Travels of Marco Polo Part 26

The Travels of Marco Polo, Book 2, Chapter 15 of the Feast held on the Great Khan's birthday. All the Tartar and other subjects of the Great Khan celebrate at the festival the day of his majesty's birth, which took place on the 28th day of September. This is their greatest festival, excepting the one kept on the first day of the year, which shall be hereafter described. Upon this anniversary, the Great Khan appears in a superb dress of cloth of gold, and full 20,000 nobles and military officers are clad by him in similar dresses, but made of less costly materials. They are, however, of silk and of the color of gold, and along with the vest they receive, a girdle of chamois leather, curiously worked with gold and silver thread, and also a pair of boots. Some of the dresses are ornamented with precious stones and pearls for the value of 10,000 bazants of gold, and are given to those nobles who, from their confidential employments, are nearest to his majesty's person. The dresses are worn on the thirteen solemn festivals in the year, and those clad in them make an appearance that is truly royal. When his majesty assumes any particular dress, the nobles of his court wear corresponding but less costly garments, which they always have in readiness. They are not renewed annually, but are made to last about ten years. From this pageant, an idea may be formed of the magnificence of the Great Khan, which is unequalled by that of any monarch in the world. On the occasion of the Great Khan's birthday festival, all his charter subjects and the people of every kingdom and province throughout his dominions send him presents according to established custom. Many persons who come to court to solicit principalities to which they have pretensions also bring presents, and his majesty accordingly directs the tribunal of twelve who have charge of such matters to assign them such territories and governments as may be proper. Upon this day, likewise, all the Christians, idolaters, and Saracens, together with every other description of people, offer up devout prayers to their respective gods and idols, that they may bless and preserve the sovereign and bestow upon him long life, health, and prosperity. Such and so extensive are the rejoicings on his majesty's birthday. We shall now speak of another festival, the White Feast, celebrated at the New Year. Chapter 16 of the White Feast held on New Year's Day. It is a known fact that the Tartars date the commencement of their year from the month of February, and on that occasion it is customary for the Great Khan, as well as all who are subject to him in their several countries, to clothe themselves in white, which, according to their ideas, is the emblem of good fortune. This is in the hope that, during the course of the year, only what is fortunate may befall them, and that they may enjoy pleasure and comfort. Upon this day, the inhabitants of all the provinces and kingdoms under the Great Khan send him valuable presents of gold, silver, and precious stones, together with many pieces of white cloth, so that his majesty may enjoy prosperity and happiness throughout the year. With the same view, the nobles, princes, and all the ranks of the community exchange presents of white articles at their respective houses, embrace each other joyously, and say, may good fortune attend you through the coming year, and may everything you undertake succeed. On this occasion, beautiful white horses, or, if not perfectly white, at least the prevailing color, are presented to the Great Khan. In this country, white horses are not uncommon. In making presents to the Great Khan, it is, moreover, the custom for those who can, to furnish nine times nine of their gifts. Thus, for instance, if a province sends a present of horses, it sends nine times nine, or eighty-one, head, and so also of gold or cloth. His majesty receives at this festival no fewer than a hundred thousand horses. On this day, all elephants amounting to five thousand are paraded, each draped with cloth, extensively and richly worked with gold and silk in figures of birds and beasts. Each of these supports two coffers filled with vessels of plates and other furnishings of the court, then follows a train of camels laden in like manner. When the whole are properly arranged, they pass and review before his majesty and form a pleasing spectacle. On the morning of the festival, before the tables are spread, all the princes, nobility, cavaliers, astrologers, physicians, and falconers, and many other holding public offices, the governors of the people and the lands, together with the officers of the army, make their entry into the grand hall in front of the emperor. Those who cannot find room within stand outside the building in such a location as to be within sight of their sovereign. The assemblage is marshaled in the following order. The first places are assigned to the sons and grandsons of his majesty and all the imperial family. Next to these are the provincial kings and the nobility of the empire, according to their several degrees in regular succession. When all have taken places appointed to them, a great dignitary rises and says with a loud voice, bow down and adore, and instantly all bend their bodies until their foreheads touch the floor. The dignitary again says, God bless our lord and grant him joy and happiness, and all reply, God grant it. And this adoration they repeat four times. This being done, the dignitary advances to a richly adorned altar, upon which is placed a red tablet inscribed with the name of the great Khan. Near to this stands a censer of burning incense, with which the dignitary, on behalf of all who are assembled, perfumes the tablet and the altar with great reverence, whereupon everyone present prostrates himself before the tablet. This ceremony being concluded, they return to their places