and in these is found a great quantity of gold-dust, which is collected from the sea where the rivers discharge.  There is copper also, and other things; and the people drive a trade with each other in the things that are peculiar to their respective Islands.  They have also a traffic with the people of the mainland, selling them gold and copper and other things; and purchasing in turn what they stand in need of.  In the greater part of these Islands plenty of corn grows.  This gulf is so great, and inhabited by so many people, that it seems like a world in itself.”

This passage is translated by Marsden with much forcing, so as to describe the China Sea, embracing the Philippine Islands, etc.; but, as a matter of fact, it seems clearly to indicate the writer’s conception as of a great gulf running up into the continent between Southern China and Tong-king for a length equal to two months’ journey.

The name of the gulf, Cheinan, i.e. Heinan, may either be that of the Island so called, or, as I rather incline to suppose, ’An-nan, i.e.  Tong-king.  But even by Camoens, writing at Macao in 1559-1560, the Gulf of Hainan is styled an unknown sea (though this perhaps is only appropriate to the prophetic speaker):—­

“Ves, corre a costa, que Champa se chama, Cuja mata he do pao cheiroso ornada:  Ves, Cauchichina esta de escura fama, E de Ainao ve a incognita enseada” (X. 129).

And in Sir Robert Dudley’s Arcano del Mare (Firenze, 1647), we find a great bottle-necked gulf, of some 5-1/2 deg. in length, running up to the north from Tong-king, very much as I have represented the Gulf of Cheinan in the attempt to realise Polo’s Own Geography. (See map in Introductory Essay.)

CHAPTER V.

OF THE GREAT COUNTRY CALLED CHAMBA.

You must know that on leaving the port of Zayton you sail west-south-west for 1500 miles, and then you come to a country called CHAMBA,[NOTE 1] a very rich region, having a king of its own.  The people are Idolaters and pay a yearly tribute to the Great Kaan, which consists of elephants and nothing but elephants.  And I will tell you how they came to pay this tribute.

It happened in the year of Christ 1278 that the Great Kaan sent a Baron of his called, Sagatu with a great force of horse and foot against this King of Chamba, and this Baron opened the war on a great scale against the King and his country.

Now the King [whose name was Accambale] was a very aged man, nor had he such a force as the Baron had.  And when he saw what havoc the Baron was making with his kingdom he was grieved to the heart.  So he bade messengers get ready and despatched them to the Great Kaan.  And they said to the Kaan:  “Our Lord the King of Chamba salutes you as his liege-lord, and would have you to know that he is stricken in years and long hath held his realm in peace.  And now he sends you word by us that he is willing to be your liegeman, and will send you every year a tribute of as many elephants as you please.  And he prays you in all gentleness and humility that you would send word to your Baron to desist from harrying his kingdom and to quit his territories.  These shall henceforth be at your absolute disposal, and the King shall hold them of you.”