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Marco Polo, Rustichello of Pisa - The Travels of Marco Polo, 1
in China where the goods were made. We have supposed Sling to be Sining (note 2, ch. lvii.), but
I can make nothing of the others. Cunningham also mentions "camlets of camel's hair," under the name
of Suklat, among imports from the same quarter. The term Suklat is, however, applied in
the Panjab trade returns to broadcloth. Does not this point to the real nature of the
siclatoun of the Middle Ages? It is, indeed, often spoken of as used for banners, which implies that it
was not a heavy woollen:
"There was mony gonfanoun
Of gold, sendel, and siclatoun."
(King Alisaundre, in Weber, I. 85.)
But it was also a material for ladies' robes, for quilts, leggings, housings, pavilions. Franc. Michel does
not decide what it was, only that it was generally red and wrought with gold. Dozy renders it
"silk stuff brocaded with gold"; but this seems conjectural. Dr. Rock says it was a thin glossy silken stuff,
often with a woof of gold thread, and seems to derive it from the Arabic sakl, "polishing" (a sword),
which is improbable. Perhaps the name is connected with Sikiliyat, "Sicily."
(Marsh on Wedgwood, and on Webster in N. Y. Nation, 1867; Douet
D'Arcq, p. 355; Punjab Trade Rep., App. ccxix.-xx.; Ladak, 242; Fr.-Michel
Rech. I. 221 seqq.; Dozy, Dict. des Vetements, etc.; Dr. Rock's Ken. Catal.
xxxix.-xl.)
CHAPTER LIX. CONCERNING THE PROVINCE OF TENDUC, AND THE DESCENDANTS
OF PRESTER JOHN.
Tenduc is a province which lies towards the east, and contains numerous towns and villages; among
which is the chief city, also called TENDUC. The king of the province is of the lineage of Prester John,
George by name, and he holds the land under the Great Kaan; not that he holds anything like the whole
of what Prester John possessed.[NOTE 1] It is a custom, I may tell you, that these kings of the lineage of
Prester John always obtain to wife either daughters of the Great Kaan or other princesses of his
family.[NOTE 2]
In this province is found the stone from which Azure is made. It is obtained from a kind of vein in the
earth, and is of very fine quality.[NOTE 3] There is also a great manufacture of fine camlets of different
colours from camel's hair. The people get their living by their cattle and tillage, as well as by trade and
handicraft.
The rule of the province is in the hands of the Christians, as I have told you; but there are also plenty of
Idolaters and worshippers of Mahommet. And there is also here a class of people called Argons,
which is as much as to say in French Guasmul, or, in other words, sprung from two different
races: to wit, of the race of the Idolaters of Tenduc and of that of the worshippers of Mahommet. They
are handsomer men than the other natives of the country, and having more ability, they come to have
authority; and they are also capital merchants.[NOTE 4]
You must know that it was in this same capital city of Tenduc that Prester John had the seat of his
government when he ruled over the Tartars, and his heirs still abide there; for, as I have told you, this
King George is of his line, in fact, he is the sixth in descent from Prester John.
Here also is what we call the country of GOG and MAGOG; they, however, call it UNG
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