and then make the presentation of their gifts. When a display has been made of these and the great Khan has cast his eyes upon them, the tables are prepared for the feast and the company, women as well as men, arrange themselves there in the manner described. After dinner, the musicians and theatrical performers entertain the court, as has been already related. But on this occasion, a lion is led into the presence of his majesty, one so tamed that it is taught to lay itself down at his feet. The sports being finished, everyone depart. Chapter 17 concerning the 12,000 barons who receive robes of cloth garnished with gems. Now you must know that the great Khan has set apart 12,000 of his men who are distinguished and on these 12,000 barons, he bestows 13 changes of raiment, all different from one another. In one set of 12,000 are all of one color, and there are 13 different sets of colors. These robes are garnished with gems and pearls and other precious things. And with each change, he leaves each baron a fine golden girdle of great value. The emperor himself has 13 suits corresponding in color to those of his barons, though they are grander, richer, and costlier. And you may see that what all this cost is incalculable. Chapter 18 of the quantity of games sent to the court during the winter months. At the season when the great Khan resides in the capital of Cathay, that is during December, January, and February, at which time the cold is excessive, he gives orders for hunting parties to take place in all the areas within 40 days journey of the court. The governors of districts are then required to send him all sorts of larger games, such as wild boars, stags, fallow deer, roebucks, and bears, which are taken in the following manner. All persons owning land in the province go to the places where the animals are found and proceed to encircle and kill them, partly with dogs, but chiefly by shooting them with arrows. Such of them as are intended for his majesty's use are gutted and then sent on carts in large quantities by those who live within 30 stages of the capital. Those who are 40 stages away do not, on account of the length of the journey, send the carcasses. But only the skins, some dressed, and others raw can be made use of for the army as his majesty may judge proper. Chapter 19 of Leopards, Lions, and Eagles that the Khan uses in hunting. The Great Khan uses many leopards and lynxes for the purpose of chasing deer. He also uses many lions, larger animals than the Egyptian kind, with beautifully colored coats, striped white, black, and red, to catch boars, wild oxen, and asses, bears, stags, roebucks, and other beasts that huntsmen prefer. It is a rare sight when the lion is let loose in pursuit of the animal to see the savage eagerness and speed with which he overtakes it. His majesty has them carried in cages on carts, along with a little dog, with which they become familiar. The reason for lush shutting them up is that they would otherwise become so ferocious at the sight of the game, it would be impossible to restrain them. It is necessary to lead them against the wind so that they may not be scented by the game, which would immediately run off. His majesty also has eagles that are trained to catch wolves, and such is their size and strength that none, however large, can escape from their talons. Chapter 20 of Two Brothers Who Are Keepers of the Khan's Hounds His majesty has in his service two barons, brothers, one named Bayan and another, Mingan, who are, in the language of the Tartars, kuyukchi, that is to say, keepers of the mastiff. They have charge of the hounds, both fleet and slow, and of the mastiff. Each has ten men, those under one brother, wearing a red uniform, and those under the other, a blue, whenever they accompany the khan to the chase. The dogs of different kinds which accompany them are not fewer than five thousand. One brother with his division advances on the right hand of the emperor and the other on the left, and each advances in regular order until they have enclosed a track to the extent of a day's march. By this means no beast can escape them. What a beautiful sight it is to see the maneuvers of the huntsmen and the working of the dogs when the emperor is between them, and they are pursuing the stags, bears, and other animals in every direction. The two brothers are bound to furnish the court daily, from the commencement of October to the end of March, with a thousand pieces of game, quails being accepted, and also with a large quantity of fish as possible, estimating the fish that three men can eat at a meal as one piece of game. Chapter 21, How the Great Khan Goes Hunting. When his majesty has made his usual stay in the city, and leaves it in the month of March, he proceeds in a northeasterly direction to within two days' journey of the ocean, attended by a full ten thousand falconers, who carry with them a vast as well as many vultures for pursuing the game along the banks of the river. It must be understood that he does not keep all these men together, but divides them into several parties of one or two hundred or more, and they follow the sport in various directions. The greater part of the quarry is brought to his majesty. He has likewise within ten thousand men called tuskar, meaning lookouts, who are assigned in parties of two or three to stations not far from each other in such a manner as to cover a considerable tract of country. Each of them has a whistle and a hood, with which they can call in and secure the hawk. Upon the command being given for flying the hawks, those who let them loose do not need to follow them, because the others whose duty it is keep careful watch, and if need be assist the bird. Every bird belonging to his majesty, or to any of his nobles, has a small silver label fastened to its leg on which is engraved the name of the owner, and of the