We see that Polo says the King ruling for Kublai at this city was a son of the Kaan, called COGACHIN, whilst he told us in the last chapter that the King reigning at Yachi was also a son of the Kaan, called ESSENTIMUR.  It is probably a mere lapsus or error of dictation calling the latter a son of the Kaan, for in ch. li. infra, this prince is correctly described as the Kaan’s grandson.  Rashiduddin tells us that Kublai had given his son HUKAJI (or perhaps Hogachi, i.e.  Cogachin) the government of Karajang,[1] and that after the death of this Prince the government was continued to his son ISENTIMUR.  Klaproth gives the date of the latter’s nomination from the Chinese Annals as 1280.  It is not easy to reconcile Marco’s statements perfectly with a knowledge of these facts; but we may suppose that, in speaking of Cogachin as ruling at Karajang (or Tali-fu) and Esentimur at Yachi, he describes things as they stood when his visit occurred, whilst in the second reference to “Sentemur’s” being King in the province and his father dead, he speaks from later knowledge.  This interpretation would confirm what has been already deduced from other circumstances, that his visit to Yun-nan was prior to 1280. (Pemberton’s Report on the Eastern Frontier, 108 seqq.; Quat.  Rashid. pp. lxxxix-xc.; Journ.  Asiat. ser.  II. vol. i.)

NOTE 2.—­[Captain Gill writes (II. p. 302):  “There are said to be very rich gold and silver mines within a few days’ journey of the city” (of Ta-li).  Dr. Anderson says (Mandalay to Momien, p. 203):  “Gold is brought to Momein from Yonephin and Sherg-wan villages, fifteen days’ march to the north-east; but no information could be obtained as to the quantity found.  It is also brought in leaf, which is sent to Burma, where it is in extensive demand.”—­H.C.]

NOTE 3.—­It cannot be doubted that Marco’s serpents here are crocodiles, in spite of his strange mistakes about their having only two feet and one claw on each, and his imperfect knowledge of their aquatic habits.  He may have seen only a mutilated specimen.  But there is no mistaking the hideous ferocity of the countenance, and the “eyes bigger than a fourpenny loaf,” as Ramusio has it.  Though the actual eye of the crocodile does not bear this comparison, the prominent orbits do, especially in the case of the Ghariyal of the Ganges, and form one of the most repulsive features of the reptile’s physiognomy.  In fact, its presence on the surface of an Indian river is often recognisable only by three dark knobs rising above the surface, viz. the snout and the two orbits.  And there is some foundation for what our author says of the animal’s habits, for the crocodile does sometimes frequent holes at a distance from water, of which a striking instance is within my own recollection (in which the deep furrowed track also was a notable circumstance).

The Cochin Chinese are very fond of crocodile’s flesh, and there is or was a regular export of this dainty for their use from Kamboja.  I have known it eaten by certain classes in India. (J.R.G.S. XXX. 193.)