have twelve thousand shops, and all merchants who bring goods
hither by sea, or carry any away, pay a similar rate. Those who come from
India or other remote countries, pay ten per cent. All breeding cattle, and
all productions of the earth, as silk, rice, corn, and the like, pay to the
khan. The whole computation being made in my presence, amounted yearly,
besides the above mentioned produce from salt, to two hundred and ten
tomans of gold, which are equal to sixteen millions and eight hundred
thousand golden ducats[13].

A days journey from Quinsai to the south-east, we pass the whole way
through houses, villages, fine gardens, and abundant cultivation, and then
come to a fine city called Tapin-zu. Three days hence is Uguiu, and two
days farther, we still ride past castles, cities, and well cultivated
fields, so near adjoining, that the whole seems, to travellers, like one
continued city; in this district are great canes, fifteen paces long, and
four palms thick. Two days farther is the large and handsome city of
Congui, and travelling thence for four days, through places well filled
with industrious people, having plenty of beeves, buffaloes, goats, and
swine, but no sheep, we come to the city of Zengian, which is built on a
hill in the middle of a river, which, after encompassing it, divides into
two branches, one of which runs to the south-east and the other to the
north-west. Three days journey thence, through a most pleasant country,
exceedingly well inhabited, we come to the large city of Gieza, which is
the last in the kingdom of Quinsai, After this we enter into another
province of the kingdom of Mangi called Concha, the principal city of which
is Fugiu, by which you travel six days journey south-east, through hills
and dales, always finding inhabited places, and plenty of beasts, fowls,
and game, and some strong lions are found in the mountains and forests.
Ginger, galingal, and other spices, grow here in great plenty, and there is
an herb, of which the fruit has the same colour, smell, and effect with
saffron, which it is not, and is much used in their meats[15], The
inhabitants are idolaters, and subjects of the great khan, and eat mans
flesh, if the person has not died of disease, even considering it as better
flavoured than any other. When they go into the fields, they shave to the
ears, and paint their faces with azure. All their soldiers serve on foot,
except the captains, who are on horseback, and their