Asia -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800; Mongols -- History; Polo, Marco, 1254-1323?; Voyages and travels
eat strong food, to wash, to smoke, or to handle weapons, would
have the same result as if the new-born babe ate such food, washed,
smoked, or played with edged tools” (pp. 217–219.)
I have to thank Dr. Edward B. Tylor for the valuable notes he
kindly sent me.—H. C.]
NOTE 5.—“The abundance of gold in Yun-nan is proverbial in China,
so that if a man lives very extravagantly they ask if his father is
governor of Yun-nan.” (_Martini_, p. 140.)
Polo has told us that in Eastern Yun-nan the exchange was 8 of
silver for one of gold (ch. xlviii.); in the Western division of
the province 6 of silver for one of gold (ch. xlix.); and now,
still nearer the borders of Ava, only 5 of silver for one of gold.
Such discrepancies within 15 days’ journey would be inconceivable,
but that in both the latter instances at least he appears to
speak of the rates at which the gold was purchased from secluded,
ignorant, and uncivilised tribes. It is difficult to reconcile with
other facts the reason which he assigns for the high value put
on silver at Vochan, viz., that there was no silver-mine within
five months’ journey. In later days, at least, Martini speaks
of many silver-mines in Yun-nan, and the “Great Silver Mine”
(_Bau-dwen gyi_ of the Burmese) or group of mines, which affords
a chief supply to Burma in modern times, is not far from the
territory of our Traveller’s Zardandan. Garnier’s map shows several
argentiferous sites in the Valley of the Lan-t’sang.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account