Page:Christianity in China, Tartary, and Thibet Volume I.djvu/351

Rh frightened inhabitants, who saw all their principal edifices falling in ruins, to open their gates to the Tartars.

After remaining seventeen years in China, the Venetians, who had never intended to leave their native country for ever, began to think of undertaking once more the long and perilous journey by which they could alone reach it. The emperor when he heard of this was very much distressed, and neglected no means by which to turn them from their resolution, and induce them to remain permanently with him; but when he found how ardent was their longing to see their native land again, he generously agreed to their departure, and gave such orders as would enable them to travel with honour and convenience. He sent to each of them a golden tablet stamped with the imperial seal, which would ensure them a safe conduct throughout the whole extent of his empire; he invested them with the rank of ambassadors, giving them letters for the Pope, and the kings of France and Spain; and on hearing that they must necessarily cross the China Sea, and the Straits of Sunda, as far as India, he placed fourteen large vessels at their disposal, each having four masts, by means of which they could, weather permitting, spread twelve sails. This journey by sea and land lasted for three years and a half; but finally, after having escaped many dangers, and gone through numerous adventures, they re-appeared in Europe in the year 1295, when the interest of the Western World was for the first time drawn towards those countries