The expressions of Padre Martini, in speaking of the wild silk of Shan-tung, strongly remind one of the talk of the ancients about the origin of silk, and suggest the possibility that this may not have been mere groundless fancy:  “Non in globum aut ovum ductum, sed in longissimum filum paulatim ex ore emissum, albi coloris, quae arbustis dumisque, adhaerentia, atque a vento huc illucque agitata colliguntur,” etc.  Compare this with Pliny’s “Seres lanitia silvarum nobiles, perfusam aqua depectentes frondium caniciem,” or Claudian’s “Stamine, quod molli tondent de stipite Seres, Frondea lanigerae carpentes vellera silvae; Et longum tenues tractus producit in aurum.”

NOTE 3.—­The title Sangon is, as Pauthier points out, the Chinese Tsiang-kiun, a “general of division”, [or better “Military Governor”.  —­H.C.] John Bell calls an officer, bearing the same title, “Merin Sanguin” I suspect T’siang-kiun is the Jang-Jang of Baber.

NOTE 4.—­AGUL was the name of a distant cousin of Kublai, who was the father of Nayan (supra, ch. ii. and Genealogy of the House of Chinghiz in Appendix A).  MANGKUTAI, under Kublai, held the command of the third Hazara (Thousand) of the right wing, in which he had succeeded his father Jedi Noyan. lie was greatly distinguished in the invasion of South China under Bayan. (Erdmann’s Temudschin, pp. 220, 455; Gaubil, p. 160.)

NOTE 5.—­LITAN, a Chinese of high military position and reputation under the Mongols, in the early part of Kublai’s reign, commanded the troops in Shan-tung and the conquered parts of Kiang-nan.  In the beginning of 1262 he carried out a design that he had entertained since Kublai’s accession, declared for the Sung Emperor, to whom he gave up several important places, put detached Mongol garrisons to the sword, and fortified T’si-nan and T’sing-chau.  Kublai despatched Prince Apiche and the General Ssetienche against him.  Litan, after some partial success, was beaten and driven into T’si-nan, which the Mongols immediately invested.  After a blockade of four months, the garrison was reduced to extremities.  Litan, in despair, put his women to death and threw himself into a lake adjoining the city; but he was taken out alive and executed.  T’sing-chau then surrendered. (Gaubil, 139-140; De Mailla, IX. 298 seqq.; D’Ohsson, II. 381.)

Pauthier gives greater detail from the Chinese Annals, which confirm the amnesty granted to all but the chiefs of the rebellion.

The date in the text is wrong or corrupt, as is generally the case.

CHAPTER LXII.

CONCERNING THE NOBLE CITY OF SINJUMATU.

On leaving Tadinfu you travel three days towards the south, always finding numbers of noble and populous towns and villages flourishing with trade and manufactures.  There is also abundance of game in the country, and everything in profusion.