APPENDIX.
391
nient, and now clearly perceived what they had at first doubted, that these in very truth were those honored and valiant gentlemen the Polos, and, accordingly, paid them great respect and reverence. T h e account of this curious feast is given by Ramusio, on traditional authority, having heard it many times related by the illustrious Gasparo Malipiero, a very ancient gentleman, and a senator, of unquestionable veracity, who had it from his father, who had it from his grandfather, and so on up to the fountain-head. W h e n the fame of this banquet and of the wealth of the travelers came to be divulged throughout Venice, all the city, noble and simple, crowded to do honor to the extraordinary merit of the Polos.
Maffeo, who
was the eldest, was admitted to the dignity of the magistracy.
The
youth of the city came every day to visit and converse with Marco Polo, who was extremely amiable and communicative.
T h e y were insatiable
in their inquiries about Cathay and the Grand Khan, which he answered with great courtesy, giving details with which they were vastly delighted, and, as he always spoke of the wealth of the Grand Khan in round num足 bers, they gave him the name of Messer Marco Milioni. Some months after their return, Lampa Doria, commander of
the
Genoese navy, appeared in the vicinity of the island of Curzola with seventy galleys. him.
Andrea Dandolo, the Venetian admiral, was sent against
Marco Polo commanded a galley of the
fortune deserted him.
fleet.
His usual good
Advancing the first in the line with his galley, and
not being properly seconded, he was taken prisoner, thrown in irons, and carried to Genoa.
Here he was detained for a long time in prison, and all
offers of ransom rejected.
His imprisonment gave great uneasiness to his
father and uncle, fearing that he might never return.
Seeing themselves
in this unhappy state, with so much treasure and no heirs, they consulted together.
T h e y were both very old men ; but Nicolo, observes Ramusio,
was of a galliard complexion : it was determined he should take a wife.
He
did so ; and, to the wonder of his friends, in four years had three children. In the meanwhile, the fame of Marco Polo's travels had circulated in Genoa.
His prison was daily crowded with nobility, and he was supplied
with every thing that could cheer him in his confinement.
A Genoese
gentleman, who visited him every day, at length prevailed upon him to write an account of what he had seen.
H e had his papers and journals
sent to him from Venice, and with the assistance of his friend, or, as some will have it, his fellow-prisoner, produced the work which afterwards made such noise throughout the world.