The Book of Ser Marco Polo, the Venetian, concerning the kingdoms and marvels of the East. Newly translated and edited, with notes, by H. Yule, ... With maps and other illustrations

Front matter

DOORWAY OF MARCO POLO'S HOUSE IN THE Corte Sabbionera at Venice. To face Preface, fi. THE BOOK OF SER MARCO POLO, THE VENETIAN, Concerning the Kingdoms and Marvels of the East. NEWLY TRANSLATED AND EDITED, WITH NOTES, MAPS, AND OTHER ILLUSTRATIONS. By COLONEL HENRY YULE, C.B., LATE OF THE ROYAL ENGINEERS (BENGAL), Hon. Fellow of the Geographical Society of Italy, Corresponding Member of tlie Geographical Society of Paris, Honorary Member of ihe Geographical Society of Berlin, and of the N. -China Branch of tlie R. Asiatic Society, &^c. IN TWO VOLUMES.— Vol. I. SECOND EDITION, REVISED. WITH THE ADDITION OF NEW MATTER AND MANY NEW ILLUSTRATIONS. LONDON: JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET. i875- The right of Translation is reserved. LONDON : PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS.

"AvSpa fxoi evveire Movaa iroXiiTporrov o? fitiXa ttoWci U\dy-^6rj TloWoov &' avOpcoTroov 'IBev da-Tea Kal voov eyvco. Odyssey, I " I AM BECOME A NAME ; For always roaming with a hungry heart- Much HAVE I SEEN AND KNOWN ; CITIES OF MEN, and manners, climates, councils, governments, Myself not least, but honoured of them all." Tennyson a seder ci pon em mo i vi ambodui volti a levante ond' eravam saliti; Che suole a riguardar giovare altrui." Dante, Purgatory, IV, * * * (circa MDCCLX.) Ed b da noi si strano Che quando ne ragiono Io non trouo nessuno Che abbia nauigato * * * * Le parti di Leuante ; La doue sono tante Gemme di gran vertute, E di -molta salute ; E sono in quello giro Balsamo et ambra e tiro, E lo pepe, e lo legno- Alo£, ch' & si degno, E spigo, e cardamomo, Gengioue, e cinamomo * * * * E meglio oro, e piu fina, E sana medicina.

Appresso in questo poco Misero a retto loco Le tigri, e li grifoni, Allifanti, e leoni, Camelli, e dragumene, E badalischi, e gene, E pantere, e castoro, Le formiche dell' oro, E tanti altri animali, Ch' io non so ben dir quali : Che son si diuisati, E si dissimigliati, E di si strana taglia, Che non credo san faglia, Ch' alcun vomo viuente Potesse veramente Per lingua o per scritture Recitar le figure Delle bestie e d'vccelli ■From // Tesoretto di Ser Brunetto Latini The unexpected amount of favour bestowed on the former edition of this Work has been a great encouragement to the Editor in preparing this second one. Not a few of the kind friends and correspondents who lent their aid before have continued it to the present revision. . The contributions of Mr. A. Wylie of Shanghai, whether as regards the amount of labour which they must have cost him, or the value of the result, demand above all others a grateful record here.

Preface

TO SECOND EDITION. Karakorum, for a brief space the seat of the widest empire the world has known, has been visited; the ruins of Shangtu, the " Xanadu of Cublay Khan," have been explored ; Pamir and Tangut have been penetrated from side to side ; the famous mountain Road of Shensi has been traversed and described ; the mysterious Caindu has been unveiled ; the publication of my lamented friend Lieut. Garnier's great work on the French Exploration of Indo-China has provided a mass of illustration of that Yunnan for which but the other day Marco Polo was well-nigh the most recent authority. Nay, the last two years have thrown a promise of light even on what seemed the wildest of Marco's stories, and the bones of a veritable Rue from New Zealand lie on the table of Professor Owen's Cabinet !

