A VISIT TO PEKIN. 577

heard the like of. I shall therefore say very little of all the
mighty places, desert countries, and numerous people I have yet
to pass through more than relates to my own story, and which my
concern among them will make necessary. I was now, as near as
I can compute, in the heart of China, about the latitude of 30
degrees north of the line, for we were returned from Nankin. I
had indeed a mind to see the city of Pekin, which I had heard so
much of, and Father Simon importuned me daily to do it. At
length his time of going away being set, and the other missionary
who was to go with him being arrived from Macao, it was neces-
sary that we should resolve either to go or not to go; so I referred
him to my partner, and left it wholly to his choice, who at length
resolved it in the affirmative, and we prepared for our journey.
We set out with very good advantage as to finding the way; for
we got leave to travel in the retinue of one of their mandarins—
a kind of viceroy, or principal magistrate in the province where
they reside, and who take great state upon them, travelling with
great attendance, and with great homage from the people, who are
sometimes greatly impoverished by them, because all the countries
they pass through are obliged to furnish provisions for them and
all their attendance. That which I particularly observed, as to
our travelling with his baggage, was this, that though we received
sufficient provisions, both for ourselves and our horses, from the
country, as belonging to the mandarin, yet we were obliged to pay
for everything we had after the market price of the country, and
the mandarin’s steward, or commissary of the provisions, collected
it duly from us; so that our travelling in the retinue of the man-
darin, though it was a very great kindness to us, was not such a
mighty favour in him, but was indeed a great advantage to him,
considering there were above thirty other people travelled in the
same manner besides us, under the protection of his retinue, or, as
we may call it, under his convoy. This, I say, was a great advantage
to him, for the country furnished all the provisions for nothing,
and he took all our money for them.

We were five and twenty days travelling to Pekin, through a
country infinitely populous, but miserably cultivated; the hur-
bandry, the economy, and the way of living miserable, though they