the Yang-tzu when the channel of the river proper begins to expand into an
extensive tidal estuary." (_Treaty Ports of China_, p. 421.) It was
declared open to foreign trade by the Treaty of Tien-Tsin 1858.--H.C.]

_Mar Sarghis_ (or Dominus Sergius) appears to have been a common name
among Armenian and other Oriental Christians. As Pauthier mentions, this
very name is one of the names of Nestorian priests inscribed in Syriac on
the celebrated monument of Si-ngan fu.

[In the description of Chin-kiang quoted by the Archimandrite Palladius
(see vol. i. p. 187, note 3), a Christian monastery or temple is
mentioned: "The temple _Ta-hing-kuo-sze_ stands in Chin-kiang fu, in the
quarter called _Kia-t'ao h'eang_. It was built in the 18th year of
_Chi-yuen_ (A.D. 1281) by the _Sub-darugachi, Sie-li-ki-sze_ (Sergius).
_Liang Siang_, the teacher in the Confucian school, wrote a commemorative
inscription for him." From this document we see that "_Sie-mi-sze-hien_
(Samarcand) is distant from China 100,000 li (probably a mistake for
10,000) to the north-west. It is a country where the religion of the
_Ye-li-k'o-wen_ dominates.... The founder of the religion was called _Ma-rh
Ye-li-ya_. He lived and worked miracles a thousand five hundred years ago.
_Ma Sie-li-ki-sze_ (Mar Sergius) is a follower of him." (_Chinese
Recorder_, VI. p. 108).--H.C.]

From this second mention of _three years_ as a term of government, we may
probably gather that this was the usual period for the tenure of such
office. (_Mid. Kingd._, I. 86; _Cathay_, p. xciii.)

CHAPTER LXXIV.

OF THE CITY OF CHINGINJU AND THE SLAUGHTER OF CERTAIN ALANS THERE.

Leaving the city of Chinghianfu and travelling three days south-east
through a constant succession of busy and thriving towns and villages, you
arrive at the great and noble city of CHINGINJU. The people are Idolaters,
use paper-money, and are subject to the Great Kaan. They live by trade and
handicrafts, and they have plenty of silk. They have also abundance of
game, and of all manner of victuals, for it is a most productive
territory.[NOTE 1]

Now I must tell you of an evil deed that was done, once upon a time, by
the people of this city, and how dearly they paid for it.

You see, at the time of the conquest of the great province of Manzi, when
Bayan was in command, he sent a company of his troops, consisting of a
people called Alans, who are Christians, to take this city.[NOTE 2] They
took it accor