w her to undergo the hardships of an overland
journey from China to Persia.

So in the year 1292 they bade farewell to the great Kublai Khan, and
with the little princess of seventeen and her suite they set sail with
an escort of fourteen ships for India. Passing many islands "with gold
and much trade," after three months at sea they reached Java, at this
time supposed to be the greatest island in the world, above three
thousand miles round. At Sumatra they were detained five months by
stress of weather, till at last they reached the Bay of Bengal. Sailing
on a thousand miles westwards, they reached Ceylon--"the finest island
in the world," remarks Marco. It was not till two years after their
start and the loss of six hundred sailors that they arrived at their
destination, only to find that the ruler of Persia was dead. However,
they gave the little bride to his son and passed on by Constantinople
to Venice, where they arrived in 1295.

[Illustration: A JAPANESE FIGHT AGAINST THE CHINESE AT THE TIME WHEN
MARCO POLO FIRST SAW JAPANESE. From an ancient Japanese painting.]

And now follows a strange sequel to the story. After their long absence,
and in their travel-stained garments, their friends and relations
could not recognise them, and in vain did they declare that they were
indeed the Polos--father, son, and uncle--who had left Venice
twenty-four long years ago. It was no use; no one believed their story.
So this is what they did. They arranged for a great banquet to be held,
to which they invited all their relations and friends. This they
attended in robes of crimson satin. Then suddenly Marco rose from the
table and, going out of the room, returned with the three coarse,
travel-stained garments. They ripped open seams, tore out the lining,
and a quantity of precious stones, rubies, sapphires, diamonds, and
emeralds poured forth. The company were filled with wonder, and when
the story spread all the people of Venice came forth to do honour to
their famous fellow-countrymen.

Marco was surnamed Marco of the Millions, and never tired of telling
the wonderful stories of Kublai Khan, the great Emperor who combined
the "rude magnificence of the desert with the pomp and elegance of
the most civilised empire in the Old World."

CHAPTER XVIII

THE END OF MEDIAEVAL EXPLORATION

The two names of Ibn Batuta and Sir John Mandeville now conclude our
mediaeval period of travel to the Eastward. Both the Arab and the