M. Vivien de St. Martin, during the interval of which we have been speaking, has published a History of Geography. In treating of Marco Polo, he alludes to the first edition of this work, most evidently with no intention of disparagement, but speaks of it as merely a revision of Marsden's Book. The last thing I should allow myself to do would be to apply to a Geographer, whose works I hold in so much esteem, the disrespectful definition which the adage quoted in my former Preface * gives of the vir qui docet quod non sapit ; but I feel bound to say that on this occasion M. Vivien de St. Martin has permitted himself to pronounce on a matter with which he had not made himself acquainted ; for the perusal of the very first lines of the Preface (I will say nothing of the Book), would have shown him that such a notion was utterly unfounded.

In concluding these " forewords " I am probably taking * See page leave of Marco Polo,* the companion of many pleasant and some laborious hours, whilst I have been contemplating with him (" volti a levante ") that Orient in which I also had spent years not a few. And as the writer lingered over this conclusion, his thoughts wandered back in reverie to those many venerable libraries in which he had formerly made search for medi eval copies of the Traveller's story ; and it seemed to him as if he sate in a recess of one of these with a manuscript before him which had never till then been examined with any care, and which he found with delight to contain passages that appear in no version of the Book hitherto known. It was written in clear Gothic text, and in the Old French tongue of the early 14th century.

Was it possible that he had lighted on the long-lost original of Ramusio's Version ? No ; it proved to be different. Instead of the tedious story of the northern wars, which occupies much of our Fourth Book, there were passages occurring in the later history of Ser Marco, some years after his release from the Genoese captivity. They appeared to contain strange anachronisms certainly ; but we have often had occasion to remark on puzzles in the chronology of Marco's story ! f And in some respects they tended to justify our intimated suspicion that he was a man of deeper feelings and wider sympathies than the book of Rusticiano had allowed to appear.J Perhaps this * Writing in Italy, perhaps I ought to write, according to too prevalent modern Italian custom, Polo Marco. I have already seen, and in the work of a writer of reputation, the Alexandrian geographer styled Tolomeo Claudio! and if this preposterous fashion should continue to spread, we shall in time have Tasso Torquato, Jonson Ben, Africa explored by Park Mungo, Asia conquered by Lane Tamer, Copperfield David by Dickens Charles, Homer Englished by Pope Alexander, and the Roman history done into French from the original oi Live Tite! f Introduction p. 773, and passim in the notes.

J lh., p. 10'J. X time the traveller had found an amanuensis whose faculties had not been stiffened by fifteen years of Malapaga ? * One of the most important passages ran thus : — " Bien estvoirs que, apres ce que Messires Marc Pol avoit pris fame et si estoit demouri plusours ans de sa vie a Venysse, il avint que mounts Messires Mates qui oncles Messire Marc estoit.- (et mourut ausi ses grans chiens mastitis qu'avoit amenei dou Calais et qui avoit tion Bayan pour r amour au bon chievetain Bayan Cent-iex) ; adonc n'avoit oncques puis Messires Marc nullui, fors son esclave Piere le Tartar, avccques lequel pouvoit penre soulas d s'entretenir de ses voiages et des choscs dou Levant. Car la gent de Venysse si avoit de grant piesce moult anuy pris des tones conies Messire Marc ; et quand ledit Messires Marc issoit de I'uys sa meson ou Sain Grisostome, souloient li petit marmot es voies daricre-li courir en cryant Messer Marco Milion ! cont' a nu un busion ! que veult dire en Francois ' Messires Marcs des millions di-nous un de vos gros meusonges.' En oui tre, la Dame Donate fame -anuy ouse estoit, et de trop estroit esprit, et plainne de couvoitise.% Ansi avint que Messires Marc desiroit es voiages rantrer durement.

" Si se partist de Venisse et chevaucha aux parties d'oecident. Et demoura mainz jours es contre'es de Provence et de France et puys fist passaige aux Ysles de la tremontain^ne et s'en retourna par la Magne, si connne vous orrez cy -apres. Et fist-it escripre son voiage atout les devisements les contre'es j mes de la France n'y parloit mie grantment pour ce que maintes genz la scevent apertement. Et pour ce en lairons atant, et commencerons d'aulres choscs, assavoir, de Bretaingne la Grant. do Srbgse Drnt roiaume Be Bretaingne la grant. " Et sachie's que quand Veil se part de Cal^s, et Ven nage XX ou XXX milles d trop grant mesaise, si treuve Ven une grandisme Ysle qui s'apelle Bretaingne la Grant. Elie est d une grant royne et n'en fait treuage d nulluy. Et ensevelissent lor tnors, et ont monnoye de chartres et d'or et d'argent, et ardent pierres noyres, et vivent de marchandises et d'ars, et ont toutes choses de vivre en grant habondance mais non pas a bon niarchU.

