ier. The same practice is ascribed to the sovereigns of the T'ang
Dynasty by the old Arab _Relations_. In later days a missionary gives in
the _Lettres Edifiantes_ an unfavourable account of the action of these
public granaries, and of the rascality that occurred in connection with
them. (_Lecomte_, II. 101; _Cathay_, 240; _Relat._ I. 39; _Let. Ed._ xxiv.
76.)

[The _Yuen-shi_ in ch. 96 contains sections on dispensaries (_Hui min yao
kue_), granary regulations (_Shi ti_), and regulations for a time of dearth
(_Chen Sue_). (_Bretschneider_, _Med. Res._ I. p. 187.)--H. C.]

[1] Marsden observes incidentally (_Hist. of Sumatra_, 1st edition, p. 71)
that he was told in Bengal they used to dry-kiln the rice for
exportation, "owing to which, or to some other process, it will
continue good for several years."

CHAPTER XXXII.

OF THE CHARITY OF THE EMPEROR TO THE POOR.

I have told you how the Great Kaan provides for the distribution of
necessaries to his people in time of dearth, by making store in time of
cheapness. Now I will tell you of his alms and great charity to the poor
of his city of Cambaluc.

You see he causes selection to be made of a number of families in the city
which are in a state of indigence, and of such families some may consist
of six in the house, some of eight, some of ten, more or fewer in each as
it may hap, but the whole number being very great. And each family he
causes annually to be supplied with wheat and other corn sufficient for
the whole year. And this he never fails to do every year. Moreover, all
those who choose to go to the daily dole at the Court receive a great loaf
apiece, hot from the baking, and nobody is denied; for so the Lord hath
ordered. And so some 30,000 people go for it every day from year's end to
year's end. Now this is a great goodness in the Emperor to take pity of
his poor people thus! And they benefit so much by it that they worship him
as he were God.

[He also provides the poor with clothes. For he lays a tithe upon all
wool, silk, hemp, and the like, from which clothing can be made; and he
has these woven and laid up in a building set apart for the purpose; and
as all artizans are bound to give a day's labour weekly, in this way the
Kaan has these stuffs made into clothing for those poor families, suitable
for summer or winter, according to the time of year. He also provides the
clothing for his troops, and has woollens woven for them in ev