Travels Of Marco Polo: Fifty Five: Kain du.

This is a province lying to the west, having only one king, the inhabitants idolators and subject to the Great Khan.  It contains a number of cities and castles, with a lake, in which are found many pearls, but the monarch forbids them, under severe penalty, to be removed except for his own use; because if anyone were allowed to take them, they would become worth almost nothing. There is also a mountain, from where are quarried, turquoise stones in great abundance,very large and beautiful; but he does not allow them to be removed unless by his mandate.  In this province there is a strange and base custom; a man thinks there is no disgrace in an improper intimacy between his wife or sister or a stranger or other person.  On the contrary, when such a one comes to reside in his house, the master presently goes out and leaves him with his wife.  The visitor often remains three days and places a hat or something else at the window as a signal; and the husband never returns till he sees this taken away.  This is done in honour of their idols, who on that account bestow on them many blessings.  Their gold is in small rods - the value being determined according to the weight, and not marked by any stamp.  The small money is thus made; they take salt, form it into a shape, so that it weighs about half a pound, and eighty of these are worth a rod of gold.  They have a very great number of animals which yields the musk; likewise fishes from the same lake from where the pearls are drawn; also the usual kinds of wild birds and beasts. No wine is obtained from the vines, but it is made from the grains or rice with many spices which makes a good liquor.  In that province also grows a tree called garofol. It is small, with leaves like laurel, but longer and narrower; it bears small white flowers. [1] It yields ginger, cinnamon and other spices, which come into our country; now I have said enough of Kaindu.  After travelling ten days you come to a river which bounds it named Brius.  In it is found a great quantity of gold dust and on its bank enough cinnamon it flows on to the ocean.  Now let me tell you about Caraian. [2]

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1. Cloves.

2. Chiakai in Tibet according to foot note. But not traceable in Google Maps.

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