the tribal settlement of the Saxons in Britain. Abulfeda, speaking of this territory, uses exactly Polo’s phrase, saying that the districts in question are properly called _Kíl-o-Kílán_, but by the Arabs _Jíl-o-Jílán_. Teixeira gives the Persian name of the sea as _Darya Ghiláni_. (See _Abulf._ in _Büsching_, v. 329.) [The province of Gíl (Gílán), which is situated between the mountains and the Caspian Sea, and between the provinces of Azerbaíján and Mázanderán (H. C.)], gave name to the silk for which it was and is still famous, mentioned as _Ghelle_ (_Gílí_) at the end of this chapter. This _Seta Ghella_ is mentioned also by Pegolotti (pp. 212, 238, 301), and by Uzzano, with an odd transposition, as Seta _Leggi_, along with Seta _Masandroni_, _i.e._ from the adjoining province of Mázanderán (p. 192). May not the Spanish _Geliz_, “a silk-dealer,” which seems to have been a puzzle to etymologists, be connected with this? (See _Dozy and Engelmann_, 2nd ed. p. 275.) [Prof. F. de Filippi (_Viaggo in Persia nel_ 1862, ... Milan, 1865, 8vo) speaks of the silk industry of Ghílán (pp. 295–296) as the principal product of the entire province.—H. C.] The dimensions assigned to the Caspian in the text would be very correct if length were meant, but the Geog. Text with the same figure specifies _circuit_ (_zire_). Ramusio again has “a circuit of 2800 miles.” Possibly the original reading was 2700; but this would be in excess. NOTE 8.—The Caspian is termed by Vincent of Beauvais _Mare Seruanicum_, the Sea of Shirwan, another of its numerous Oriental names, rendered by Marino Sanuto as _Mare Salvanicum_. (III. xi. ch. ix.) But it was generally known to the Franks in the Middle Ages as the SEA OF BACU. Thus Berni:— “Fuor del deserto la diritta strada Lungo il Mar di Bacu miglior pareva.” (_Orl. Innam._ xvii. 60.) And in the _Sfera_ of Lionardo Dati (_circa_ 1390):— “Da Tramontana di quest’Asia Grande Tartari son sotto la fredda Zona, Gente bestial di bestie e vivande, Fin dove _l’Onda di Baccù_ risuona,” etc. (p. 10.) This name is introduced in Ramusio, but probably by interpolation, as well as the correction of the statement regarding Euphrates, which is perhaps a branch of the notion alluded to in _Prologue_, ch. ii. note 5. In a later chapter Marco calls it the _Sea of Sarai_, a title also given in the Carta Catalana. [Odorico calls it Sea of _Bacuc_ (_Cathay_) and Sea of _Bascon_ (Cordier). The latter name is a corruption of Abeskun, a small town and island in the S.E. corner of the Caspian Sea, not far from Ashurada.—H. C.]