Now you must know that from this city of Cambaluc [Mongol capital in China, now Beijing] proceed many roads and highways leading to a variety of provinces...the messengers of the Emperor in travelling from Cambaluc...will, find at every twenty‑five miles of the journey a station which they call Yamb, or, as we should say, the “Horse‑Post‑House.” ….You must know that by the Great Kaan’s orders there has been established between those post houses, at every interval of three miles, a little fort with some forty houses round about it, in which dwell the people who act as the Emperor’s foot‑runners. Everyone of those runners wears a great wide belt, set all over with bells, so that as they run the three miles from post to post their bells are heard jingling a long way off. And thus on reaching the post the runner finds another man similarly equipt, and all ready to take his place, who instantly takes over whatsoever he has in charge...so the new man sets off and runs his three miles. At the next station he finds his relief ready in like manner; and so the post proceeds, with a change at every three miles. And in this way the Emperor...receives despatches with news from places ten days’ journey off in one day and night; or, if need be, news from a hundred days off in ten days and nights; and that is no small matter! Moreover, there are also at those stations other men...who are employed for expresses when there is a call for great haste in sending despatches to any governor of a province...and these men travel a good two hundred or two hundred and fifty miles in the day, and as much in the night..... They take a horse from those at the station which are standing ready saddled, all fresh and in wind, and mount and go at full speed, as hard as they can ride in fact. And when those at the next post hear the bells they get ready another horse and a man equipt in the same way, and he takes over the letter or whatever it be, and is off full‑speed to the third station, where again a fresh horse is found all ready, and so
