Marco Polo's Voyage to Indian Seas: 29: Kingdom of Gozurat [1]

Gozurat is a great kingdom to the west, having languages and a king of its own, and subject to no other. Here the Northstar rises to the apparent height of six cubits.  The greatest pirates in the world live here, and have most wicked custom; after taking a merchant they make him drink tamarinds and sea water, and examine carefully if he voids any pearl or precious stones, which are alleged to be usually sallowed on such emergencies.  There is in this land great quantity of pepper and indigo, with a good deal of ginger.  Cotton also abounds, and the trees which bear it, when twenty years old, rise to the pace of six paces, but the procedure is then unfit to be spun, and can only be used for quilting. 

Before twelve years, it is well fitted for the former purpose.  An immense

quantity of dressed leather is prepared from the skins of the goat, 

buffalo, wild ox, unicorns, and various other animals, and it is largely exported to Arabia and adjoining Region.  Coverlets of leather are also framed, with representations of birds and beasts, 

most delicately interwoven with gold 

and silver thread.  They are wonderfully beautiful, and being used by Saracens for sleeping upon, are worth ten mares of silver.  There are also cushions woven with gold, valued at 10 mares of silver.  In short, this leather is embroidered for royal use, more delicately than in any other part of the world.

Notes:-

1. Gozurat: An extensive area starting from Ratnagiri to southern coast of Maharashtra.

End of the Section