29 AUGUST 1891, Page 18

MENDEZ PINTO.

(To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR.1

SIR, In a review of a new edition of Mendez Pinto's travels, in the Spectator of August 22nd, you accept Professor Yam- lAry's testimony in favour of the Portuguese traveller's general truthfulness ; but you omit to notice that the Pro- fessor himself makes a curious blunder.

According to Professor Vamb4ry, the Tartar King whom Pinto visited was Nurhachu, the Manchu, the ancestor of the present Emperor of China. Pinto, however, returned to Lisbon in 1558, and Nurhachu was only born in 1559. Pinto's Tartar King was Altan Khan, chief of the Tamed Mongols, whose exploits are related in the first volume of the " History