Japan and the Japanese

MARCO POLO'S ACCOUNT OF IT. 15
attribute the extraordinary richness of the sovereign's palace, accord-
ing to what we are told by those who have access to the place.
The entire roof is covered with a plating of gold, in the same
manner as we cover houses, or, more properly, churches, with lead.
The ceilings of the halls are of the same precious metal ; many of
the apartments have small tables of pure gold, considerably thick ;
and the windows, also, have golden ornaments. So vast, indeed,
are the riches of the palace, that it is impossible to convey an idea
of them. In this island there are pearls, also, in
large quantities,
of a pink color, round in shape, and of great size, equal in value
to white pearls, or even exceeding them. It is customary with one
part of the inhabitants to bury their dead, and with another part
to burn them. The former have a practice of putting one of these
pearls into the mouth of the corpse. There are also found there a
number of precious stones.
" Of so great celebrity was the wealth of this island, that a desire
was excited in the breast of the grand Khan Kublai, now reigning,
to make the conquest of it, and to annex it to his dominions. In
order to effect this, he fitted out a numerous fleet, and embarked a
large body of troops under the command of two of his principal
officers, one of whom was named Abbacatan, and the other Yonsan-
ciu. The expedition sailed from the ports of Zaitun and Kinsai,*
and crossing the intermediate sea, reached the island in safety ; but,
in consequence of a jealousy that arose between the two command-
ers, one of whom treated the plans of the other with contempt, and
resisted the execution of his orders, they were unable to gain pos-
session of any city or fortified place, with the exception of one only,
which was carried by assault, the garrison having refused to sur-
render. .
Directions were given for
putting the whole to the sword,
and, in obedience thereto, the heads of all were cut off except of
eight persons, who, by the efficacy of a diabolical charm, consisting
* Marsden, the English translator and annotator of Marco Polo, supposes
that Zuitun was the modern Jlmoy, nnd Kinsai either J\"iy-po or C/ntsan.
The Chinese annalists, on the other hand, seem to make the expedition start
from Covea, which is much more probable, as that province is separated from
Japan by a strait of only about a hundred miles in breadth. It was by this
Corean strait, that, three hundred years later, the Japanese retorted thii
invasion.