told such wonders ; but this conviction had not spread to their brethren in India, and when the leaders of the Mission at the Court of Akbar heard from Musulman travellers of a great and rich empire called KHITAI, to be reached by a long and devious course through the heart of Inner Asia, the idea seized their imaginations that here was an ample and yet untouched field awaiting the labours of the Society, if the way could but be found open ; and this way they determined to explore.
The person selected for this venturesome exploration was BENEDICT GOES.1 Before he started on his journey doubts had been suggested whether this Cathay were not indeed the very China in which Ricci and his companions were already labouring with some promise of success ; but these doubts were overruled, or at least the leader of the Agra Mission was not convinced by them, and he prevailed on his superiors still to sanction the exploration that bad been proposed.
The gallant soldier of the Society, one not unworthy to bear the Name on which others of that Company's deeds and modes of
action have brought such obloquy, carried through his arduous task ; ascertained that the mysterious empire he had sought through rare hardships and perils was China indeed ; and died just within its borders. " Seeking Cathay he found heaven," as one of his brethren has pronounced his epitaph. And thus it is that we have thought his journey a fitting close to this collection ; for with its termination CATHAY may be considered finally to disappear from view, leaving CHINA only in the mouths and minds of men. Not but that Cathay will be found for some time longer to retain its place as a distinct region in some maps
1 The information regarding Goes, in addition to what is gathered from the narrative of his journey, is furnished by Jarric, whose work I have seen only in the Latin translation entitled "R. P. Iarrici Tholosani, Societat. Jesu, Thesaurus Rerun Indicarum, etc., a Matthia Martinez a Gallic() in Latinum sermonem translatum ; Coloniœ Agrippinæ, 1615." In the two copies that I have seen of this book (possibly therefore in all copies) there has been strange confusion made in binding the sheets. It consists of four volumes, numbered i, ii, iii, pt. 1; iii, pt. 2 ; and in each of three volumes out of these four are introduced numerous sheets belonging to the other two. The information regarding Goes is in vol. ii, pp. 530 segq. ; and in vol. iii. pt. 1, pp. 201 segq.
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