spices; and they make many eunuchs, whom they sell to the merchants.  This province continues for thirty days journey going eastwards, when we come to the province of Cangigu[12].  This country has its own king, who is tributary to the great khan.  The inhabitants are idolaters, and have a peculiar language.  The king has about three hundred wives.  The province has much gold and many spices, but these cannot be easily transported, as it is far distant from the sea.  It has also many elephants and much game.  The inhabitants live on flesh, rice, and milk, having no wine, but they make an excellent drink of rice and spices.  Both men and women ornament their faces, necks, hands, bellies, and legs, with the figures of lions, dragons, and birds, and these are so firmly imprinted, as to be almost indelible.  There are in this country professors of this foolish art of skin embroidery, who follow no other trade but this needle work, and dying of fools skins; and the person who has the greatest number and variety of these images, is considered the finest and most gallantly ornamented.

Amu or Aniu, twenty-five days journey to the east of the province of Cangigu, is subject to the great khan, and its inhabitants are idolaters who have a peculiar language.  This country abounds in provisions, and has great quantities of cattle and many horses; and these last being excellent, are carried by the merchants for sale into India.  The country is full of excellent pastures, and therefore abounds in buffalos and oxen.  Both men and women wear bracelets of gold and silver of great value on their legs and arms, but those of the women are the most valuable.

The province of Tholoman, which is likewise subject to the great khan, is at the distance of eight days journey east from Amu; the inhabitants are idolaters, and use a peculiar language; both men and women are tall, well shaped, and of a brown complexion.  This country is well inhabited, having many strong towns and castles, and the men are practised in arms, and accustomed to war.  They burn their dead, after which they inclose the bones and ashes in chests, which they hide in holes of the mountains.  Gold is found in great plenty, yet both here and in Cangigu and Amu, they use the cowrie shells which are brought from India.

From this province of Tholoman, the high road leads eastwards by a river, on the banks of which there are many towns and castles, and at the end of twelve days journey, we come to the great city of Cintigui, the province of the same name being subject to the great khan, and the inhabitants are idolaters.  They manufacture excellent cloths from the bark of trees, of which their summer clothing is made.  There are many lions in this country, so that no person dare sleep out of doors in the night, and the vessels which frequent the river, dare not be made fast to the banks at night from dread of the lions.  The inhabitants have large dogs, so brave and strong,