Et c'est une Ysle de trop grant richesce, et li marinier de celle partie dient que c'est li plus riches royaumes qui soit ou monde, et qu'il y a li mieudre marinier dou monde et li mieudre coursier et li mieudre chevalier (ains ne chevauchent mais lone com Francois). Ausi ont-il trop bons homes d'armes et vaillans dure ment (bien que maint n'y ait), et les dames et damoseles bonnes et loialles, et belles com lys souef florant. Et quoi vous en diroie-je f Hya citez et chasteau assez, et tant de marche'anz et si riches qui font venir tant d'avoir-de poiz et de toute espece de marchandise qu'il n'est lions qui la verity en sceust dire. Font venir d'Ynde et d' autres parties coton a grant plants, ctfont venir * See Introduction, pp. A9, 55. t See Title of present volume. X Which quite agrees with the story of the document quoted at p. 76 of Intro duction. soye de Manzi et de Bangala, et font venir laine des ysles de la Mer Occeane et de toutes parties.

Et si labourent maintz bouquerans et touailles et autres draps de colon et de laine et de soye. Encores sachie's que ont vaines dacier assez, et si en labourent trop soubtivement de tous hernois de chevalier, et de toutes choses besoignables d ost j ce sont espe'es et glaive et esperon et heaume et haches, et toute espeee d'arteillerie et de coutelerie, et en font grant gaaigne et grant marchandise. Et en font si grant habondance que tout li mondes cn y puet avoir et d bon marchie'. lEtworcs cg Bebisc Sou Bot roiaume, et Be ee qu'rn Btst ilHrsstrcs iflarts. " Et sachie's que tient icelle Royne la seigneurie de /'Ynde majeure et de Mutfili et de Bangala, et d'une moitie1 de Mien. Et moult est saige et noble dame et pourve'ans, si que est elie ame'e de chascun. Et avoit jadis marij et depuys qu'il mourut bien XIV ans avoit ; adonc la royne sa fame Varna tant que oncques puis ne se voult marier a nullui, pour Vamour le prince son baron, aunois moult maine quoye vie.

Et tient son royaume ausi bien tne miex que oncques le tindrent li roy si aioul. Mes ores en ce royaume li roy n'ont guieres pooir, aius la poissance commence a trespasser d la menue gent. Et distrent aucun marinier de celes parties d Messire Marc que hui-et-le-jour li royaumes soit auques abas tar di come j e vous diroy. Car bien est voirs que ci-arrieres estoit ciz pueplc de Bretaingne la Grant bonne et granz et loialle gent qui servoit Diex moult volontiers selonc lor usaigej et suit li labour qu'il labouroient et portoient a vendre estoient honnestement laboure, et dou greigneur vaillance, et chose pardurable ; et se vendoient d jouste pris sanz barguignier. En tant que se attains labours portoit Vestanpille Bretaingne la Grant c' estoit regardei com pleges de bonne estoffe. Mes orendroit li labours n'est mie tousjourz si bonsj et quand Ven aehate pour un quintal pesant de toiles de colon, adonc, par trop souvent, si treuve Ven de chascun C pois de colon, bien XXX ou XL pois de piastre de gifs, ou de blanc d'Espaigne, ou de choses semblables.

