[They have the following rule about debts.  If a debtor shall have been several times asked by his creditor for payment, and shall have put him off from day to day with promises, then if the creditor can once meet the debtor and succeed in drawing a circle round him, the latter must not pass out of this circle until he shall have satisfied the claim, or given security for its discharge.  If he in any other case presume to pass the circle he is punished with death as a transgressor against right and justice.  And the said Messer Marco, when in this kingdom on his return home, did himself witness a case of this.  It was the King, who owed a foreign merchant a certain sum of money, and though the claim had often been presented, he always put it off with promises.  Now, one day when the King was riding through the city, the merchant found his opportunity, and drew a circle round both King and horse.  The King, on seeing this, halted, and would ride no further; nor did he stir from the spot until the merchant was satisfied.  And when the bystanders saw this they marvelled greatly, saying that the King was a most just King indeed, having thus submitted to justice.[NOTE 14]]

You must know that the heat here is sometimes so great that ’tis something wonderful.  And rain falls only for three months in the year, viz. in June, July, and August.  Indeed but for the rain that falls in these three months, refreshing the earth and cooling the air, the drought would be so great that no one could exist.[NOTE 15]

They have many experts in an art which they call Physiognomy, by which they discern a man’s character and qualities at once.  They also know the import of meeting with any particular bird or beast; for such omens are regarded by them more than by any people in the world.  Thus if a man is going along the road and hears some one sneeze, if he deems it (say) a good token for himself he goes on, but if otherwise he stops a bit, or peradventure turns back altogether from his journey.[NOTE 16]

As soon as a child is born they write down his nativity, that is to say the day and hour, the month, and the moon’s age.  This custom they observe because every single thing they do is done with reference to astrology, and by advice of diviners skilled in Sorcery and Magic and Geomancy, and such like diabolical arts; and some of them are also acquainted with Astrology.

[All parents who have male children, as soon as these have attained the age of 13, dismiss them from their home, and do not allow them further maintenance in the family.  For they say that the boys are then of an age to get their living by trade; so off they pack them with some twenty or four-and-twenty groats, or at least with money equivalent to that.  And these urchins are running about all day from pillar to post, buying and selling.  At the time of the pearl-fishery they run to the beach and purchase, from the fishers or others, five or six pearls, according