The Travels of Marco Polo Volume II Part 23

When you leave Cayu, you ride another day to the south-east through a constant succession of villages and fields and fine farms until you come to TIJU, which is a city of no great size but abounding in everything. The people are Idolaters (and so forth). There is a great amount of trade, and they have many vessels. And you must know that on your left hand, that is towards the east, and three days' journey distant, is the Ocean Sea. At every place between the sea and the city salt is made in great quant.i.ties.

And there is a rich and n.o.ble city called TINJU, at which there is produced salt enough to supply the whole province, and I can tell you it brings the Great Kaan an incredible revenue. The people are Idolaters and subject to the Kaan. Let us quit this, however, and go back to Tiju.

[NOTE 1]

Again, leaving Tiju, you ride another day towards the south-east, and at the end of your journey you arrive at the very great and n.o.ble city of YANJU, which has seven-and-twenty other wealthy cities under its administration; so that this Yanju is, you see, a city of great importance.[NOTE 2] It is the seat of one of the Great Kaan's Twelve Barons, for it has been chosen to be one of the Twelve _Sings_. The people are Idolaters and use paper-money, and are subject to the Great Kaan. And Messer Marco Polo himself, of whom this book speaks, did govern this city for three full years, by the order of the Great Kaan.[NOTE 3]

The people live by trade and manufactures, for a great amount of harness for knights and men-at-arms is made there. And in this city and its neighbourhood a large number of troops are stationed by the Kaan's orders.

There is no more to say about it. So now I will tell you about two great provinces of Manzi which lie towards the west. And first of that called Nanghin.

NOTE 1.--Though the text would lead us to look for _Tiju_ on the direct line between Kao-yu and Yang-chau, and like them on the ca.n.a.l bank (indeed one MS., C. of Pauthier, specifies its standing on the same river as the cities already pa.s.sed, i.e. on the ca.n.a.l), we seem constrained to admit the general opinion that this is TAI-CHAU, a town lying some 25 miles at least to the eastward of the ca.n.a.l, but apparently connected with it by a navigable channel.

_Tinju_ or _Chinju_ (for both the G.T. and Ramusio read _Cingui_) cannot be identified with certainty. But I should think it likely, from Polo's "geographical style," that when he spoke of the sea as three days distant he had this city in view, and that it is probably TUNG-CHAU, near the northern sh.o.r.e of the estuary of the Yang-tzu, which might be fairly described as three days from Tai-chau. Mr. Kingsmill identifies it with I-chin hien, the great port on the Kiang for the export of the Yang-chau salt. This is possible; but I-chin lies _west_ of the ca.n.a.l, and though the form _Chinju_ would really represent I-chin as then named, such a position seems scarcely compatible with the way, vague as it is, in which Tinju or Chinju is introduced. Moreover, we shall see that I-chin is spoken of hereafter. (_Kingsmill_ in _N. and Q. Ch. and j.a.pan_, I. 53.)

NOTE 2.--Happily, there is no doubt that this is YANG-CHAU, one of the oldest and most famous great cities of China. [Abulfeda (_Guyard_, II. ii.

122) says that Yang-chau is the capital of the f.a.ghfur of China, and that he is called Tamghadj-khan.--H.C.] Some five-and-thirty years after Polo's departure from China, Friar Odoric found at this city a House of his own Order (Franciscans), and three Nestorian churches. The city also appears in the Catalan Map as _Iangio_. Yang-chau suffered greatly in the T'a-P'ing rebellion, but its position is an "obligatory point" for commerce, and it appears to be rapidly recovering its prosperity. It is the headquarters of the salt manufacture, and it is also now noted for a great manufacture of sweetmeats (See _Alabaster's Report_, as above, p 6)

[Ill.u.s.tration: Yang chau: the three Cities Under the Sung]

[Through the kindness of the late Father H. Havret, S J, of Zi ka wei, I am enabled to give two plans from the Chronicles of Yang chau, _Yang chau fu che_ (ed. 1733); one bears the t.i.tle "The Three Cities under the Sung,"

and the other. "The Great City under the Sung" The three cities are _Pao yew cheng_, built in 1256, _Sin Pao cheng_ or _Kia cheng_, built after 1256, and _Tacheng_, the "Great City," built in 1175; in 1357, Ta cheng was rebuilt, and in 1557 it was augmented, taking the place of the three cities; from 553 B.C. until the 12th century, Yang-chau had no less than five enclosures; the governor's yamen stood where a cross is marked in the Great City. Since Yang-chau has been laid in ruins by the T'a-P'ing insurgents, these plans offer now a new interest.--H.C.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Yang-chau: the Great City under the Sung.]

