The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1 by Marco Polo and da Pisa Rusticiano

sails and oars, _that being the number of oars in each galley_, one man to each oar and three to each bench. Casoni assumes that this vessel must have been much larger than the galleys of the 14th century; but, however that may have been, Sanudo to his galley assigns the larger crew of 250, of whom almost exactly the same proportion (180) were rowers. And in the _galeazza_ described by Pietro Martire the oars were used only as an occasional auxiliary. (See his _Legationis Babylonicæ Libri Tres_, appended to his 3 Decads concerning the New World; _Basil_. 1533, f. 77 _ver._) (3) The galleys of the 18th century, with their great oars 50 feet long pulled by six or seven men each, had 25 benches to the side, and only 4′ 6″ (French) gunnel-space to each oar. (See _Mém. d’un Protest._, p. 434.) I imagine that a smaller space would suffice for the 3 light oars of the mediæval system, so that this need scarcely be a difficulty in the face of the preceding evidence. Note also the _three hundred rowers_ in Joinville’s description quoted at p. _40_. The great galleys of the Malay Sultan of Achin in 1621 had, according to Beaulieu, from 700 to 800 rowers, but I do not know on what system. [13] _Marinus Sanutius_, p. 78. These titles occur also in the _Documenti d’ Amore_ of Fr. Barberino referred to at p. 117 of this volume:— “Convienti qui manieri _Portolatti e prodieri_ E presti galeotti Aver, e forti e dotti.” [14] Spinello’s works, according to Vasari, extended from 1334 till late in the century. A religious picture of his at Siena is assigned to 1385, so the frescoes may probably be of about the same period. Of the battle represented I can find no record. [15] Engraved in Jal, i. 330; with other mediæval illustrations of the same points. [16] To these Casoni adds _Sifoni_ for discharging Greek fire; but this he seems to take from the Greek treatise of the Emperor Leo. Though I have introduced Greek fire in the cut at p. _49_, I doubt if there is evidence of its use by the Italians in the thirteenth century. Joinville describes it like something strange and new. In after days the artillery occupied the same position, at the bow of the galley. Great beams, hung like battering rams, are mentioned by Sanudo, as well as iron crow’s-feet with fire attached, to shoot among the rigging, and jars of quick-lime and soft soap to fling in the eyes of the enemy. The lime is said to have been used by Doria against the Venetians at Curzola (_infra_, p. _48_), and seems to have been a usual provision. Francesco Barberini specifies among the stores for his galley: “_Calcina_, con lancioni, Pece, pietre, e ronconi” (p. 259). And Christine de Pisan, in her _Faiz du Sage Roy Charles_ (V. of France), explains also the use of the soap: “_Item_, on doit avoir pluseurs vaisseaulx legiers à rompre, comme _poz plains de chauls_ ou pouldre, et gecter dedens; et, par ce, seront comme avuglez, au brisier des poz. _Item_, on doit avoir autres _poz de mol savon_ et gecter es nefzs des adversaires, et quant les vaisseaulx brisent, le savon est glissant, si ne se peuent en piez soustenir et chiéent en l’eaue” (pt. ii. ch. 38). [17] _Balistariæ_, whence no doubt _Balistrada_ and our _Balustrade_. Wedgwood’s etymology is far-fetched. And in his new edition (1872), though he has shifted his ground, he has not got nearer the truth. [18] _Sanutius_, p. 53; _Joinville_, p. 40; _Muntaner_, 316, 403. [19] See pp. 270, 288, 324, and especially 346. [20] See the _Protestant_, cited above, p. 441, _et seqq._ [21] _Venezia e le sue Lagune_, ii. 52. [22] _Mar. Sanut._ p. 75. [23] _Mar. Sanut._, p. 30. [24] The Catalan Admiral Roger de Loria, advancing at daybreak to attack the Provençal Fleet of Charles of Naples (1283) in the harbour of Malta, “did a thing which should be reckoned to him rather as an act of madness,” says Muntaner, “than of reason. He said, ‘God forbid that I should attack them, all asleep as they are! Let the trumpets and nacaires sound to awaken them, and I will tarry till they be ready for action. No man shall have it to say, if I beat them, that it was by catching them asleep.’” (_Munt._ p. 287.) It is what Nelson might have done! The Turkish admiral Sidi ’Ali, about to engage a Portuguese squadron in the Straits of Hormuz, in 1553, describes the Franks as “dressing their vessels with flags and coming on.” (_J. As._ ix. 70.) [25] A cross _patée_, is one with the extremities broadened out into _feet_ as it were. [26] Page 50. [27] The galley at p. _49_ is somewhat too high; and I believe it should have had no _shrouds_. [28] See _Muntaner_, passim, _e.g._ 271, 286, 315, 349. [29] _Ibid._ 346. VI. THE JEALOUSIES AND NAVAL WARS OF VENICE AND GENOA. LAMBA DORIA’S EXPEDITION TO THE ADRIATIC; BATTLE OF CURZOLA; AND IMPRISONMENT OF MARCO POLO BY THE GENOESE. [Sidenote: Growing jealousies and outbreaks between the Republics.]