Et se Ven aehate de cammeloz ou de tireteinne ou d' autre dras de laine, cist ne dur ent mie, ains sont plain d'empoise, ou de glu et de balieures. " Et bien qu'il est voirs que chascuns hons egalement doit de son cors servir son seigneur ou sa commune, pour aler en ost en tens de besoingne j et bien que trestuii li autre royaume d'oecident tieingnent ce pour ordenance, ciz pueple de Bretaingne la Grant n'en veult nullement, ains si dient : ' Veez-ld . n'avons nous pas la Manche pour fossil de nostre pourpris, et pourquoy nous penerons-nous pour nous faire homes d'armes, en lessiant nos gaaignes et nossoulaz f Cela lairons aus soudaiers.' Or li preudhome entre eulx moult scevent bien com Hex paroles sontnyaises; mes si ont paour de lour en dire la verM pour ce que cuident desplaire as bourjois et a la menue gent.

" Or je vous di sanz faille que, quand Messires Marcs Pols sceust ces choses, moult en ot pitid de cestui pueple, et il li vint d remembrance ce que avenu estoit, ou tens Messire Nicolas et Messire Mate, d Vore quand Alau, frere charnel dou Grant Sire Cublay, ata en ost seur Baudas, et print le Calife et sa maistre cite', atout son vaste tresor d'or et d'argent, et Vamere parolle que dist ledit Alau au Calife, com Va escripte li Maislres Rusticiens ou chief de cestui livre* * Vol. I. p. 65, and p. 68. " Car sachie's tout voirement que Messires Marc moult se deleitoit d faire appert combien sont pareilles au font les condicions des diverses regions dou monde, et soloit-il clorre son discours si disant en son language de Venisse : ' Sto mondo xe fato tondo, com uzoit dire mes oncles Masks' " Ore vous lairons d conter de ceste matiere et retournerons d parler de la Loy des gen z de Bretaingne la Grant.

Cg Bcbtsc Bes Btbcrses crc'anccs Be la gent Bretaingne la ©rant et Be ce qu'en cuiBoit JKcsstres iWares. "// est voirs que li pueples est Crestiens, mes non pour le plus sclonc la soy de VApostoille Rommain, ains tiennent le en mautalent assez. Seu lemen til y en aaucun qui sout foil du dit Aposloille et encore plus forment que li nostre prudhome de Venisse. Car quand dit li Rapes .- ' Telle ou telle chose est noyre,' toute ladite gent si en jure .- ' Noyre est com poivre.' Et puis se dira li Papes de la dite chose : ' Elie est blanche] si en jurera toute ladite gent ; 1 II est voirs qu'elle est blanche; blanche est com noifs.' Et dist Messires Marc Pol : ' Nous n'avons nullement tant de soy d Venyse, ne li prudhome de Florence non plus, com Ven puet savoir bien apertement dou livre Monseignour Dantes Aldiguiere, que j'ay congneu a Padoe le meisme an que Messires Thibault de Cepoy d Venisse estoit* Ales c'est joustement ce que j'ay veu autre foiz pres le Grant Bacsi qui est com li Papes des Ydres.' " Encore y a une autre maniere de gent; ce sont de eelz qui s'appellent filsoufes; f ct si il disent .■ ' S'il y a Diex n'en scavons mil, mes il est voirs qu'il est une certeinne courance des choses laquex court devers le bien.' Et fist Messires Marcs : ''Encore la criance des Bacsi qui dysent que n'y a ne Diex Eternel ne Juge des homes, ains il est une certeinne chose laquex s'apelle Kerma.'f " Une autre foiz avint que disoit un des filsoufes d Monseignour Marc : ' Diex n'existe mie jeusqu'ores, ain^ois il se fait desorendroit.' Et fist encore Messires Marcs : ' Veez-ld une autre foiz la crdance des ydres, car dient que li seuz Diex est icil hons qui par force de ses vertuz et de son savoir tant pour chace que d'home il se face Diex presentement.

Et li Tartar Vappelent Borcan. Tiex Diex Sagamoni Borcan estoit, dou quel parle li livres Maistre Rusticien.'§ " Encore ont une autre maniere de filsoufes, et dient-il ; ' II n'est mie ne Diex ne Kerma ne courance vers le bien, ne Providence, ne Cre'erres, ne Sauvours, tie saintete' tie pechih ne. conscience de pechie", ne proyere ne response d proyire, il n'est nulle rieus fors que trop minime grain ou paillettes qui ont d nom atosmes, et de tiex grains devient chose qui vive, et chose qui vive devient une certeinne creature qui demoure au rivaige de la Mer, et * I.e. 1306 ; see Introduction, p. 66-67. t The form which Marco gives to this word was probably a reminiscence of the oriental corruption failsilf. It recalls to my mind a Hindu who was very fond of the word, and especiaUy of applying it to certain of his fellow-servants.

