Cublay Kaan and his Great Puissance
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 27. How the Emperor Helps his People during famines
The Emperor sends his Messengers over all his Lands and Kingdoms and Provinces, to ascertain from his officers if the people are afflicted by any dearth through unfavourable seasons, or storms or locusts, or other like calamity.
Those who have suffered in this way no taxes are exacted for that year.
He also supplies them with corn of his own for food and seed.
This is undoubtedly a great bounty on his part.
When winter comes, he inquiries to those who have lost their cattle, whether by murrain or other mishap.
Such persons go scot free and even get presents of cattle.
If a chance shot from his bow strike any herd or flock, whether belonging to one person or to many, and however big the flock may be, he takes no tithe thereof for 3 years.
In like manner, if the arrow strike a boat full of goods, that boat-load pays no duty.
For it is thought unlucky that an arrow strike any one’s property.
The Great Kaan says it would be an abomination before God, were such property, that has been struck by the divine wrath, to enter into his Treasury.
CHAPTER 28. How the Great Kaan causes Trees to be Planted by the Highways
The Emperor moreover hath taken order that all the highways travelled by his messengers and the people generally should be planted with rows of great trees a few paces apart.
Thus these trees are visible a long way off, and no one can miss the way by day or night.
Even the roads through uninhabited tracts are thus planted. It is the greatest solace to travellers.
This is done on all the ways, where it can be of service.
The Great Kaan plants these trees all the more readily, because his astrologers and diviners tell him that he who plants trees lives long.
But where the ground is so sandy and desert that trees will not grow, he causes other landmarks, pillars or stones, to be set up to show the way.
CHAPTER 29. The Rice-Wine drunk by the people of Cathay
Most of the people of Cathay drink rice wine.
It is a liquor which they brew of rice with a quantity of excellent spice, in such fashion that it makes better drink than any other kind of wine.
It is not only good, but clear and pleasing to the eye.{
Being very hot stuff, it makes one drunk sooner than any other wine.
CHAPTER 30. The Black Stones that are dug in Cathay, and are Burnt for Fuel.
All over the country of Cathay there is a kind of black stones in beds in the mountains.
They dig these out and burn like firewood.
If you supply the fire with them at night, and see that they are well kindled, you will find them still alight in the morning.
They make such capital fuel that no other is used throughout the country.
They have plenty of wood also, but they do not burn it, because those stones burn better and cost less.
Cathay has so many people with so many hot baths maintained.
Everyone has such a bath at least 3 times a week and in winter if possible every day.
Every nobleman and man of wealth has a private bath for his own use—the wood would not suffice for the purpose.
CHAPTER 31. How the Great Kaan Stores Corn
When the Emperor sees that corn is cheap and abundant, he buys up large quantities and stores them in all his provinces in great granaries.
There it is so well looked after that it will keep for 3-4 years.
This applies to all kinds of corn, whether wheat, barley, millet, rice, panic, or what not.
When there is any scarcity of any kind of corn, he causes that to be issued.
If the price of the corn is at one bezant the measure, he lets them have it at 1 bezant for 4 measures, or at whatever price will produce general cheapness.
Everyone can have food in this way.
By this providence of the Emperor’s, his people can never suffer from dearth.
He does the same over his whole Empire, causing these supplies to be stored everywhere, according to calculation of the wants and necessities of the people.