Obituary. 749 



by the advice of some of the best scieutific men of the 

 time. 



A trip to South Mongolia and the great mountain chain 

 of Si-chan having afforded a measure of preliminary training, 

 Pere David undertook in 1864 an important expedition to 

 Johol, north of Pekin, near the remains of the great Mon- 

 golian forest, under the guidance of a Christianized Lama 

 named Sambdatchiemba, who had thirty years previously 

 guided MM. Hue and Gabet to Lhassa. In ten months so 

 many treasures were secured and forwarded to Paris, that the 

 authorities there determined to commission the missionary 

 officially, and subsidised him to explore the less-known 

 portions of the Celestial Empire. As a consequence, he 

 undertook a second great expedition in 1866, to the districts 

 lying within twenty days^ journey westward from Pekin, 

 and subsequently a third in 1868-70 from Shanghai by the 

 Blue River to Kiang-si, Se-chuan^ and Moupin in the 

 direction of Koko-Nor. 



During these years the health of the fearless explorer had 

 suffered so severely that he was recalled to France, where in 

 1871 his collections were publicly exhibited. On his return 

 to China in 1872, Pere David carried out a fourth expedition 

 to Chensi and the yellow -earth region of the Hoang-ho basin, 

 though obliged to abandon his projected visit to the great 

 mountains of Tsing-Ling by a Mahomedan rebellion, and 

 another to Fokien by his failing health. 



Prostrated by fever, the Abbe was obliged in ] 874 to return 

 once more to France, where fortunately his health was partially 

 restored, and he lived for twenty-five years in the house of 

 St. Vincent de Paul, busied with his collections. He died 

 on November 10th, 1900. 



Never more happy than when assisting or working for 

 the good of others, Pere David was as modest and un- 

 assuming as he was enthusiastic and indomitable ; while the 

 rules of his order doubtless precluded him to some extent 

 from accepting the full honours due to his scientific attain- 

 ments. He was, however, a Laureate of the Society of 



SER. VIII. — VOL. I. 3d 



