Sumatra and Java, whence he appears to have reached some of the islands of Japan, which he calls Zapan. He next entered the empire of China, and there he remained several years. He travelled through various of the vast provinces of China, and then turned West, and after long and dangerous wayfaring, he entered the country of Thibet. In company with three other friars, he was one day resting with them under a tree, when the Khan passed by. Then one of the friars, who was a bishop, put on his pontifical vestments, and took his pastoral cross, and all four advanced to meet the Khan chanting the _Veni Creator_. Then the Khan stopped his car, and asked who these were, and when told that they were four Frank missionaries, he called them to him, and kissed the cross of the bishop. Then, because it is the custom of the country not to approach the king empty-handed, the friars offered him a plate with some apples on it. The Khan took two, ate one, and drove away tossing the other about in his hands. From his kissing the cross the friars were satisfied that he knew something of the Catholic faith. The account left of these travels breaks off abruptly in Thibet, leaving us entirely in the dark as to the route and the manner by which the friar reached Europe. It is known, however, from a postscript to his book, that he returned in 1330, when he was forty-four years old. His health appears to have been much broken by the fatigues and privations he had undergone during his peregrinations; and he died within a few months after his return to his native country.[51] [Illustration: Hermit Saints. S. Anthony.] FOOTNOTES: [50] The narrative of S. Nilus is necessarily much condensed. I regret having to do this, as it is most touching in its entirety. [51] A much fuller account of the travels of B. Ordorico than I am able to give here may be read in MacFarlane's "Romance of Travel," II. c. 1. The most correct version of these travels is that given by Bollandus, Jan. T. 1, pp. 920-986, which MacFarlane does not seem to have seen. January 15. S. EPHYSIUS, _M., at Cagliari_. S. PAUL, _the First Hermit in Egypt_, A.D. 341. S. MACARIUS OF EGYPT, _P. and Ab., in Scété_, A.D. 391. S. ISIDORE, _P. and Monk, at Alexandria_, A.D. 404. S. ALEXANDER ACOEMETUS, _at Constantinople, circ._ A.D. 430. S. JOHN THE CALYBITE, _5th cent_. S. MAURUS, _Ab. of Glanfeuil, in France_, A.D. 584. S. YTHA, _V., in Ireland, 6th cent._ S. BONITUS, OR BON, _B. of Claremont, beginning of 8th cent._ S. EMBERT, _B. of Cambrai, beginning of 8th cent._ S. CEOLWULF, _K. and Monk, in England, 8th cent._ S. PAUL, THE FIRST HERMIT IN EGYPT. (A.D. 341.)