Marco Polo's Voyage to Indian Seas: 25: The Kingdom of Coilon

After departing from Maabar and going southwest five hundred miles you arrive at Coilon.  The people are idolaters, yet among them are Christians and Jews.  They have languages of their own, and king tributary to none.  In this territory grows extremely good Brazil wood called coilomin [1] Pepper greatly abounds being collected in the month of May and June; the trees are carefully planted and irrigated.  Indigo also is very plentiful and good being made of a herb which they place in a great vessel, then pour in water and leave it till the juice is given out.  Being then placed in the hot sun, it boils, acquire consistency, and becomes what we see. In this country the heat of the sun can scarcely be endured; if you put an egg into the river, it will be boiled before you have gone any distance. Merchants from Manji, Arabia and Levent use to visit here: and they bring here goods of their countries and carry goods from here to their countries.  There are birds and animals that are different from other parts of the world:  Black lion, parrots white as snow with red beak and red feet. Peacocks are larger more handsome and of different species. Domestic fowls too are of different species.  Thus fruits, birds, and beasts are dissimilar to that of ours.

They have no grains other than rice, and they make wine from sugar, which intoxicates faster than that from grapes. Skilful astrologers and physicians know how to preserve health.  Both sexes are completely black, and prefer no covering except a long cloth on the loin.  The behaviour to each other shows little sense of propriety.  A man will marry his cousin, the widow of his father, or of his brother. This is a custom of all the people of Hind.

 Notes:-

1. Brazil wood: The tree that Marco Polo calls Brazil wood must have been red sandal wood tree. Pterocarpus santalinus is its binomial name. In China it was used for making furniture and chessmen. Brazil wood is Paubrasilia echinata.

Alternatively it must have been Rosewood (Dalbergia latifolia).

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