ty to
be buried, wooden cottages are built at certain distances by the way,
having porches covered with silk, in which the coffin is set down, with a
table spread out with bread and wine and delicate viands, that the spirit
of the dead may be refreshed with the savour. When the body is carried to
the place of the funeral, a number of pieces of paper, made of the bark of
trees, curiously painted with figures of men and women servants, horses,
camels, money, and garments of all kinds are carried in procession, all the
instruments of music in the city sounding as the cavalcade moves along; and
all these pieces of painted paper are burned in the same funeral pile with
the body, under the idea that the deceased will have as many servants,
cattle, and garments in the next world, and as much money, as there were
pictures of these things burnt along with his body, and shall live
perpetually hereafter in the enjoyment of all these things[7].

[1] The text is here obviously transposed. While the editor endeavours to
illustrate and explain the descriptions of the author, he does not
consider himself at liberty to alter the text, even in the most
obviously faulty places.--E.

[2] Charchan, Charcham, Carcam, Hiarkand, Jarkun, Jerket, Jerken, Urkend;
such are the varieties in the editions of these travels, for the
Yarkand of modern maps. This paragraph ought obviously to have
followed the account of Cashgar.--E.

[3] Cotan, Cotam, Hotum, Khoten, Khotan, from which the useful material of
manufacture, _cotton_, takes its name. But instead of being between
the east and north-east direction from Yarkand, as in the text, or
E.N.E. it is actually E.S.E.--E.

[4] Called likewise Ciarciam, Ciartiam, and Sartam, in different editions.
--E.

[5] The journey from Sartem to Lop is obviously retrograde, and this course
must have been pursued by the Polos for commercial purposes; perhaps
for collecting those valuable stones which are mentioned by Marco as
giving so much profit when sold in China.--E.

[6] Schatscheu, Tschat-scheu, or Chat-chou, on the Polonkir, which runs
into the Hara lake.--E.

[7] It is highly probable that this emblematical representation had been
substituted by some humane legislator or conqueror, in place of the
actual sacrifice of the servants, cattle, and goods themselves, which
we are well assured was once the practice among many rude nations, in