I have here discussed Major Sykes’ theory of Polo’s itinerary in Persia; the question was raised again by Major Sykes in the Geographical Journal, October, 1905, pp. 462-465.  I answered again, and I do not think it necessary to carry on farther this controversy.  I recall that Major Sykes writes:  “To conclude, I maintain that Marco Polo entered Persia near Tabriz, whence he travelled to Sultania, Kashan, Yezd, Kerman, and Hormuz.  From that port, owing to the unseaworthiness of the vessels, the presence of pirates, the fact that the season was past, or for some other reason, he returned by a westerly route to Kerman, and thence crossed the Lut to Khorasan.”

I replied in the Geographical Journal, Dec., 1905, pp. 686-687:  “Baghdad, after its fall in 1258, did not cease immediately to be ’rather off the main caravan route.’  I shall not refer Major Sykes to what I say in my editions of ‘Odorico’ and ‘Polo’ on the subject, but to the standard work of Heyd, Commerce du Levant, Vol. 2, pp. 77, 78.  The itinerary, Tabriz, Sultania, Kashan, Yezd, was the usual route later on, at the beginning of the fourteenth century, and it was followed, among others, by Fra Odorico, of Pordenone.  Marco Polo, on his way to the Far East—­you must not forget that he was at Acre in 1271—­could not have crossed Sultania, which did not exist, as its building was commenced by Arghun Khan, who ascended the throne in 1284, and was continued by Oeljaitu (1304-1316), who gave the name of Sultania to the city.”  Cf.  Lieut.-Col.  P.M.  SYKES, A History of Persia, 1915, 2 vols., 8vo; II., p. 181 n.

Introduction, p. 21.  M. Pauthier has found a record in the Chinese Annals of the Mongol dynasty, which states that in the year 1277, a certain POLO was nominated a second-class commissioner or agent attached to the Privy Council, a passage which we are happy to believe to refer to our young traveller.

Prof.  E.H.  Parker remarks (Asiatic Quart.  Review, 3rd Series, Vol.  XVII., Jan., 1904, pp. 128-131):  “M.  Pauthier has apparently overlooked other records, which make it clear that the identical individual in question had already received honours from Kublai many years before Marco’s arrival in 1275.  Perhaps the best way to make this point clear would be to give all the original passages which bear upon the question.  The number I give refer to the chapter and page (first half or second half of the double page) of the Yuan Shi:—­

A. Chap. 7, p. 1-2/2:  1270, second moon.  Kublai inspects a court pageant prepared by Puh-lo and others.

B. Chap. 7, p. 6-1/2:  1270, twelfth moon.  The yue-shi chung-ch’eng (censor) Puh-lo made also President of the Ta-sz-nung department.  One of the ministers protested that there was no precedent for a censor holding this second post.  Kublai insisted.

C. Chap. 8, p. 16-1/2:  1275, second moon.  Puh-lo and another sent to look into the Customs taxation question in Tangut.