earthenware
jar, on which the directions are marked. This jar is filled with
water and the magnetized needle placed in it. Sometimes before they
happen to strike it right, they could go to the bottom twenty times,
thus, although it is marvelous, considering that they are a barbarous
people, that they should understand the art of navigation, it is very
surprising to see how barbarous are their methods.

61. All their arms, for both sea and land, are fire-bombs. They have
quantities of gunpowder, in the shape of loaves. Their artillery,
although not large, is poor. They have also, and quite commonly
poor, culverins and arquebuses, so that they depend mainly on their
lances. I am informed that they do not fear the arquebuses very much,
because they themselves are so poor shots with them, and are amazed
at seeing a hen or a pigeon killed with an arquebuse-shot. They fear
lances more than other weapons.

62. The chief captains and the king never cut their finger-nails,
and allow one to grow as long as the finger, and longer. These go to
war seated in chairs, carried on the shoulders of other men. They
frequently become intoxicated, and are very libidinous. They
guard their women very carefully. The women also do not cut their
finger-nails. When daughters are born to people of rank, they compress
the child's feet by the toes, so that they cannot grow; and the girl
cannot stand on them, but is always carried about seated. For this
reason, these women never leave the house.

63. The men have as many wives as they can support. They wear their
hair long, gathered up on top of the head, as women dress their hair.

64. None but a few principal people ever see the face of the king,
and those only who are near him. His face is always covered when he
goes out, and he is accompanied by a numerous guard.

65. The king resides in the province of Paquian, in a city called
Quincay, mentioned by Marco Polo, the Venetian, [4] in his second
book, and sixty-fourth chapter. According to the account given by
these, people, their country must have been ruled by the Tartars
before Marco Polo made that voyage, because in his history he refers
to the master of this city, and of others in the kingdom, as "the
great Khan." I believe that the strange people and language must have
changed the names of many of the provinces in his time. Although he
writes briefly, and in such a way that it seems but nonsense, still it
is true that this city does ex