PREFACE. HE story of Marco Polo and his companions is THE one of the most romantic and interesting of mediæval or of modern times. The manner of the return of the Polos long after they had been given up for dead, the subsequent adventures of Marco Polo, the incredulity with which his book of travels was received, the gradual and slow confirmation of the truth of his reports as later explorations penetrated the mysterious Orient, and the fact that he may be justly regarded as the founder of the geography of Asia, have all combined to give to his narrative a certain fascination, with which no other story of travel has been invested. At first read for pure amusement, Marco Polo's book eventually became an authoritative account of regions of the earth which were almost wholly unknown to Europe up to his time, and some portions of which even now remain unexplored by Western travellers. In this little book the author and compiler has endeavoured to give a connected account of the travels of Marco Polo for the entertainment and instruction of young readers, with the hope that maturer minds may find therein a comprehensive and intelligible summary of the most valuable and trustworthy parts of the said book. As far as possible he has allowed the traveller to speak for himself, refraining from that fashion of condensation, which suppresses the original author and gives the reader only a narration which has been coloured by its passage through the mind of an editor. In his comments on the text of Marco Polo, the author has made use of the erudite notes of Colonel Henry Yule, C.B., whose admirable translation of "The Book of Ser Marco Polo, the Venetian" (John Murray, London, 1871) has been made the basis of this volume. The works of the Abbé Huc, Williams's "The Middle Kingdom," Gilmour's "Among the Mongols," and other lessknown books have been consulted in quest of light and information for the better understanding of the great Venetian's pages. NOAH BROOKS. CONTENTS. CONCERNING MARCO, HIS FATHER, AND HIS UNCLE-MISTY NOTIONS OF THE FAR EAST HELD BY MEN OF MEDIEVAL TIMES-HOW THE POLOS WENT TO THE DOMINIONS OF PAGE YOUNG MARCO AT THE COURT OF KUBLAI KHAN-THE GREAT KHAN'S CONDESCENSION TO THE YOUNG TRAVELLER— THE MANNER OF THE RETURN OF THE POLOS-HOW |