Of the Contrees and Yles, that ben bezonde the Lond of Cathay; and of the
Frutes there; and of 22 Kynges enclosed within the Mountaynes.

[Sidenote: Cap. XXVI.]

Now schalle I seye zou sewyngly of contrees and yles, that ben bezonde the
contrees that I have spoken of. Wherfore I seye zou, in passynge be the
lond of Cathaye, toward the highe Ynde, and toward Bacharye, men passen be
a kyngdom, that men clepen Caldilhe; that is a fulle fair contree. And
there growethe a maner of fruyt, as thoughe it weren gowrdes: and whan thei
ben rype, men kutten hem a to, and men fynden with inne a lytylle best, in
flessche, in bon and blode, as though it were a lytylle lomb, with outen
wolle. And men eten bothe the frut and the best: and that is a gret
marveylle. Of that frute I have eten; alle thoughe it were wondirfulle: but
that I knowe wel, that God is marveyllous in his werkes. And natheles I
told hem, of als gret a marveylle to hem, that is amonges us: and that was
of the Bernakes. For I tolde hem, that in oure contree weren trees, that
beren a fruyt, that becomen briddes fleeynge: and tho that fellen in the
water, lyven; and thei that fallen on the erthe, dyen anon: and thei ben
right gode to mannes mete. And here of had thei als gret marvaylle, that
summe of hem trowed, it were an impossible thing to be. [Footnote: The
Barnacle-bearing trees are said to have grown in Ireland.] In that contree
ben longe apples of gode savour; where of ben mo than 100 in a clustre, and
als manye in another; and thei han gret longe leves and large, of 2 fote
long or more. And in that contree, and in other contrees there abouten,
growen many trees, that beren clowe gylofres and notemuges, and grete notes
of Ynde and of canelle and of many other spices. And there ben vynes, that
beren so grete grapes, that a strong man scholde have y now to done, for to
bere o clustre with alle the grapes. In that same regioun ben the
mountaynes of Caspye, that men clepen Uber in the contree. Betwene the