[1] Forster conjectures that the original words of Rubruquis are here
    corrupted, and that this passage ought to have been “beyond Tangut,”
    instead of beyond Tebet or Thibet; in which case, the countries of
    Langa and Solanga, may refer to that of the Lamuts and Solonians, the
    ancestors of the Mantschus or Mundschurians.—­Voy. and Disc. 108.

[2] In this supposition Rubruquis was certainly mistaken, as the Seres of
    the ancients appear to have lived in Turkestan, Gete, and Uigur, and
    to have then ruled over a great track of eastern central Asia, and may
    have extended their commerce to northern China.  Hence the original
    name of silk was certainly either adopted from or applied to the
    intermediate nation, through whom that precious commodity was
    transmitted to the western nations.—­Forst.

[3] A jascot is described as a piece of silver weighing ten marks, so that
    the tribute is 15,000 marks daily, or about 5 1/2 millions of marks
    yearly, and is equal in weight of silver, to L. 8,650,000 Sterling;
    perhaps equal, in real efficacious value, to ten times that sum, and
    probably superior to the yearly revenue of all the sovereigns then in
    Europe.—­E

[4] Singan, or Singan-fu in the province of Shensee.  In the year 1625, a
    stone was found here, inscribed with Chinese characters and a Syrian
    inscription round the borders, implying, that in the year 636, the
    Nestorians had sent Olopuen into China to propagate the gospel; and
    that the emperor Tai-sum-ven had approved this step, and allowed the
    Christian religion to be propagated through all China, with many other
    particulars relative to the history of Christianity in China.  This
    stone bore to have been erected in 782 by Mar Isdabuzzid, priest, and
    Chorepiscopus of Cumdan, the royal city of the east, now Nankin.  See a
    dissertation on this monument, following Renaudet’s translation of the
    two Mahometan travellers, London, 1788, p. 76.—­E.

[5] Mani or Manes is named Thenaoui by the oriental Christians, and the
    sect of Manicheans they call Al-Thenaouib, or those who hold the
    doctrines of the two principles.  These Tuinians, therefore, of
    Rubruquis, are probably the Manicheans.—­Forst.

SECTION XXIX.

Of Cailac, and the Country of the Naymans.

We departed from the city of Cailac on St Andrew’s day, 30th of November, and in three leagues we found a village of Nestorians, where we went into their church, and sang salve regina, and other hymns, with great joy.  In three days after we came to the entrance of that province, not far from the before mentioned sea, which seemed as tempestuous as the ocean, and in which we saw a large island.  The water was slightly salt, yet might be drank.  Opposite