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Hello and welcome to the history of China.

Episode 192, Longle 14.1, there and back again.

There is towards the east, a land which is called Mongol or Tartaria, lying in that part of the world which is thought to be most northeasterly.

On the east part, it hath the country of Cathay, and of the people called Solangi. On the south part, the country of the Saracens.

On the southeast, the lands of the Huini, and on the west the province of Naimani.

But on the north side, it is environed with the ocean sea. In some parts

thereof it is full of mountains and in other places plain and smooth ground, but everywhere

sandy and barren. Neither is the hundredth part thereof fruitful, for it cannot bear fruit unless it be moistened with river waters, which be very rare in that country.

Whereupon they have neither villages nor cities amongst them, except one, which is called

Karakoram, and is said to be a proper town. We ourselves saw not this town, but

we're almost within half a day's journey thereof, when we remained at Sira Orda, which is the great court of their emperor.

And albeit the forested land is otherwise unfruitful, yet it is very commodious for the bringing

up of cattle.

In certain places thereof are some small store of trees growing, but otherwise it is altogether

destitute of woods. Therefore the Emperor and his noble men and all others warned themselves

and dressed their meat with fires made of the dung of oxen and horses.

From the history of the Mongols, whom we call the Tartars, by Friar Giovanni d'Pian d'Piena, 1245.

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