Marco Polo

I believe it was God's will that we should come to these parts, so that people should know what there is in the world.

And you must know that in this kingdom of Bengal, there are many eunuchs. For the king is a great connoisseur of these, and has them in great numbers.

They worship idols, and they are very cruel, for they eat human flesh.

When they are about to go to war, they take a certain herb, which they dry and powder, and then they mix it with water and drink it. And when they have drunk it, they become so brave that they fear nothing.

They have no money, but they use salt as currency.

And in this province they have no wine, but they make a drink from rice, which is very good.

The people of this country are very fond of eating human flesh, and they say that it is the best meat in the world.

They have a custom that when a man dies, they burn his body, and then they gather his ashes and mix them with water, and drink them. And they say that by doing this, they will be reunited with their loved ones in the next life.

In this country, there is a kind of tree that produces cotton, and it is so plentiful that they make all their clothes from it.

The Great Khan has a palace that is so large that it would take a man a day to walk around it.

And in this country, they have a custom that when a man is sick, they do not give him any food or drink, but they put him in a hot bath, and then they cover him with blankets, and he sweats until he is well.

They have a kind of black stone, which they dig out of the mountains, and it burns like wood, and it gives a great heat.

And in this country, they have a kind of animal that is like a lion, but it has a horn on its forehead, and it is very fierce.

They have a kind of bird that is so large that it can carry an elephant in its talons.

And in this country, they have a custom that when a man has a lawsuit, he goes before the judge, and the judge gives him a piece of paper, and on the paper is written the name of the man who is to be punished. And then the man who is to be punished is taken to a public place, and he is beaten with sticks until he confesses.

The people of this country are very cunning, and they are great cheats.

They have a kind of tree that produces milk, and it is so sweet that it tastes like honey.

And in this country, they have a custom that when a man dies, his wife is buried alive with him.

They have a kind of fish that is so large that it can swallow a man whole.

And in this country, they have a custom that when a man is about to go on a journey, he goes to a wise man, and the wise man tells him whether he will have good fortune or bad fortune.