But as he used it, bara failsilf— " great philosopher "—meant exactly the same as the modern slang ' Artful Dodger !' % See for the explanation ol Karma, "the power that controls the universe," in the doctrine of atheistic Buddhism, Hardy's Eastern Monachism, p. 5. § Vol. II. p. 298 (see also I. 339). ceste creature devient poissons, et poissons devient lezars, et lezars devient blayriaus, et blayriaus devient gat-maimons, et gat-maimons devient hons sauvaiges qui menjue char d'homes, et hons sauvaiges devient hons er es lien.' " Et dist Messires Marc : ' Encore une foiz, biaus sires, li Bacsi de Tebet et de Kescemir et li prestre de Sedan, qui si dient que Vartne vivant doie trespasser par tous cez changes de vest emeus; si com se treuve escript ou livre Maistre Rusticien que Sagamoni Borcan mourut iiij vint et iiij foiz et tous j our z resuscita, et d chascune foiz d'une diverse maniere de beste, et d la derreniere foyz mourut hons et devint diex, selonc ce qu'il dient.'* Et fist encore Messires Marc : 'A moy pert-il trop estrange chose se juesques d toutes les er dances des ydolastres deust dechioir ceste grantz et saige nation.

Ainsi peuent jouer Misire li fil souse atout lour propre perte, mes d Vore quand tiex fantaisies se respanderont es joenes bacheliers et parmy la menue gent, eelz averont pour toute Loy manBttccmus ct bibamus, eras enim moriemur ; et trop isnellement Ven raccomencera la descente de Veschiele, et tVhome crestien deviendra hons sauvaiges, et cVhome sauvaige gat-maimons, et de gat-maimon blayriaus' Et fist encores Messires Marc: ' Maintes contre'es et provinces et ysles et cit^z je Marc Pol ay veues et de maintes genz de maintes manieres ay les condicionz congneues, et je croy bien que il est plus assez dedens Vunivers que ce que li nostre prestre n'y songent. Et pitet bien estre, biaus sires, que li mondes n'a estds creds d tous poinz com nous creiens, ains d'une sorte encore plus merveillouse.

Mes eil n' amenuise nullement nostre pensee de Diex et de sa tnajeste, ains lafaitgreingnour. Et contrite n'ay veue ou Dame Diex ne tnanifeste apertement les granz euvres de sa tout-poissante saigesse; gent n'ay congneue esquiex ne se fait sentir li fardels de pechie, et la besoingne de Phisicien des maladies de Vartne tiex com est nostre Seignours Ihesus Crist, Beni soyt son Non. Pensez doneques d eel qu'a dit uns de ses Apostres .- polite cssc pruBcntcs apuB bosmrt tpsos ; et uns autres .- ©uoniam multi psruBo=propfjetae citermt; et uns autres .- ©uoB benient in nobtsstmts Bitbus tlhts sores • • - Bi:rntc3, ?Ebi tst ptomissio? et encores aus parolles que dist li Signours meismes : FiBe ergo ne lumen quoB in te est tenebtac sint.' Commant fHcssires fHarcs se parttst Be I'gsle Be Bretaingne ct Be la prog'erc que fist.

" Et pourquoy vous en feroie-je lone conte ? Si print nes Messires Marcs et se partist en nageant vers la terre ferme. Or Messires Marc Pol moult ama eel roiaume de Bretaingne la grant pour son viex renon et s'ancienne franchise, et pour sa saige et bonne Royne (gue Diex gars), et pour les mainz homes de vaillance et bans chaceours et les maintes bonnes et honnestes dames qui y estoient. Et sachies tout voirement que en estant delez le bort la nes, et en esgardant aus roches blanches que Venpar dariere-li lessoit, Messires Marc prieoit Diex, et disoit-il .• ' Ha Sires Diex ay merci de ces tuy vieix et noble royaume; fay -en pardurable forteresse de liberte' et de joust ice, et garde-le de tout meschief de dedens et de dehors ; donne d sa gent droit esprit pour ne pas Diex guerroyer de ses dons, ne de richesce ne de savoir ; et cons or te les fermement en tafoy ' . . .

