rade. We then come to a very large city, called Pian-fu, in which there is
vast abundance of silk and much trade.

Westwards from Pian-fu, there is a pleasantly situated castle called
Thaigin, containing a spacious palace with a fine hall, in which there are
portraits of all the famous kings who have reigned in this country. This
castle and palace are said to have been built by a king named Dor, who was
very powerful, and was only attended on by great numbers of young damsels,
who used to carry him about the castle in a small light chariot. Confiding
in the strength of this castle, which he believed impregnable, Dor rebelled
against Umcan, to whom he was tributary. But seven of his courtiers or
attendants, in whom he placed confidence, made him prisoner one day while
hunting, and delivered him to Umcan, who dressed him in mean clothes, and
set him under a strong guard to tend his cattle. At the end of two years,
Umcan called Dor into his presence, and after a severe reproof and
admonition for his future obedience, dressed him in princely robes, and
sent him back to his kingdom with a powerful escort.

About twenty miles beyond the castle of Thaigin, we come to the great river
Caramaran[4]; which is so broad and deep that it has no bridge between this
place and the ocean. There are many cities, towns, and castles, on the
banks of this river, which carry on great trade. The country abounds in
ginger and silk; and fowls of all kinds, particularly pheasants, are so
plentiful, that three of them may be purchased for a Venetian groat. Along
the banks of this river, there grow vast quantities of great reeds or
hollow canes[5], some of which, are a foot or eighteen inches round, and
are applied to many useful purposes. Two days journey beyond this river is
the famous city of Carianfu, in which great quantities of silks and cloth
of gold are made. This country produces ginger, galuigal, spike, and many
spices; and the inhabitants are idolaters. Proceeding seven days journey
westwards, we pass through many cities, and towns, and fine fields, and
gardens, and everywhere there are plantations of mulberries for feeding
silk-worms, and abundance of wild beasts and fowls. The inhabitants are
mostly idolaters, with some Christians, or Nestorians, and Saracens or
Mahometans. Continuing the journey for seven days, we come to a great city
called Quenzanfu, which is the capital of the kingdom of that name, in
which many famous kings have re