Travels Of Marco Polo: Fifty Three : The Province of Thibet

This is a very large province; the men have a language of their own, [1] and are idolators.  They boarder upon Manji and many other countries, and are very great robbers; [2] the extent is such, that it contains eight kingdoms, and many cities and castles.  There are also extensive rivers, lakes, and mountains, where is found a vast quantity of gold.  Cinnamon and coral occur, but coral has great demand, because they make garlands of corals, and their women wear it around their necks, and offer it to their deity with devotion.  They hold it as precious jewel. Camlets [3] and other clothes of silk and gold are made here.  There are many skilful enchanters and astrologers, but extremely wicked men, who performs works of devil, and would strike with such amazing speed.  They have mastiff, as large as an ass, and excellent in taking wild beasts.  This province was entirely destroyed by Mangou, the fifth great Khan, in war, and many villages and cattles were destroyed and demolished.  Here grow large canes of fifteen paces length and four palms thickness, having distance of three palms between two knots.  The merchants and travellers who pass through this country in the night, take these canes and set them on fire.  The burning canes make loud and crackling noise that terrify lions, bears and other ferocious animals, who dare not approach.  They also split them in the middle, and produce mighty sound, that in the night reaches long distances, and the wild animals take to flight. Horses unaccustomed to it may break their reins and harness and flee. Before they burn the canes they tie the horses to any standing tree and cover their eyes and ears. Inns and victuals are not available on this route. Merchants have to carry themselves, the victuals.  This journey takes twenty days.

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1. There are about 50 Tibetic languages and 200 of its dialects. Geographically spread accross Tibet, and its adjoining places, politically dispersed in various localities.  Classical Tibetan is the major literary langauge of Tibetan Buddhist scriptures.

2. Charecteristic of certain tribes across countries and continents, and had its origin in hunter gatherer phase.

3. Camlet: A costly cloth of Asian origin, made of camels hair and silk. Nowadays goats hair are also used.

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