CHAPTER 31. The Province of Keshimur

Keshimur also is a Province inhabited by Idolaters who have a language of their own.

They have an astonishing acquaintance with the devilries of enchantment; insomuch that they make their idols to speak.

They can also by their sorceries bring on changes of weather and produce darkness, and do a number of things so extraordinary that no one without seeing them would believe them.

This country is the very original source from which Idolatry has spread abroad.{3}

In this direction you can proceed further till you come to the Sea of India.

The men are brown and lean, but the women, taking them as brunettes, are very beautiful. The food of the people is flesh, and milk, and rice.

The clime is finely tempered, being neither very hot nor very cold.

There are numbers of towns and villages in the country, but also forests and desert tracts, and strong passes, so that the people have no fear of anybody, and keep their independence, with a king of their own to rule and do justice.{4}

There are in this country Eremites (after the fashion of those parts), who dwell in seclusion and practise great abstinence in eating and drinking.

They observe strict chastity, and keep from all sins forbidden in their law, so that they are regarded by their own folk as very holy persons.

They live to a very great age.

There are also a number of idolatrous abbeys and monasteries.

The people of the province do not kill animals nor spill blood; so if they want to eat meat they get the Saracens who dwell among them to play the butcher.{6}] The coral which is carried from our parts of the world has a better sale there than in any other country.{7}

CHAPTER 32. The Great River of Badashan.

In leaving Badashan you ride 12 days between east and north-east, ascending a river that runs through land belonging to a brother of the Prince of Badashan, and containing a good many towns and villages and scattered habitations.

The people are Mahommetans, and valiant in war.

At the end of those twelve days you come to a province of no great size, extending indeed no more than 3 days’ journey in any direction, and this is called Vokhan.

The people worship Mahommet, and they have a peculiar language. They are gallant soldiers, and they have a chief whom they call None, which is as much as to say Count, and they are liegemen to the Prince of Badashan.{1}

There are numbers of wild beasts of all sorts in this region.

When you leave this little country, and ride three days north-east, always among mountains, you get to such a height that ’tis said to be the highest place in the world!

When you have got to this height you find [a great lake between two mountains, and out of it] a fine river running through a plain clothed with the finest pasture in the world; insomuch that a lean beast there will fatten to your heart’s content in ten days.

There are great numbers of all kinds of wild beasts; among others, wild sheep of great size, whose horns are good six palms in length.

From these horns the shepherds make great bowls to eat from, and they use the horns also to enclose folds for their cattle at night.

Marco was told also that the wolves were numerous, and killed many of those wild sheep. Hence quantities of their horns and bones were found, and these were made into great heaps by the way-side, in order to guide travellers when snow was on the ground.]

The plain is called Pamier, and you ride across it for twelve days together, finding nothing but a desert without habitations or any green thing, so that travellers are obliged to carry with them whatever they have need of. The region is so lofty and cold that you do not even see any birds flying. And I must notice also that because of this great cold, fire does not burn so brightly, nor give out so much heat as usual, nor does it cook food so effectually.{2}

If we go on with our journey towards the east-north-east, we travel 40 days, continually passing over mountains and hills, or through valleys, and crossing many rivers and tracts of wilderness.

And in all this way you find neither habitation of man, nor any green thing, but must carry with you whatever you require.

The country is called Bolor.

The people dwell high up in the mountains, and are savage Idolaters, living only by the chase, and clothing themselves in the skins of beasts. They are in truth an evil race.