Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1897-01-02
KueLA, KHAN's PALACE.
Marco Poio's Description Of th'
Famous Building Of the King.

Famous Building Of the King.
You must know that for three months
Of the year, to wit, December, January
and February, the Great Kaan resides
In the capital city Of Cnthay, which IL
called Cambaluc, and which IL at the
northeastern extremity o: :hC country.
In that city stands his grat palace,
and now will tell you what u Is like.
1t IL enclosed all around l'y great
wall forming square. "acn side OF
which is mile In length, that Is to say.
the whole compass thereof ~ 'ur miles.
1t Is also very thick nad good ten
PAGES In height, whitewasted and loop.
hOled all round. At each angie OF the
wall there Is very iine aud rich palace
In which the war.hnrness OF the Emper.
or IL kept, such as bows ana quivets,
saddles 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, 80 that taking he whole
compass Of the enclosure you md eight
vast palaces stored with the Great
Kings harness Of war. And you must
understand that each palace IL assigned
to only one kind Of article; thus, one ls
stored with bows, a second with sad
dies. third with brides, and SO on In
succession right round.
The great wall has Ave gates on Its
southern face. the middle one being the
great gate which is never opened on
any occasion except when the Great
Kaan himself goes forth or enters.
Close on either side Of this great gate Ia
a smaller one by which all other people
pass; and then towards each angle Is
another great gate, also open to people
In general; SO that on that side there
are five gates In all.
Inside of this wall there Is second,
enclosing space that Is somewhat
greater In length than In breadth. This
enclosure also has eight palaces CORE.
spending to those of the outer wall, and
stored like them with the Kings har.
ness of war. This wall also has five
gates on the southern face, correspond
one gate on each side of the other faces
as the outer wall hath also. In the mid.
die of the second enclosure Is the King
Great Palace, ana will tell you what
1t Is like.
You must know that 1t Is the creates,
palace that ever was. Toward the
north 1t Is In contact with the outer
wall, while toward the south there is q
vacant space which the barOns and the
soldiers are constantly traversing. The
palace itself hath no upper story, bu1
IL all on the ground floor, only the base
ment ID raised some ten palms about thu
surrounding soil. and this elevation Il
retained by wall of marble raised Il
the level OF the pavement, two PAGES II
width, and projecting beyond the bas'
of the palace so as to form a kind o.
terrace walk, by which people can pas
round the building, and which Is eX
posed to view, while on the outer edg,
of the wall there Is very fine pillaret
balustrade; and up to this the people ar
allowed to come. The roof Is very lofty
and the walls of the palace are all GOV
cred with gold and silver. They ar
also adorned with representations o
dragons, sculptured and gilt, beasts an,
birds, knights and idols, and sundr.
other subjects. And on the ceiling, too
you see nothing but gold and silver an,
painting. On each Of the four side
there is a great marble staircase lead
ing to the top of the marble wall, ant
forming the approach to the palace.
The hall of the palace Is so large tina
1t could easily dine 5000 people; and !