From The Travels of Marco Polo (circa 1300), 1852 translation by Hugh Murray
Illustration by Eli Harris
I now wish to tell you of a country lying to the north. When a man has left Creman he travels seven days in that direction through a very dreary region. During three days he finds no river, and the little water met with is salt, green like grass, and so bitter that it is impossible to drink it, and if a man tastes even a drop, it produces violent purging. Travellers therefore carry water with them; but the beasts being obliged to drink such as they find, suffer severely. The whole tract is an arid desert, destitute of animals, which could not find food. On the fourth day, you reach a river of fresh water, but with its channel mostly under ground. In some spots, however, the force of the current makes abrupt openings, when the stream appears for a short space and drink is abundantly supplied. Then follows another tract that lasts four days, and is also a dry desert with bitter water, and no animals except wild asses. At the end of the four days, we leave Creman and proceed toward Cobinam. (199)
XXXIV Of the City and Desert of Lop
Lop is a large city at the entrance of the great desert bearing its name, and lying between the east and northeast. It belongs to the khan, and the people adore Mohammed. You must know that those persons who wish to pass this tract rest in the city a week to refresh themselves and their cattle; then having taken a month’s provisions and provende, they enter upon the desert, which I assure you is so extensive that if a man were to travel through its whole length, it would employ a year; and even at its smallest breadth a month is requisite. It consists altogether of mountains and valleys of sand, and nothing is got to eat, but after travelling a day and night, you find sweet water sufficient for from fifty to a hundred men, with their animals. A larger body could not be supplied. Thus, water is seen daily, or altogether in about twenty-eight places, and except in three or four it is good. Beasts or birds there are none, because they could not find food; but there is a great wonder which I must now tell you. When a party rides by night through this desert, and any one lags behind, or straggles from his companions through sleep or any other cause, when he seeks to return to them, he hears spirits speak to him in such a manner that they seem to be his comrades, and they frequently call him by name, and thus lead him out of his way so that he never regains it and many persons are thus lost and perish I must tell you too that even hear these voices of spirits and even tambours and many other instruments sounding. They find it necessary, also, before going to rest at night, to fix an advanced signal, pointing out the course to be afterwards held; likewise to attach a bell to each of the animals, that they may be more easily kept from straggling. In this manner, amid much danger and fear, this desert is passed. Now we must tell you of the countries that lie on the other side.
