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CONTENTS.

WILLIAM DE RUBRUQUIS.

Born 1220.—Died about 1293, or 1294.

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


MARCO POLO.

Born 1250.—Died 1324.

Departure of the father and uncle of Marco from Venice—Bulgaria—Wanders
through Turkestan—Sanguinary wars—Cross the Gihon
and remain three years at Bokhara—Travels to Cathay—Cambalu—Honourably
received by Kublai Khan—Return as the khan's ambassador
to Italy—Family misfortunes—Return with Marco into Asia—Armenia—Persia—The
assassins—City of Balkh—Falls ill on the
road—Is detained a whole year in the province of Balashghan—Curious
productions of the country, and the singular manners of
its inhabitants—Khoten—Desert of Lop—Wonders of this desert—Shatchen
and Khamil—Barbarous custom—Chinchintales—Salamander
linen—Desert of Shamo—Enormous cattle—Musk deer—Beautiful
cranes—Stupendous palace of Chandu—Arrives at Cambalu—Acquires
the language of the country, and is made an ambassador—Description
of Kublai Khan—Imperial harem—Nursery of beauty—Palace
of Cambalu—Pretension of the Chinese to the invention of
artillery—Magnificence of the khan—Paper-money—Roads—Post-horses—Religion—Fertility—Tibet—Bloody
footsteps of war—Wild
beasts—Abominable manners—Strange clothing and money—The
Dalai Lama—Murder of travellers—Teeth plated with gold—Preposterous
custom—Magical physicians—Southern China—Emperor Fanfur—Anecdote—Prodigious
city—Extremes of wealth and poverty—*