Through the midst of the city [Baghdad] flows a very large river, by which travellers may go to the Indian Sea. By this route merchants come and go with their merchandise. You should know that from Baghdad to the sea is a journey of fully eighteen days. Merchants travelling to India follow this river to a city called Kais, where they enter the Indian Sea. On the river between Baghdad and Kais there is a large city named Basra; and in groves all around Basra grow the best dates in the world.

–“The Middle East,"

Marco Polo

What is most likely the author’s purpose for writing this passage?

to record details to create a map of his travels
to entertain readers with a story of traveling to Baghdad
to inform readers by describing the river and cities on the route
to persuade readers to travel to the cities of Basra and Baghdad