NOTE 3.--What I have rendered "Twelve _Sings_" is in the G.T. "douze _sajes_," and in Pauthier's text "_sieges_." It seems to me a reasonable conclusion that the original word was _Sings_ (see I. 432, supra); anyhow that was the proper term for the thing meant.

In his note on this chapter, Pauthier produces evidence that Yang-chau was the seat of a _Lu_ or circuit[1] from 1277, and also of a _Sing_ or Government-General, but only for the first year after the conquest, viz.

1276-1277, and he seems (for his argument is obscure) to make from this the unreasonable deduction that at this period Kublai placed Marco Polo--who could not be more than twenty-three years of age, and had been but two years in Cathay--in charge either of the general government, or of an important district government in the most important province of the empire.

In a later note M. Pauthier speaks of 1284 as the date at which the _Sing_ of the province of Kiang-che was transferred from Yang-chau to Hang-chau; this is probably to be taken as a correction of the former citations, and it better justifies Polo's statement. (_Pauthier_, pp. 467, 492.)

I do not think that we are to regard Marco as having held at any time the important post of Governor-General of Kiang-che. The expressions in the G.

T. are: "_Meser Marc Pol meisme, celui de cui trate ceste livre, seingneurie ceste cite por trois anz._" Pauthier's MS. A. appears to read: "_Et ot seigneurie, Marc Pol, en ceste cite, trois ans._" These expressions probably point to the government of the _Lu_ or circuit of Yang-chau, just as we find in ch. lxxiii. another Christian, Mar Sarghis, mentioned as Governor of Chin-kiang fu for the same term of years, that city being also the head of a _Lu_. It is remarkable that in Pauthier's MS. C., which often contains readings of peculiar value, the pa.s.sage runs (and also in the Bern MS.): "_Et si vous dy que ledit Messire Marc Pol, cellui meisme de qui nostre livre parle_, sejourna, _en ceste cite de Janguy. iii. ans accompliz, par le commandement du Grant Kaan,_" in which the nature of his employment is not indicated at all (though _sejourna_ may be an error for _seigneura_). The impression of his having been Governor-General is mainly due to the Ramusian version, which says distinctly indeed that "_M. Marco Polo di commissione del Gran Can n' ebbe il governo tre anni continui_ in luogo di un dei detti Baroni," but it is very probable that this is a gloss of the translator. I should conjecture his rule at Yang-chau to have been between 1282, when we know he was at the capital (vol. i. p. 422), and 1287-1288, when he must have gone on his first expedition to the Indian Seas.

[1] The _Lu_ or Circuit was an administrative division under the Mongols, intermediate between the _Sing_ and the _Fu_, or department. There were 185 _lu_ in all China under Kublai. (_Pauth._ 333). [_Mr. E.L.

Oxenham, Hist. Atlas Chin. Emp._, reckons 10 provinces or _sheng_, 39 _fu_ cities, 316 _chau_, 88 _lu_, 12 military governorships.--H.C.]

CHAPTER LXIX.

CONCERNING THE CITY OF NANGHIN.

Nanghin is a very n.o.ble Province towards the west. The people are Idolaters (and so forth) and live by trade and manufactures. They have silk in great abundance, and they weave many fine tissues of silk and gold. They have all sorts of corn and victuals very cheap, for the province is a most productive one. Game also is abundant, and lions too are found there. The merchants are great and opulent, and the Emperor draws a large revenue from them, in the shape of duties on the goods which they buy and sell.[NOTE 1]

And now I will tell you of the very n.o.ble city of Saianfu, which well deserves a place in our book, for there is a matter of great moment to tell about it.

NOTE 1.--The name and direction from Yang-chau are probably sufficient to indicate (as Pauthier has said) that this is NGAN-KING on the Kiang, capital of the modern province of Ngan-hwei. The more celebrated city of _Nan-king_ did not bear that name in our traveller's time.

Ngan-king, when recovered from the T'ai-P'ing in 1861, was the scene of a frightful ma.s.sacre by the Imperialists. They are said to have left neither man, woman, nor child alive in the unfortunate city. (_Blakiston_ p. 55.)

CHAPTER LXX.

CONCERNING THE VERY n.o.bLE CITY OF SAIANFU, AND HOW ITS CAPTURE WAS EFFECTED.

