the capital, from 1865 to 1877, of Ya'kub Kushbegi, a soldier
of fortune, by descent it is said a Tajik of Shighnan, who, when the
Chinese yoke was thrown off, made a throne for himself in Eastern
Turkestan, and subjected the whole basin to his authority, taking the
title of _Atalik Ghazi_.

It is not easy to see how Kashgar should have been subject to the Great
Kaan, except in the sense in which all territories under Mongol rule owed
him homage. Yarkand, Polo acknowledges to have belonged to Kaidu, and the
boundary between Kaidu's territory and the Kaan's lay between Karashahr
and Komul [Bk. I. ch. xli.], much further east.

[Bretschneider, _Med. Res._ (II. p. 47), says: "Marco Polo states with
respect to the kingdom of _Cascar_ (I. 189) that it was subject to the
Great Khan, and says the same regarding _Cotan_ (I. 196), whilst _Yarcan_
(I. 195), according to Marco Polo, belonged to Kaidu. This does not agree
with Rashid's statements about the boundary between Kaidu's territory and
the Khan's."--H. C.]

Kashgar was at this time a Metropolitan See of the Nestorian Church.
(_Cathay_, etc. 275, ccxlv.)

Many strange sayings have been unduly ascribed to our traveller, but I
remember none stranger than this by Colonel Tod: "_Marco Polo calls
Cashgar, where he was in the 6th century_, the birthplace of the Swedes"!
(_Rajasthan_, I. 60.) Petis de la Croix and Tod between them are
answerable for this nonsense. (See _The Hist. of Genghizcan the Great_, p.
116.)

On _cotton_, see ch. xxxvi.--On Nestorians, see Kanchau.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

OF THE GREAT CITY OF SAMARCAN.

Samarcan is a great and noble city towards the north-west, inhabited by
both Christians and Saracens, who are subject to the Great Kaan's nephew,
CAIDOU by name; he is, however, at bitter enmity with the Kaan.[NOTE 1]
I will tell you of a great marvel that happened at this city.

[Illustration: View of Samarcand. (From a sketch by Mr. Ivanoff.)
"Samarcan est une grandisme cite et noble."]

It is not a great while ago that SIGATAY, own brother to the Great Kaan,
who was Lord of this country and of many an one besides, became a
Christian.[NOTE 2] The Christians rejoiced greatly at this, and they built
a great church in the city, in honour of John the Baptist; and by his name
the church was called. And they took a very fine stone which belonged to
the Saracens, and placed it as the pedestal of a column in the middle of
the church, supporting the roo