her and uncle of the Far East and the Court
of the greatest Emperor on earth filled the boy with enthusiasm, and
when in 1271 the brothers Polo set out for their second journey to
China, not only were they accompanied by the young Marco, but also
by two preaching friars to teach the Christian faith to Kublai Khan.

[Illustration: MARCO POLO LANDS AT ORMUZ. From a miniature in the
_Livre des Merveilles_.]

Their journey lay through Armenia, through the old city of Nineveh
to Bagdad, where the last Khalif had been butchered by the Tartars.
Entering Persia as traders, the Polo family passed on to Ormuz, hoping
to take ship from here to China. But, for some unknown reason, this
was impossible, and the travellers made their way north-eastwards to
the country about the sources of the river Oxus. Here young Marco fell
sick of a low fever, and for a whole year they could not proceed.
Resuming their journey at last "in high spirits," they crossed the
great highlands of the Pamirs, known as the "roof of the world," and,
descending on Khotan, found themselves face to face with the great
Gobi Desert. For thirty days they journeyed over the sandy wastes of
the silent wilderness, till they came to a city in the province of
Tangut, where they were met by messengers from the Khan, who had heard
of their approach. But it was not till May 1275 that they actually
reached the Court of Kublai Khan after their tremendous journey of
"one thousand days." The preaching friars had long since turned
homewards, alarmed at the dangers of the way, so only the three
stout-hearted Polos were left to deliver the Pope's message to the
ruler of the Mongol Empire.

[Illustration: THE POLOS LEAVING VENICE FOR THEIR TRAVELS TO THE FAR
EAST. From a miniature which stands at the head of a late 14th century
MS. of the _Travels of Marco Polo_ (or the Book of the Grand Khan)
in the Bodleian Library, Oxford. The drawing shows the Piazzetta at
Venice, with the Polos embarking, and in the foreground indications
of the strange lands they visited.]

"The lord of all the earth," as he was called by his people, received
them very warmly. He inquired at once who was the young man with them.

"My lord," replied Niccolo, "he is my son and your servant."

"Then," said the Khan, "he is welcome. I am much pleased with him."

So the three Venetians abode at the Court of Kublai Khan. His summer
palace was at Shang-tu, called Xanadu by the poet Coleridge--

"In Xana