Saianfu is a very great and n.o.ble city, and it rules over twelve other large and rich cities, and is itself a seat of great trade and manufacture. The people are Idolaters (and so forth). They have much silk, from which they weave fine silken stuffs; they have also a quant.i.ty of game, and in short the city abounds in all that it behoves a n.o.ble city to possess.

Now you must know that this city held out against the Great Kaan for three years after the rest of Manzi had surrendered. The Great Kaan's troops made incessant attempts to take it, but they could not succeed because of the great and deep waters that were round about it, so that they could approach from one side only, which was the north. And I tell you they never would have taken it, but for a circ.u.mstance that I am going to relate.

You must know that when the Great Kaan's host had lain three years before the city without being able to take it, they were greatly chafed thereat.

Then Messer Nicolo Polo and Messer Maffeo and Messer Marco said: "We could find you a way of forcing the city to surrender speedily;" whereupon those of the army replied, that they would be right glad to know how that should be. All this talk took place in the presence of the Great Kaan. For messengers had been despatched from the camp to tell him that there was no taking the city by blockade, for it continually received supplies of victual from those sides which they were unable to invest; and the Great Kaan had sent back word that take it they must, and find a way how. Then spoke up the two brothers and Messer Marco the son, and said: "Great Prince, we have with us among our followers men who are able to construct mangonels which shall cast such great stones that the garrison will never be able to stand them, but will surrender incontinently, as soon as the mangonels or trebuchets shall have shot into the town."[NOTE 1]

The Kaan bade them with all his heart have such mangonels made as speedily as possible. Now Messer Nicolo and his brother and his son immediately caused timber to be brought, as much as they desired, and fit for the work in hand. And they had two men among their followers, a German and a Nestorian Christian, who were masters of that business, and these they directed to construct two or three mangonels capable of casting stones of 300 lbs. weight. Accordingly they made three fine mangonels, each of which cast stones of 300 lbs. weight and more.[NOTE 2] And when they were complete and ready for use, the Emperor and the others were greatly pleased to see them, and caused several stones to be shot in their presence; whereat they marvelled greatly and greatly praised the work. And the Kaan ordered that the engines should be carried to his army which was at the leaguer of Saianfu.[NOTE 3]

And when the engines were got to the camp they were forthwith set up, to the great admiration of the Tartars. And what shall I tell you? When the engines were set up and put in gear, a stone was shot from each of them into the town. These took effect among the buildings, crashing and smashing through everything with huge din and commotion. And when the townspeople witnessed this new and strange visitation they were so astonished and dismayed that they wist not what to do or say. They took counsel together, but no counsel could be suggested how to escape from these engines, for the thing seemed to them to be done by sorcery. They declared that they were all dead men if they yielded not, so they determined to surrender on such conditions as they could get.[NOTE 4]

Wherefore they straightway sent word to the commander of the army that they were ready to surrender on the same terms as the other cities of the province had done, and to become the subjects of the Great Kaan; and to this the captain of the host consented.

So the men of the city surrendered, and were received to terms; and this all came about through the exertions of Messer Nicolo, and Messer Maffeo, and Messer Marco; and it was no small matter. For this city and province is one of the best that the Great Kaan possesses, and brings him in great revenues.[NOTE 5]

NOTE 1.--Pauthier's MS. C. here says: "When the Great Kaan, and the Barons about him, and the messengers from the camp ... heard this, they all marvelled greatly; for I tell you that in all those parts they know nothing of mangonels or trebuchets; and they were so far from being accustomed to employ them in their wars that they had never even seen them, nor knew what they were." The MS. in question has in this narrative several statements peculiar to itself,[1] as indeed it has in various other pa.s.sages of the book; and these often look very like the result of revision by Polo himself. Yet I have not introduced the words just quoted into our text, because they are, as we shall see presently, notoriously contrary to fact.

NOTE 2.--The same MS. has here a pa.s.sage which I am unable to understand.

After the words "300 lbs. and more," it goes on: "Et la veoit l'en voler moult loing, desquelles pierres _il en y avoit plus de_ lx _routes qui tant montoit l'une comme l'autre_" The Bern has the same. [Perhaps we might read lx _en routes_, viz. on their way.--H.C.]

NOTE 3.--I propose here to enter into some detailed explanation regarding the military engines that were in use in the Middle Ages.[2] None of these depended for their motive force on _torsion_ like the chief engines used in cla.s.sic times. However numerous the names applied to them, with reference to minor variations in construction or differences in power, they may all be reduced to two cla.s.ses, viz. _great slings_ and _great crossbows_. And this is equally true of all the three great branches of mediaeval civilisation--European, Saracenic, and Chinese. To the first cla.s.s belonged the _Trebuchet_ and _Mangonel_; to the second, the _Winch-Arblast_ (Arbalete a Tour), _Springold_ etc.

