Opening the text

A Book of Discovery: The History of the World's Exploration, From the Earliest Times to the Finding of the South PoleSynge, M. B. (Margaret Bertha)

History

A Book of Discovery: The History of the World's Exploration, From the Earliest Times to the Finding of the South Pole

Name: A Book of Discovery: The History of the World's Exploration, From the Earliest Times to the Finding of the South Pole
Author: Synge, M. B. (Margaret Bertha)

Synge, M. B. (Margaret Bertha)

Discoveries in geography

It was Christmas Eve when they at last reached Bokhara, only to find
that the merchants were so poor that there was no hope of any trade
worth following, though the city was full of caravans from India and
the Far East. And here they heard that the way to Cathay was barred
by reason of grievous wars which were going on. Winter was coming on;
so Jenkinson remained for a couple of months before starting on his
long journey home. With a caravan of six hundred camels he made his
way back to the Caspian, and on 2nd September he had reached Moscow
safely with presents of "a white cow's tail of Cathay and a drum of
Tartary" for the King, which seemed to give that monarch the greatest
pleasure. He evidently stayed for a time in Russia, for it is not till
the year 1560 that we find him writing to the Merchant Adventurers
that "at the next shipping I embark myself for England."

[Illustration: ANTHONY JENKINSON'S MAP OF RUSSIA, MUSCOVY, AND
TARTARY, PUBLISHED IN 1562.]

While Jenkinson was endeavouring to reach the Far East by land, a
Portuguese named Pinto had succeeded in reaching it by sea. The
discovery of Japan is claimed by three people. Antonio de Mota had
been thrown by a storm on to the island of Nison, called by the Chinese
Jepwen--Japan--in the year 1542. Pinto claims to have discovered it
the same year. It seems that the Japanese were expecting the return
of a god, and as the white men hove in sight they exclaimed: "These
are certainly the Chinchi cogies spoken of in our records, who, flying
over the waters, shall come to be lords of the lands where God has
placed the greatest riches of the world. It will be fortunate for us
if they come as friends."

Now men of the time refused to believe in the travels of Mendex Pinto.
"He should be called Mendax Pinto," said one, "whose book is one
continued chain of monstrous fiction which deserves no credit," while
a hundred and fifty years later Congreve wrote--

   "Ferdinando Mendez Pinto was but a type of thee,
    Thou liar of the first magnitude."




CHAPTER XXXIII

MARTIN FROBISHER SEARCHES FOR A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

A Book of Discovery: The History of the World's Exploration, From the Earliest Times to the Finding of the South PoleSynge, M. B. (Margaret Bertha)

History

A Book of Discovery: The History of the World's Exploration, From the Earliest Times to the Finding of the South Pole

Synge, M. B. (Margaret Bertha)

Discoveries in geography

It was Christmas Eve when they at last reached Bokhara, only to find
that the merchants were so poor that there was no hope of any trade
worth following, though the city was full of caravans from India and
the Far East. And here they heard that the way to Cathay was barred
by reason of grievous wars which were going on. Winter was coming on;
so Jenkinson remained for a couple of months before starting on his
long journey home. With a caravan of six hundred camels he made his
way back to the Caspian, and on 2nd September he had reached Moscow
safely with presents of "a white cow's tail of Cathay and a drum of
Tartary" for the King, which seemed to give that monarch the greatest
pleasure. He evidently stayed for a time in Russia, for it is not till
the year 1560 that we find him writing to the Merchant Adventurers
that "at the next shipping I embark myself for England."

[Illustration: ANTHONY JENKINSON'S MAP OF RUSSIA, MUSCOVY, AND
TARTARY, PUBLISHED IN 1562.]

While Jenkinson was endeavouring to reach the Far East by land, a
Portuguese named Pinto had succeeded in reaching it by sea. The
discovery of Japan is claimed by three people. Antonio de Mota had
been thrown by a storm on to the island of Nison, called by the Chinese
Jepwen--Japan--in the year 1542. Pinto claims to have discovered it
the same year. It seems that the Japanese were expecting the return
of a god, and as the white men hove in sight they exclaimed: "These
are certainly the Chinchi cogies spoken of in our records, who, flying
over the waters, shall come to be lords of the lands where God has
placed the greatest riches of the world. It will be fortunate for us
if they come as friends."

Now men of the time refused to believe in the travels of Mendex Pinto.
"He should be called Mendax Pinto," said one, "whose book is one
continued chain of monstrous fiction which deserves no credit," while
a hundred and fifty years later Congreve wrote--

   "Ferdinando Mendez Pinto was but a type of thee,
    Thou liar of the first magnitude."




CHAPTER XXXIII

MARTIN FROBISHER SEARCHES FOR A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

A Book of Discovery: The History of the World's Exploration, From the Earliest Times to the Finding of the South Pole

A Book of Discovery: The History of the World's Exploration, From the Earliest Times to the Finding of the South Pole

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