Travels Of Marco Polo: Thirty Eight

I must inform you, that from the city of Kambalu, many messengers are sent to diverse provinces, and on all the roads they find, at every twenty five miles, a post called jamb, where the imperial envoys are received.  At  each of these places, a large edifice containing a bed covered with silk, and everything useful and convenient for a traveller are kept, so that if the king were to come, he would be well accommodated. Four hundred horses, well prepared for a ride along the roads, are always kept in waiting, at the post.  There are provinces with least habitation, in such provinces at a distance of about thirty five or forty kilometres edifices are constructed, and consequently people migrated to these provinces and the great Khan received ample reception when he happened to visit these places.  Later, more inns were built, and more horses were brought [ *] Between these posts new villages are raised, new people are brought.  Foot-runners are employed in these posts to carry messages from one post to another. Immediate transfer of news of disturbances in the provinces, or enemy encroa into the territory etc. is communicated easily in this way.

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1. The numbers given by the author lacks credibility