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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—*