Thus Cobarruvias explains the
phrase Hombre de dos sillas, "Conviene saber de la gineta y brida, ser
de silla y albarda (pack-saddle), servir de todo," and we find the
converse expression, No ser para silla ni para albarda, good for
nothing.
But for an example of the exact phrase of the French text I am indebted to
P. della Valle. Speaking of the Persian horses, he says: "Few of them are
of any great height, and you seldom see thoroughbreds among them; probably
because here they have no liking for such and don't seek to breed them.
For the most part they are of that very useful style that we call horses
for both saddles (che noi chiamiamo da due selle)" etc. (See
Cobarruvias, under Silla and Brida; Dice. de la Lengua Castellana por
la Real Academia Espanola, under Silla, Gineta, Brida; P. della Valle,
Let. XV. da Sciraz, sec. 3, vol. ii, p. 240.)
NOTE 3. - The supposed confusion between Adel and Aden does not affect this
chapter.
The "Soldan of Aden" was the Sultan of Yemen, whose chief residence was at
Ta'izz, North-East of Mokha. The prince reigning in Polo's day was Malik
Muzaffar Shamsuddin Abul Mahasen Yusuf. His father, Malik Mansur, a
retainer of the Ayubite Dynasty, had been sent by Saladin as Wazir to
Yemen, with his brother Malik Muazzam Turan Shah. After the death of the
latter, and of his successor, the Wazir assumed the government and became
the founder of a dynasty. Aden was the chief port of his dominions. It had
been a seat of direct trade with China in the early centuries of Islam.
Ibn Batuta speaks of it thus correctly: "It is enclosed by mountains, and
you can enter by one side only. It is a large town, but has neither corn
nor trees, nor fresh water, except from reservoirs made to catch the
rain-water; for other drinking water is at a great distance from the town.
The Arabs often prevent the townspeople coming to fetch it until the latter
have come to terms with them, and paid them a bribe in money or cloths. The
heat at Aden is great. It is the port frequented by the people from India,
and great ships come thither from Kunbayat, Tana, Kaulam, Kalikut,
Fandaraina, Shaliat, Manjarur, Fakanur, Hinaur, Sindabur,[1] etc. There are
Indian merchants residing in the city, and Egyptian merchants as well."
[Illustration: Attempted Escalade of ADEN by the Portuguese under
ALBOQUERQUE in 1513 (Reduced Facsimile of a large Contemporary Wood
Engraving in the Map Department of the BRITISH MUSEUM supposed to have
been executed at Antwerp) Size of the Original (in 6 Sheets) 12 Inches by
19-1/2 Inches]
The tanks of which the Moor speaks had been buried by debris; of late
years they have been cleared and repaired.
