s. In view of the fact
that Genghis had overrun Southern Asia in a few years, this long and
obstinate resistance of China, despite the incompetence of its princes
and ministers, places in a striking light the great military strength of
the empire at that period of its history.

[Illustration: MARKET SCENE IN SHANGHAI.]

_THE PALACE OF KUBLAI KHAN._

In the middle of the thirteenth century two eminent Venetian merchants,
Nicolo and Matteo Polo, of noble birth and adventurous spirit, left
their native city for a long journey to the East, their purposes being
those of ordinary travel and also of barter, for which they took with
them a stock of jewels, as the commodity of most worth with least
weight. Visiting Constantinople and several Russian cities, they
journeyed to the capital of the khan of Kaptchak, where they remained
three years, trading and studying the Mongol language. Subsequently they
met in Bokhara a Persian ambassador on the way to the court of Kublai
Khan, and were persuaded to keep him company as far as Kambalu (the
modern Peking), the capital of the Mongol emperor of Cathay, or China.

Their journey led them through Samarcand, Cashgar, and other cities of
the far East, a whole year passing before they reached the capital of
the great potentate, by whom they were graciously received. Kublai asked
them many questions about their country, and was very curious about the
pope, to whom he in the end sent them as ambassadors, bidding them
return to him with a hundred Europeans learned in the arts and sciences,
for the instruction of his people. They reached Venice in 1269, after
an absence of fifteen years.

In 1271 they set out again for China, bearing despatches from the pope,
but without the learned Europeans they were to bring. Marco, the young
son of Nicolo, accompanied them on their journey, which occupied three
and a half years. Kublai, though he had nearly forgotten their
existence, received them as graciously as before, and was particularly
pleased with young Marco, giving him a high office and employing him on
important missions throughout the empire. In truth, he took so strong a
fancy to his visitors that they were not suffered to leave China for
years, and finally got away in 1291 only as escort to a Mongol princess
who was sent as a bride to Persia.

Twenty-four years had elapsed from the time they left Venice before they
appeared in that city again. They were quite forgotten, but the