Marco Polo in Central Asia: 47: Plains of Bangu [1]

When you depart from Karakoram and from Altai where the Khans are interred, as I have related above, you go northwards to a country which is called the plain of Bangu, and continues during a journey of forty days.  The inhabitants are called Meeri, [2] and are very savage, live on the flesh of animals, chiefly deer and they ride upon these animals.  Their customs resemble that of Tartars, and they are subject to the great Khan.  They have neither corn nor wine, but in summer abundance of beasts and birds for hunting and hawking, though in winter none remain in the country on account of the intense cold.  After travelling these forty days you come to the ocean; and there is found a mountain where peregrine falcons build their nests.  This place contains neither men nor women, nor beasts nor birds except one species, which is called bharghenlac [3]. They are of the size of partridges, have feet like parrots, and tails like swallows, and they fly very swiftly.  When the great Khan wishes peregrine falcons he sends payment for them. In an island of that sea too, are bred gyrfalcons.  I am sure that the place is so far north, that the polestar remains behind and is seen to the south.  Those birds are bred in abundance on the isle, that great Khan obtains as many as he pleases, and he conveys some of them to Argon and other lords of the east. Now, I have told you of the northern provinces, as far as the ocean, let us return to Canpicon (Ningxia)

Notes:-

1. Plains of Bangu: Kazakh Steppe region, also known as Great Steppe or Great Dala is a vast region of open grassland in Central Asia covering areas in northern Kazakhstan and adjacent areas of Russia.

2. Meeri: Nomadic or semi nomadic people lived in the mountainous regions of Central Asia.

3. Bharghenlac: Likely locusts. And this explains the lack of vegetation and the lack of animals.  But the description of Marco Polo does not match the image of locusts; and his account may be based on hearsay.

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