the great khan, and also on our return home along with the
queen, who was sent from Kathay to Argon. The ships which are built in the
kingdom of Mangi are made of fir, having only one deck, on which are built
twenty cabins, more or less, according to their size, each for one
merchant. They have each a good rudder, and four masts, with four sails,
which they raise or let down at pleasure, but some have only two masts.
Some of the largest ships have thirteen divisions in the inside, made of
boards let into each other, so that if, by the blow of a whale, or by
touching on a rock, water should get into one of these divisions, it can go
no farther, and the leak being found, is soon stopped. They are all built
double, or have two courses of boards, one within the other, both of which
are well caulked with oakum, and nailed with iron; but they are not
pitched, as they have no pitch in Mangi, instead of which they are payed
all over with the oil of a certain tree, mixed up with lime and chopped
hemp which binds faster than pitch or lime. The largest of these ships have
three hundred marines, others two hundred, or an hundred and fifty,
according to their size; and they carry from five to six thousand bags of
pepper. In ancient times they used to build larger ships than now; but
owing to the great numbers of islands and shoals in some places of these
seas, they now build them less[1]. Besides their sails, they use oars.
occasionally to propel these ships, four men being employed to each oar.
The larger ships are usually attended by two or three of a smaller size,
able to carry a thousand bags of pepper, and having sixty mariners in each
and these smaller ships are sometimes employed to tow the greater vessels.
Each of the larger ships hare ten small boats for fishing and other
services, which are fastened aloft on their sides, and let down when wanted
for use. After having been employed for a year, these ships are sheathed
all over, so that they then have three courses of boards: and they proceed
in this manner till they sometimes hare six courses, alter which they are
broken up.

Zipangu[2] is a very large island on the east, and fifteen hundred miles
distant from the shores of Mangi. The people of this island are of a white
complexion and of gentle manners, and have a king of their own. They have
gold in great plenty, as Jew merchants report thither, and no gold is
allowed to be exported. Such as have traded to this island spea