Of the Kingdom of Campe (Champa, Central Vietnam)
Near the island of 'Natem' lies a kingdom called 'Campe' (Champa, Central Vietnam), and it is a most beautiful country, for all manner of food is found there in great abundance. The king who reigned in this country when I was there had fully two hundred children, both sons and daughters, for he had several lawful wives and a great number of concubines. This king has fourteen thousand tame elephants, which are guarded and fed by the people of these towns on his orders.
In this country one finds great marvels, for every kind of fish found in the sea swarms to this land in such dense shoals that they completely obscure the water, leaving nothing visible in the sea save fish. Each species of fish arrives on its own and stays three days upon the shore; then another type follows suit, species after species, until every one has taken its turn. This happens but once a year. When the locals are asked where this comes from and what it signifies, they say that these fish come to pay homage to the king of this country (Chê' A Nan, 1318-42).
In this region I saw a snail so large that it was a marvel: it was larger than the bell tower of Saint Martin of Padua if it were thus transformed into a snail's shell. When a man dies in this country, his wife is buried with him, for they say it is right that she remain with him in the other world.
