NOTE 9.—­This “bombasticall dissimulation of their garments,” as the author of Anthropometamorphosis calls such a fashion, is no longer affected by the ladies of Badakhshan.  But a friend in the Panjab observes that it still survives there.  “There are ladies’ trousers here which might almost justify Marco’s very liberal estimate of the quantity of stuff required to make them;” and among the Afghan ladies, Dr. Bellew says, the silken trousers almost surpass crinoline in amplitude.  It is curious to find the same characteristic attaching to female figures on coins of ancient kings of these regions, such as Agathocles and Pantaleon.  (The last name is appropriate!)

CHAPTER XXX.

OF THE PROVINCE OF PASHAI

You must know that ten days’ journey to the south of Badashan there is a Province called PASHAI, the people of which have a peculiar language, and are Idolaters, of a brown complexion.  They are great adepts in sorceries and the diabolic arts.  The men wear earrings and brooches of gold and silver set with stones and pearls.  They are a pestilent people and a crafty; and they live upon flesh and rice.  Their country is very hot.[NOTE 1]

Now let us proceed and speak of another country which is seven days’ journey from this one towards the south-east, and the name of which is KESHIMUR.

NOTE 1.—­The name of PASHAI has already occurred (see ch. xviii.) linked with DIR, as indicating a tract, apparently of very rugged and difficult character, through which the partizan leader Nigudar passed in making an incursion from Badakhshan towards Kashmir.  The difficulty here lies in the name Pashai, which points to the south-west, whilst Dir and all other indications point to the south-east.  But Pashai seems to me the reading to which all texts tend, whilst it is clearly expressed in the G. T. (Pasciai), and it is contrary to all my experience of the interpretation of Marco Polo to attempt to torture the name in the way which has been common with commentators professed and occasional.  But dropping this name for a moment, let us see to what the other indications do point.

In the meagre statements of this and the next chapter, interposed as they are among chapters of detail unusually ample for Polo, there is nothing to lead us to suppose that the Traveller ever personally visited the countries of which these two chapters treat.  I believe we have here merely an amplification of the information already sketched of the country penetrated by the Nigudarian bands whose escapade is related in chapter xviii., information which was probably derived from a Mongol source.  And these countries are in my belief both regions famous in the legends of the Northern Buddhists, viz.  UDYANA and KASHMIR.