eculations.

Looking to the many common features of the two accounts--the origin as a
half-breed between Mahomedans of Western extraction and Northern Chinese,
the position in the vicinity of the Great Wall, the superior physique,
intelligence, and special capacity for trade, it seems highly probable
that the Tungani of our day are the descendants of Marco's Argons.
Otherwise we may at least point to these analogies as a notable instance
of like results produced by like circumstances on the same scene; in fact,
of history repeating itself. (See _The Dungens_, by _Mr. H. K. Heins_, in
the _Russian Military Journal_ for August, 1866, and _Western China_, in
the _Ed. Review_ for April, 1868;[6] Cathay, p. 261.)

[Palladius (pp. 23-24) says that "it is impossible to admit that Polo had
meant to designate by this name the Christians, who were called by the
Mongols _Erkeun_ [_Ye li ke un_]. He was well acquainted with the
Christians in China, and of course could not ignore the name under which
they were generally known to such a degree as to see in it a designation
of a cross-race of Mahommetans and heathens." From the _Yuen ch'ao pi shi_
and the _Yuen shi_, Palladius gives some examples which refer to
Mahommedans.

Professor Deveria (_Notes d'Epig._ 49) says that the word [Greek: Archon]
was used by the Mongol Government as a designation for the members of the
Christian clergy at large; the word is used between 1252 and 1315 to speak
of _Christian_ priests by the historians of the Yuen Dynasty; it is not
used before nor is it to be found in the Si-ngan-fu inscription (l.c. 82).
Mr. E. H. Parker (_China Review_, xxiv. p. 157) supplies a few omissions
in Deveria's paper; we note among others: "Ninth moon of 1329. Buddhist
services ordered to be held by the Uighur priests, and by the Christians
[_Ye li ke un_]."

Captain Wellby writes (_Unknown Tibet_, p. 32): "We impressed into our
service six other muleteers, four of them being Argoons, who are really
half-castes, arising from the merchants of Turkestan making short
marriages with the Ladakhi women."--H. C.]

Our author gives the odd word _Guasmul_ as the French equivalent of Argon.
M. Pauthier has first, of Polo's editors, given the true explanation from
Ducange. The word appears to have been in use in the Levant among the
Franks as a name for the half-breeds sprung from their own unions with
Greek women. It occurs three times in the history of George Pachymeres.
Thus h