keeper. Thus, when the hawk is secured, it is immediately known to whom it belongs, and restored accordingly. If it happens that the owner is not personally known to the finder, the bird is carried to an officer, termed bolar guki, meaning guardian of unclaimed property. If a horse, sword, bird, or any other article is found, and its owner is not plain, the finder carries it directly to this officer. If, on the other hand, the person finds an article and fails to carry it to the officer, he is punished as a thief. The officer is always on the highest ground, and is distinguished by a particular flag, in order that he may be readily found by such as have occasion to apply him. The effect of this is that no articles are ultimately lost. When his majesty travels in this manner toward the ocean, many interesting sights result from the sport, and it may truly be said that it is unrivaled by any other amusement in the world. On account of the narrowness of the passes in some parts of the country where the great conch follows the chase, he is borne upon only two elephants, or even one. Otherwise, he makes use of four, on the backs of which is placed a pavilion of wood, handsomely carved, the inside lined with cloth of gold, and the outside covered with the skins of lions, a kind of conveyance made necessary by the fact that he is troubled by guilt. In the pavilion, he always carries with him twelve of his best gyrfalcons, with twelve favorite officers to keep him company and amuse him. Those who are on horseback by his side give him notice of the approach of cranes or other birds, whereupon he raises the curtain of the pavilion and gives directions for letting fly the gyrfalcons, which seize the cranes and overpower them after a long struggle. Watching this sport as he lies upon his couch gives great pleasure to his majesty as well as to the officers and horsemen by whom he is surrounded. After having thus enjoyed the amusement for some hours, he repairs to a place named Takar Modun, where are pitched the pavilions and tents of his sons, and also of the nobles, ladies, and falconers, the number of them exceeding ten thousand and making a handsome appearance. The tent of his majesty, in which he gives his audiences, is so long and wide that under it ten thousand soldiers might be drawn up, with room for the superior officers and other persons of rank. Its entrance faces the south, and on the eastern side it has another tent connected with it, forming a capacious reception hall. This is the tent the emperor usually occupies with a few of his nobility, and when he wishes to speak with any other persons they are brought here. In the rear of this there is a large and handsome chamber where he sleeps, and there are many other tents and apartments of the different branches of the household, but these are not immediately connected with the great tent. These halls and chambers are all constructed and furnished in the following manner. Each of them is supported by three pillars of wood, richly carved and gilt. The tents are covered on the outside with the skins of lions, striped white, black, and red, and so well joined that neither wind nor rain can penetrate. Inside they are lined with the skins of pheromines and sables, which are the most costly of all furs. A sable, if of a size to trim a dress, is valued at two thousand bezants of gold, provided it be perfect, but otherwise only one thousand. It is esteemed by Tartars the queen of furs. The animal, which in their language is named rondes, is about the size of a polecat. With these two kinds of skins, the hall as well as the sleeping rooms are handsomely fitted up in compartments, arranged with much taste and skill. The ropes or cords by which they stretch the tents are of silk. Near to the grand tent of his majesty are situated those of his ladies, also very handsome and splendid. They have in like manner their gyrfalcons, their hawks, and other birds and beasts with which they take part in the amusement. The number of persons in the encampments is quite incredible, and a spectator might conceive himself to be in the midst of a populous city so great in the assemblage from every part of the empire. The great content is attended by the whole of his family and household, that is to say, his physicians, astronomers, falconers, and every other kind of officer. In these parts he remains until the spring, during which period he never ceases to frequent the lakes and rivers where he takes storks, swans, herons, and a variety of other birds. His people are also sent out in various directions and bring back a large quantity of game. In this manner, during this season, he enjoys himself to a degree that no person who has not seen it can conceive. The excellence and variety of the sport being beyond description. It is strictly forbidden to every tradesman, mechanic, or peasant throughout his majesty's dominions to keep a vulture, hawk, or any other bird for the pursuit of game, or any sporting dog. Nor may a nobleman or cavalier presume to chase beasts or bird in the neighborhood where his majesty takes up residence. The ban being five miles, for example, on one side, ten on another, and perhaps fifteen in the third direction unless his name be on a list kept by the grand falconer, or he has a special privilege to that effect. Beyond those limits, it is permitted. There is an order, however, which prohibits every person throughout all countries subject to the Great Khan from daring to kill hares, roebucks, fallow deer, stags, or other animals of that kind, or any large birds between the months of March and October. This is to ensure that they may increase and multiply, since any breach of this order is punished, game of every description increases prodigiously. When the usual time has elapsed, his majesty returns to the capital by the same route he came, continuing his sport all the way.