The Chinese emperor, Kang-hy, in 1719, sent a man of great attainments to Loo-Choo. The report of this learned pig-tail, upon what he saw in the country, was translated by Father Gaubil of the French Jesuit mission in China, whose records probably contain more data relative to the ancient history of the East, than is to be found in any other mission. The Chinese histories first make mention of Loo-Choo in the year 605. In that year a party of Chinese visited the islands, and on their return brought with them some of the natives, who were taken to Pekin. Here they were recognised as Loo-Chooans by the Japanese embassador at that court. They are described as being very ignorant and very poor. The emperor Yang-ti, however, sent embassadors and interpreters to claim sovereignty over the islands, but the king of Loo-Choo rejected all proposals of the kind, whereupon the emperor sent ten thousand men from Fokien to invade the islands. They landed on the island of Great Loo-Choo, and were bravely met by the king at the head of his army. A pitched battle was fought, in which the king was slain, when the Chinese triumphed, taking five thousand prisoners, and sacking the cities of Sheudi and Napa. The Chinese chronicle the fact that the Loo-Chooans were so lamentably destitute that they did not even know the use of “chop-sticks!” and also state that they sometimes sacrificed human beings at their religious festival, which barbarous custom was at once abolished. The Chinese emperors of the Ting dynasty, and also those of the succeeding Song dynasty, did not exercise sovereign rights over the islands. A trade had sprung up between the two countries, and all went as well as a junk could sail, until 1291, when the emperor Chit-su, of the Eeven dynasty, resolved upon their conquest. He fitted out and despatched an armed expedition for this purpose, but the Tartars and Chinese, both disgusted and disheartened by the recollection of their terrible failure in a similar attempt on Japan, after a short absence returned to the port of Fokien, not having gone in sight of the islands. The history of the islands speaks of constant civil war, and bloody battles. In 1372 the largest island was divided into three kingdoms. Hong-u, the first of the Ming dynasty, sent an embassador to Loo-Choo, whose diplomacy was such as to induce T’say-too, one of the kings who resided at Sheudi, to declare himself tributary to China. His example was followed by the two other kings, and peace was restored. Thirty-six Chinese families, by order or with the consent of the emperor, emigrated to the island, who received their “quarter sections” from the king, and from that time dates the commencement of civilization and Chinese influence. Young men from Loo-Choo were annually sent to Nanking, to learn the Chinese language at the expense of the emperor; and presents were exchanged by the sovereigns. At the death of T’say-too the emperor sent his son to preside over the realm.