gion. The contrast of their respective adventures is striking. The
celebrated Marco Polo, who was one of a company of enterprising Venetian
merchants, lived many years in Tartary in honour, and returned laden
with riches; the poor friars met with hardships in plenty, and nothing
besides. Not that the Poli were not good Catholics, not that they went
out without a blessing from the Pope, or without friars of the order of
St. Dominic of his selection; but so it was, that the Tartars understood
the merchant well enough, but could not comprehend, could not set a
value on the friar.

When the Pope's missionaries came in sight of the Tartar encampment on
the northern frontier of Persia, they at once announced their mission
and its object. It was from the Vicar of Christ upon earth, and the
spiritual head of Christendom; and it was a simple exhortation addressed
to the fierce conquerors before whom they stood, to repent and believe.
The answer of the Tartars was equally prompt and equally intelligible.
When they had fully mastered the business of their visitors, they
sentenced them to immediate execution; and did but hesitate about the
mode. They were to be flayed alive, their skins filled with hay, and so
sent back to the Pope; or they were to be put in the first rank in the
next battle with the Franks, and to die by the weapons of their own
countrymen. Eventually one of the Khan's wives begged them off. They
were kept in a sort of captivity for three years, and at length thought
themselves happy to be sent away with their lives. So much for the
friars; how different was the lot of the merchants may be understood by
the scene which took place on their return to Venice, It is said that,
on their arrival at their own city, after the absence of a quarter of a
century, their change of appearance and poorness of apparel were such
that even their nearest friends did not know them. Having with
difficulty effected an entrance into their own house, they set about
giving a splendid entertainment to the principal persons of the city.
The banquet over, following the Oriental custom, they successively put
on and then put off again, and distributed to their attendants, a series
of magnificent dresses; and at length they entered the room in the same
weather-stained and shabby dresses, in which, as travellers, they had
made their first appearance at Venice. The assembled company eyed them
with wonder; which you may be sure was not diminished,