aim: "Sire! Look out for Cranes!"
Then the Emperor instantly has the top of his chamber thrown open, and
having marked the cranes he casts one of his gerfalcons, whichever he
pleases; and often the quarry is struck within his view, so that he has
the most exquisite sport and diversion, there as he sits in his chamber or
lies on his bed; and all the Barons with him get the enjoyment of it
likewise! So it is not without reason I tell you that I do not believe
there ever existed in the world or ever will exist, a man with such sport
and enjoyment as he has, or with such rare opportunities.[NOTE 5]

And when he has travelled till he reaches a place called CACHAR
MODUN,[NOTE 6] there he finds his tents pitched, with the tents of his
Sons, and his Barons, and those of his Ladies and theirs, so that there
shall be full 10,000 tents in all, and all fine and rich ones. And I will
tell you how his own quarters are disposed. The tent in which he holds his
courts is large enough to give cover easily to a thousand souls. It is
pitched with its door to the south, and the Barons and Knights remain in
waiting in it, whilst the Lord abides in another close to it on the west
side. When he wishes to speak with any one he causes the person to be
summoned to that other tent. Immediately behind the great tent there is a
fine large chamber where the Lord sleeps; and there are also many other
tents and chambers, but they are not in contact with the Great Tent as
these are. The two audience-tents and the sleeping-chamber are constructed
in this way. Each of the audience-tents has three poles, which are of
spice-wood, and are most artfully covered with lions' skins, striped with
black and white and red, so that they do not suffer from any weather. All
three apartments are also covered outside with similar skins of striped
lions, a substance that lasts for ever.[NOTE 7] And inside they are all
lined with ermine and sable, these two being the finest and most costly
furs in existence. For a robe of sable, large enough to line a mantle, is
worth 2000 bezants of gold, or 1000 at least, and this kind of skin is
called by the Tartars "The King of Furs." The beast itself is about the
size of a marten.[NOTE 8] These two furs of which I speak are applied and
inlaid so exquisitely, that it is really something worth seeing. All the
tent-ropes are of silk. And in short I may say that those tents, to wit
the two audience-halls and the sleeping-chamber, are so c