

they consigned the presents which were intended for the emperor, except a

lion, which they carried along with them, to the imperial court. In

proportion as they approached towards the capital, the Kathayan

magnificence always increased. Every evening they arrived at a _Yam_[28] or

lodging, and once every week at a city. On the fourth of the month Shawal

they reached the river Karamuran[29], which is as large as the Jihon or

Amu. Across this river there is a bridge of twenty-six boats, laid over

with planks, and kept together by iron hooks and chains, which are fastened

to iron pillars on each bank, as thick as a mans thigh, so that the whole

is kept perfectly firm and even. On crossing this river they came to a

great city, where the ambassadors were more splendidly, feasted that in any

other place; and here they saw a more magnificent idol temple than any of

the former. They took notice also of three public stews, full of very

beautiful harlots; and as the women here are handsomer than any other in

Kathay, this place has the name of _Rosnabaad_, or the _City of Beauty_.

After passing through several other cities, they arrived on the twelfth of

the month Zu'lkaadeh, at another river[30] twice as large as the Jihon,

which they passed over in boats. Continuing their journey, and crossing

over several rivers, some in boats and others by means of bridges, they

arrived, on the twenty-seventh of the last mentioned month, at the great

and populous city of _Sadin-fu_[31]. In one of the temples of this city

there stands a gilded brass image fifty cubits high, called the _image with

a thousand hands_, for such is the number with which this idol is

furnished, and on the palm of each there is an eye. The feet of this idol

are near ten cubits long. Round this idol there are several others of

different heights, placed in chambers or niches, some reaching only as high

as the ankle of the great one, others to the knee, and others again as high

as the breast. It is reckoned that this prodigious work required 100,000

loads of brass. The top of the temple is exquisitely finished, and

terminates in an open hall. It is surrounded by eight mounts or eminences,

which may be ascended both on the outside and the inside; and these have

several grottos, the walls of which are adorned with various paintings,

representing priests, idols, hermits, tigers, leopards, serpents, and

trees. These, with the idols, mountains, and arches, seem all to be

composed of plaster. Around this great temple there are many fine

buildings, and among these a turning tower, similar to that of Kan-chew,

but larger and finer.

Continuing their journey, at the rate of four or five pharasangs each

day[32], the ambassadors arrived before day-break of the eighth of

Zu'lhajieh, at the imperial city of Khanbalik[33], or Pekin. This city is

so great that each side is a pharasang in length, or about four and a

quarter English miles. But at this time 100,000 houses within its walls lay

in ruins. The ambassadors and their retinue were conducted on foot along a

causeway 700 feet long, to the palace gate, where there stood five

elephants on either side. On passing this outward gate, they entered a very

beautiful paved court of great extent, where they found 100,000 men waiting

at the emperors gate, although it was not yet day. Facing this court there

was a great _kiosk_ or pavilion, the basis of which was thirty cubits high,

on which stood pillars fifty cubits high, supporting a gallery sixty cubits

long and forty cubits wide. This pavilion had three gates, the middle one

being reserved for the emperor, and that on each side was smaller. Above

this kiosk, and over the right and left gates, was a _kurkeh_, or great

drum; and a bell hung over the middle gate, attended by two persons, to

give notice of the appearance of the emperor on his throne. They reckoned

that near 300,000 persons were assembled before the palace, among whom were

2000 musicians, who sung hymns for the prosperity of the emperor. Two

thousand men, armed with halberts, batons, darts, arrows, lances, swords,

and maces, had enough of business in keeping the crowd in order. Others

held fans and umbrellas. Around this court there were many apartments, and

it was surrounded by high porticos closed with grates, and containing

sofas. When day appeared, the drums, trumpets, flutes, and hautboys, began

to sound, and the great bell tolled; at which the great gates were thrown

open, and the people crowded in to see the emperor. On passing from the

first court into the second, the ambassadors found a larger and more

magnificent pavilion than the former, on which was a raised platform, or

sofa, of a triangular form, four cubits high, covered with yellow satin,

and sumptuously adorned with gildings and paintings, representing the

_Simorg_[34], or Phoenix, which the Kathayans call the royal bird. On this

sofa was a seat or throne of massy gold, and on both sides stood ranks of

officers of different orders, some commanders of 10,000 men, some of a

1000, and others of 100 men. Each of these held a tablet in his hand, a

cubit long and a quarter broad, on which they all continued to look with

much gravity, without attending to any thing around them; and behind these,

stood an infinite number of guards, all in profound silence. At length the

emperor made his appearance from an inner apartment, and ascended the

throne by nine steps of silver. The emperor was a man of middle stature,

and his beard consisted of 200 or 300 long hairs, which descended from his

chin upon his breast. On each side of the throne there stood two very

beautiful maidens, having their faces and necks bare, with their hair tied

on the top of their heads, and large pearls in their ears. Each of these

held paper and a pen in their hands, and wrote down with great attention

whatever was spoken by the emperor; and when he retires, they present him

with the papers, to see if he has any alterations to make in his orders.

These are afterwards carried to the _Diwan_, or tribunal of state, that

they may be carried into execution.