" * Vol. II. p. 300. A loud Ameh seemed to peal from without, and the awakened reader started to his feet. And lo ! it was the thunder of the winter-storm crashing among the many tinted crags of Monte Pellegrino, — with the wind raging as it knows how to rage here in sight of the Isles of Æolus, and the rain dashing on the glass as ruthlessly as it well could have done, if, instead of Æolic Isles and many-tinted crags, the window had fronted a dearer shore beneath a northern sky, and looked across the grey Firth to the rain-blurred outline of the Lomond Hills. But I end, saying to Messer Marco's praver, Amen. Palermo, December yst, 1874. " Nob) strike gour Satlcs gec jollo iBattnrrs, Jfor fate be come into a quiet 3&oBc " . . . . — The Faerie Queene, I xii. 42. [Original Dedications TO HER ROYAL HIGHNESS, MAEGHERITA, Princess of Piedmont, THIS ENDEAVOUR TO ILLUSTRATE THE LIFE AND WORK OF A RENOWNED ITALIAN IS, BY HER ROYAL HIGHNESS'S GRACIOUS PERMISSION, tlebtcatct) WITH THE DEEPEST RESPECT BY H. YULE.

The amount of appropriate material, and of acquaintance with the medieval geography of some parts of Asia, which was acquired during the compilation of a work of kindred character for the Hakluyt Society,* could hardly fail to suggest as a fresh labour in the same field the preparation of a new English edition of Marco Polo. Indeed one kindly critic (in the Examiner) laid it upon the writer as a duty to undertake that task. Though at least one respectable English edition has appeared since Marsden's,f the latter has continued to be the standard edition, and maintains not only its reputation but its market value. It is indeed the work of a sagacious, learned, and right-minded man, which can never be spoken of otherwise than with respect. But since Marsden published his quarto (i8ro) vast stores of new knowledge have become available in elucidation both of the contents of Marco Polo's book and of its literary history.

The works of writers such as Klaproth, Abel-Remusat, D'Avezac, Reinaud, Quatremere, Julien, I. J. Schmidt, Gilde meister, Ritter, Hammer-Purgstall, Erdmann, D'Ohsson, Defremery, Elliot, Erskine, and many more, which throw light directly or incidentally on Marco Polo, have, for the * Cathay and The Way Thither, being a Collection of Minor Medieval Notices of China. London, 1866. The necessities of the case have required the repetition in the present work of the substance of some notes already printed (but hardly published) in the other. t Viz. Mr. Hugh Murray's. I mean no disrespect to Mr. T. Wright's edition, but it is, and professes to be, scarcely other than a reproduction of Marsden's, with abridg ment of his notes. most part, appeared since then. Nor, as regards the literary history of the book, were any just views possible at a time when what may be called the Fontal MSS.

(in French) were unpublished and unexamined. Besides the works which have thus occasionally or inci dentally thrown light upon the Traveller's book, various editions of the book itself have since Marsden's time been published in foreign countries, accompanied by comments of more or less value. All have contributed something to the illustration of the book or its history ; the last and most learned of the editors, M. Pauthier, has so contributed in large measure. I had occasion some years ago * to speak freely my opinion of the merits and demerits of M. Pauthier's work ; and to the latter at least I have no desire to recur here. Another of his critics, a much more accomplished as well as more favourable one,| seems to intimate the opinion that there would scarcely be room in future for new com mentaries.

