Souvmuns oF "A Jouuney Tunovon TAKTanY, Tuer AND CHINA Daring the Yeats 1844, 1945 and 1440—By ENWuc, Lazarist Frveat, and Mission ity. Apostoti Two Volumes New bation. Annotated and liluse ted 1 Coe lat. ress, Pei American Pabishing cos Saanghat Prenen Hook Store, Peking) 92
Although it carries the date 1981, this new edition of a classic travel story has apparently only just been issued from. the Lazarist Press, which is. to be congratulated on a thoroughly good piece of work. 'The Editor' contributes a thoughtful preface dealing with the controversy Which originally arose regarding Father Hue's narrative. As overy-Jone knows, this famous French iesionary traveller, at eamre out to China in 1833, Jaffer studying the Chinese language at Slacao, superintending the Unris-{ian fission in Canton, and reaching Peting, he eventually seitied five borders of Mongolia. Devoting vel to the study of the language customs of the Tartars, Father Hue, in JEU, undertook his famous expedition from Dolonot. Accom-Dunied. by Joseph Gabet, who even-Dial ended his career as a Laaarist tuissionary in South America, Father and a Tibetan priest, converted fo" Christianity, " entered Kansu, me Ordos Desert, frangklul, on the ipetan border, ins January, 1849 They stayed in the famous Kunbu Tamaccry,, for, in. order to accom Factoid they, assumed the dress of with cir Journey mote, satis-
lamas. in September, 1845," 8 Tibetan enbasey, which had bee visiting. Peking.' reached Tangitul on its way back to Lhas This embassy, comprising 2,000 men and S700 acimalsy was joined by the Yathers, "They creased the desert of Kokonor, the. lak of the. same nant, and a winding track across the show covered. mountains until they reached bassa in January, 1816, "There they opened a litle chapel and. were starting a mission frien the Chinese ambassador"inter-Vened ang. they sere deported Gantons Father Hee, whose. health fad suffered greatly " during his arduous journeys, returned Europe in 832 by way of Indi Egypt and Palestine. He died. in Paris in March, 1860.
"The narrative is s0 graphic in its desorption and. it. revealed the leustoms and topography of a part fof the world so little known that the fouther was believed by some to have been guilty of writing purely on the Basis of imagination. In the course Jof time, however, it was vindicated by the travels of' English and other European explorers, particularly Dr. Sven Hedin. The pres print is produced because, although the. book has been published in languages, it is Tt is peculi priate that the successors of Father Hue in the French Mission at Peking should have undertaken this work, and the Editor in his preface quotes the opinion of Dr.. Rockhill as justification for placing this book in high esteem in the bibliography of is_notes on the people. their ners and customs, are invaluable, idy_while many of his explanation of terms and habits are not exact, Tare the very. ones generally received by the people of the country which they relate." Altogether his Work cannot) be too highly praised, trid if it had been properly" edit linetes, accusations. such "as Colonel ory Prjevalsky has made against could never have found acceptance with the public.
There is such wealth of information in this classic work that it cam hardly be ignored by anyone who takes the slightest interest in part Jof the world which has a great past behind it, but, in view of developments of communications fand the general trend of world polities, may well have a great future before it—EK.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.