Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-01-05
KUBLAI KHAN'S PALACE.
Description of the Famous Building Of Che
Great Tartar Ruler.

Der, January and February-the
great khan resides in the capital city
of Cathay, which is called Gambia
luc, and which is at the northeast
ern extremity of the country In
that city stands his great palace,
and now l will tell you what 1t Is
like.
1t is inclosed all around by great
wall forming IL square, each side OF
which is mile i'll length-thatis to
saw the whole compass thereof is
four miles 1t is also very thick and
good ten PAGES III height, white
washed and loopholed all round.
At each angle of the wall there Is
very fine and rich palace, i'll which
the war harness of the emperor Is
kept, such as bows and quivers, sad
dies and brides and bowstrings and
everything needful for an army
also midway between every two of
these corner palaces there is another
of the like. so that, taking the whole
compass of the inclosme, YOU find
eight vast palaces stored with the
great kings harness OF war And
YOU must understand that each pal
ace is assigned to only one kind OF
aticle. Thus one is stored with bows,
Il second with saddles, a third with
brides. and so on in succession
right round.
The great wall has five gates on
its southern face, the middle one
being the great gate, which is never
opened on any occasion except when
the great khan himself goes forth or
enters. Close on either side of this
great gate is a smaller one, by which
all other people pass, and then, to
ward each angle. is another great
gate, also open to people i'll general
so that on that side there are five
gates in all
Inside of this wall there is sec
ond. inclosing Il space that is some
what greater in length than in
breadth. This Enclosure also has
eight palaces, corresponding to
those of the outer wall and stored,
like them, with the king harness of
war. This wall also has five gates
on the southern face, corresponding
to those in the outer wall, and has
one gate on each Of the other faces,
as the outer wall has also IN the
middle of the second mclosure is
the kings great palace, and l will
tell YOU what it is like
You must know that it is the
greatest palace that ever was. To-
ward the north it is in contact with
the outer wall, while toward the
south there is a vacant space which
the barons and the soldiers are con
stantly travcrsing. The palace itself
has no upper story but is all on
the ground floor, only the basement
is raised some ten palms above the
surrounding soil, and this elevation
is retained by Il wall of marble raised
to the level of the pavement, two
PAGES in width and projecting be
yond the base of the palace so as to
form q kind of terrace walk, by
which people can pass round the
building, and which is exposed to
view, while on the outer edge OF the
wall there is very fine pillared
balustrade, and up TO this the peo-
pie are allowed to come The roof
is very lofty, and the walls of the
palace are all covered with gold and
silver. They are also adorned with
representations of dragons, sculp-
tured and gilt, beasts and birds,
knights and idols and sundry other
subjects. And on the ceiling, too,
you see nothing but gold and silver
and painting On each of the four
sides there is great marble stair
case leading to the top of the marble
wall and forming the approach to
the palace.
The hall of the palace is so large
that it could easily dine G.o00 peo-
pie, and it is quite Il marvel to sec
how many rooms there are besides.
The building is altogether so vast,
so rich and so beautiful that no man
on earth could design anything su-
perior to it. The outside of the roof
also is all colored with vel1nilion
and yellow and green and blue and
other hueS, which arc fixed with a
varnish so fine and exquisite that
they shine like crystal and lend a
respondent luster to the palace as
seen for great way round The
roof is made, too, with such strength
and solidity that it is fit to last for
ever.
On the interior side of the palace
are largo buildings, with halls and
chambers, where the cmperor's pri-
vate property is placed, such as his
treasures of gold, silver. gems,
pearls and gold plate, and i'll which
reside the ladies of the court.-Noah
Brooks in st. Nicholas.