n retiring, he looked perpetually at his tablet.

Beyond these people, as I have been told for truth, there is a nation
called Muc, inhabiting towns, in whose country there are numerous flocks
and herds which are never tended, as no person appropriates any of these
exclusively; but when any one is in need of a beast, he ascends a hill and
gives a loud cry, on which all the cattle within hearing flock around him
and suffer themselves to be taken, as if they were domesticated. When a
messenger or any stranger goes into that country, he is immediately shut up
in a house, where all necessaries are provided for him, till his business
is concluded; for they affirm, that if any stranger were to travel about
their country, the animals would flee away from his scent, and become wild.

Beyond the country of these people, lies Great Cathaya, whose inhabitants I
believe to have been the Seres[2] of the ancients, as from thence came the
most excellent silken stuffs; and these people were called Seres after the
name of one of their towns. I have been told, that in that country there is
a town having walls of silver and towers of gold. In that land there are
many provinces, the greater part of which are not yet subjected to the
Moals, and the sea is interposed between them and India. These Kathayans
are men of small stature, with small eyes, and speak much through the nose.
They are excellent workmen in all kinds of handicraft; their physicians
judge exactly of diseases by the pulse, and are very skilful in the use of
herbs, but have no knowledge in regard to the urine of sick persons. Some
of these people I saw at Caracarum, where there are always considerable
numbers; and the children are always brought up to the same employments
with their fathers. They pay to the Moals or Mongals, a tribute of 1500
cassinos or jascots every day[3], besides large quantities of silks and
provisions, and they perform many other services. All the nations between
mount Caucasus, and from the north of these mountains to the east sea, and
in all the south of Scythia, which is inhabited by the Moal shepherds, are
tributary, and are all addicted to idolatry. The Nestorians and Saracens
are intermixed with them as strangers, as far as Kathay, in which country
the Nestorians inhabit fifteen cities, and have a bishop in a city called
Segan[4]. These Nestorians are very ignorant, for they say their service in
the Syrian tongue, in which all their holy books are