[Above Kwan Hsien, near Ch’eng-tu, there is a fine suspension bridge, mentioned by Marcel Monnier (Itineraires, p. 43), from whom I borrow the cut reproduced on this page.  This bridge is also spoken of by Captain Gill (l.c.  I. p. 335):  “Six ropes, one above the other, are stretched very tightly, and connected by vertical battens of wood laced in and out.  Another similar set of ropes is at the other side of the roadway, which is laid across these, and follows the curve of the ropes.  There are three or four spans with stone piers.”—­H.C.]

[Illustration:  Bridge near Kwan-hsien (Ch’eng-tu).]

NOTE 3.—­(G.T.) “Hi est le couiereque dou Grant Sire, ce est cilz qe recevent la rente dou Seignor.”  Pauthier has couvert.  Both are, I doubt not, misreadings or misunderstandings of comereque or comerc.  This word, founded on the Latin commercium, was widely spread over the East with the meaning of customs-duty or custom-house.  In Low Greek it appeared as [Greek:  kommerkion] and [Greek:  koumerkion], now [Greek:  komerki]; in Arabic and Turkish as [Arabic] and [Turkish] (kumruk and gyumruk), still in use; in Romance dialects as comerchio, comerho, comergio, etc.

NOTE 4.—­The word in Pauthier’s text which I have rendered pieces of gold is pois, probably equivalent to saggi or miskals.[2] The G.T. has “is well worth 1000 bezants of gold,” no doubt meaning daily, though not saying so.  Ramusio has “100 bezants daily.”  The term Bezant may be taken as synonymous with Dinar, and the statement in the text would make the daily receipt of custom upwards of 500_l._, that in Ramusio upwards of 50_l._ only.

NOTE 5.—­I have recast this passage, which has got muddled, probably in the original dictation, for it runs in the G. text:  “Et de ceste cite se part l’en et chevauche cinq jornee por plain et por valee, et treve-l’en castiaus et casaus assez.  Les homes vivent dou profit qu’il traient de la terre.  Il hi a bestes sauvajes assez, lions et orses et autres bestes. Il vivent d’ars:  car il hi se laborent des biaus sendal et autres dras.  Il sunt de Sindu meisme." I take it that in speaking of Ch’eng-tu fu, Marco has forgotten to fill up his usual formula as to the occupation of the inhabitants; he is reminded of this when he speaks of the occupation of the peasantry on the way to Tibet, and reverts to the citizens in the words which I have quoted in Italics.  We see here Sindu applied to the city, suggesting Sindu-fu for the reading at the beginning of the chapter.

Silk is a large item in the produce and trade of Sze-ch’wan; and through extensive quarters of Ch’eng-tu fu, in every house, the spinning, dying, weaving, and embroidering of silk give occupation to the people.  And though a good deal is exported, much is consumed in the province, for the people are very much given to costly apparel.  Thus silk goods are very conspicuous in the shops of the capital. (Richthofen.)