Something of the kind was said of Marsden's at the time of its publication. I imagine, however, that whilst our libraries endure the Iliad will continue to find new translators, and Marco Polo— ftiough one hopes not so plentifully — new editors. The justification of the book's existence must however be looked for, and it is hoped may be found, in the book itself, and not in the Preface. The work claims to be judged as a whole, but it may be allowable, in these days of scanty leisure, to indicate below a few instances of what is believed to be new matter in an edition of Marco Polo ; by which however it is by no means intended that all such matter is claimed by the editor as his own.{ * In the Quarterly Review for July, 1868. t M. Nicolas KhanikoiT. % In the Preliminary Notices will be found new matter on the Personal and Family I listoiy of the Traveller, illustrated by Documents ; and a more elaborate attempt VOL. I. b From the commencement of the work it was felt that the task was one which no man, though he were far better equipped and much more conveniently situated than the present writer, could satisfactorily accomplish from his own resources, and help was sought on special points wherever it seemed likely to be found.

In scarcely any quarter was the application made in vain. Some who have aided most materially are indeed very old and valued friends ; but to many others who have done the same the applicant was unknown ; and some of these again, with whom the editor began correspondence on this subject as a stranger, he is happy to think that he may now call friends. To none am I more indebted than to the Cavaliere Guglielmo Berchet, of Venice, for his ample, accurate, and generous assistance in furnishing me with Venetian documents, and in many other ways. Especial thanks are than I have seen elsewhere to classify and account for the different texts of the work, and to trace their mutual relation. As regards geographical elucidations, I may point to the explanation of the name Gheluchelan (i. p. 55), to the discussion of the route from Kerman to Hormuz, and the identification of the sites of Old Hormuz, of Cobinan and Dogana, the establishment of the position and continued existence of Keshm, the note on Pein and Charchan, on Gog and Magog, on the geography of the route from Sindafu to Carajan, on Anin and Coloman, on Mutafili, Cail, and Ely.

As regards historical illustrations, I would cite the notes regarding the Queens Bolgana and Cocachin, on the Karaunahs, &c, on the title of King of Bengal applied to the K. of Burma, and those bearing upon the Malay and Abyssinian chronologies. In the interpretation of outlandish phrases, I may refer to the notes on Ondanique, Nono, Barguerlac, Argon, Sensin, Keshican, Toscaol, Bularguchi, Gat-paul, &c. Among miscellaneous elucidations, to the disquisition on the Arbre Sol or See in vol. i., and to that on Medieval Military Engines in vol. ii. In a variety of cases it has been necessary to refer to Eastern languages for pertinent elucidations or etymologies. The editor would however be sorry to fall under the ban of the medieval adage : — " Vir qui docct quod iwn sapit Di-jinitur Bestia .'" and may as well reprint here what was written in the Preface to Cathay 7 " I am painfully sensible that in regard to many subjects dealt with in the follow ing pages, nothing can make up for the want of genuine Oriental learning.

A fair familiarity with Hindustani for many years, and some reminiscences of elementary Persian, have been useful in their degree ; but it is probable that they may sometimes also have led me astray, as such slender lights are apt to do." also due to Dr. William Lockhart, who has supplied the materials for some of the most valuable illustrations ; to Lieutenant Francis Garnier, of the French Navy, the gallant and accomplished leader (after the death of Captain Doudart de la Gree) of the memorable expedition up the Mekong to Yunnan ; to the Rev. Dr. Caldwell, of the S. P. G. Mission in Tinnevelly, for copious and valu able notes on Southern India ; to my friends Col. Robert Maclagan, R.E., Sir Arthur Phayre, and Col. Henry Man, for very valuable notes and other aid ; to Professor A. Schiefner, of St. Petersburg, for his courteous com munication of very interesting illustrations not otherwise accessible; to Major-General Alexander Cunningham, of my own corps, for several valuable letters ; to my friends Dr. Thomas Oldham, Director of the Geological Survey of India, Mr. Daniel LIanbury, F.R.S., Mr. Edward Thomas, Mr. James Fergusson, F.R.S., Sir Bartle Frere, and Dr. Hugh Cleghorn, for constant interest in the work and readiness to assist its progress ; to Mr. A. Wylie, the learned Agent of the B. and F. Bible Society at Shanghai, for valuable help ; to the Hon. G. P. Marsh, U. S. Minister at the Court of Italy, for untiring kindness in the communication of his ample stores of knowledge, and of books.