Whatever the ancient _Balista_ may have been, the word in mediaeval Latin seems always to mean some kind of crossbow. The heavier crossbows were wound up by various aids, such as winches, ratchets, etc. They discharged stone shot, leaden bullets, and short, square-shafted arrows called _quarrels_, and these with such force we are told as to pierce a six-inch post (?). But they were worked so slowly in the field that they were no match for the long-bow, which shot five or six times to their once. The great machines of this kind were made of wood, of steel, and very frequently of horn;[3] and the bow was sometimes more than 30 feet in length. Dufour calculates that such a machine could shoot an arrow of half a kilogram in weight to a distance of about 860 yards.

The _Trebuchet_ consisted of a long tapering shaft or beam, pivoted at a short distance from the b.u.t.t end on a pair of strong pyramidal trestles.

At the other end of the shaft a sling was applied, one cord of which was firmly attached by a ring, whilst the other hung in a loop over an iron hook which formed the extremity of the shaft. The power employed to discharge the sling was either the strength of a number of men, applied to ropes which were attached to the short end of the shaft or lever, or the weight of a heavy counterpoise hung from the same, and suddenly released.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Mediaeval Artillery Engines. Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Chinese; Figs. 6, 7, 8, Saracenic: the rest Frank.]

Supposing the latter force to be employed, the long end of the shaft was drawn down by a windla.s.s; the sling was laid forward in a wooden trough provided for it, and charged with the shot. The counterpoise was, of course, now aloft, and was so maintained by a detent provided with a trigger. On pulling this, the counterpoise falls and the shaft flies upwards drawing the sling. When a certain point is reached the loop end of the sling releases itself from the hook, and the sling flies abroad whilst the shot is projected in its parabolic flight.[4] To secure the most favourable result the shot should have acquired its maximum velocity, and should escape at an angle of about 45. The attainment of this required certain proportions between the different dimensions of the machine and the weight of the shot, for which, doubtless, traditional rules of thumb existed among the mediaeval engineers.

The ordinary shot consisted of stones carefully rounded. But for these were subst.i.tuted on occasion rough stones with fuses attached,[5] pieces of red-hot iron, pots of fused metal, or casks full of Greek fire or of foul matter to corrupt the air of the besieged place. Thus carrion was shot into Negropont from such engines by Mahomed II. The Cardinal Octavian, besieging Modena in 1249, slings a dead a.s.s into the town.

Froissart several times mentions such measures, as at the siege of Thin l'Eveque on the Scheldt in 1340, when "the besiegers by their engines flung dead horses and other carrion into the castle to poison the garrison by their smell." In at least one instance the same author tells how a living man, an unlucky messenger from the Castle of Auberoche, was caught by the besiegers, thrust into the sling with the letters that he bore hung round his neck, and shot into Auberoche, where he fell dead among his horrified comrades. And Lipsius quotes from a Spanish Chronicle the story of a virtuous youth, Pelagius, who, by order of the Tyrant Abderramin, was shot across the Guadalquivir, but lighted unharmed upon the rocks beyond.

Ramon de Muntaner relates how King James of Aragon, besieging Majorca in 1228, vowed vengeance against the Saracen King because he shot Christian prisoners into the besiegers' camp with his trebuchets (pp. 223-224). We have mentioned one kind of corruption propagated by these engines; the historian Wa.s.saf tells of another. When the garrison of Dehli refused to open the gates to Alauddin Khilji after the murder of his uncle, Firuz (1296), he loaded his mangonels with bags of gold and shot them into the fort, a measure which put an end to the opposition.

Ibn Batuta, forty years later, describes Mahomed Tughlak as entering Dehli accompanied by elephants carrying small _balistae_ (_ra'adai_), from which gold and silver pieces were shot among the crowd. And the same king, when he had given the crazy and cruel order that the population of Dehli should evacuate the city and depart to Deogir, 900 miles distant, having found two men skulking behind, one of whom was paralytic and the other blind, caused the former to be shot from a mangonel. (_I.B._ III. 395, 315.)

Some old drawings represent the shaft as discharging the shot from a kind of spoon at its extremity, without the aid of a sling (e.g. fig. 13); but it may be doubted if this was actually used, for the sling was essential to the efficiency of the engine. The experiments and calculations of Dufour show that without the sling, other things remaining the same, the range of the shot would be reduced by more than a half.