Csoma’s first plan was to travel viâ Odessa, and thence through Moscow, where he might find a favourable opportunity to join a caravan for Irkutsk, and from that place endeavour to reach the northern border of China. With this view, therefore, he undertook, during the early spring of 1819, a journey on foot to Agram, in Croatia, to study the Slavonic language, and he remained several months there. For this Croatian journey, Councillor Michael de Kenderessy gave Csoma one hundred florins, and, as was mentioned already, promised the traveller a similar sum every year, till he should return from Asia. Csoma’s grateful heart never forgot this unsolicited help. Money was subsequently raised for him by public subscription in Transylvania in 1836, but this he returned to found at Nagy Enyed a scholarship, which to this day goes by the name of Kenderessy-Csoma Scholarship.
The circumstances of the farewell, Professor Hegedüs has minutely recorded as follows:—“It was Sunday afternoon, that Csoma came to see me saying, ‘Well, with God’s help, I am leaving to-morrow.’ The distant time has not effaced from my memory that expression of joyful serenity which shone from his eyes; it seemed like a beam of delight, which pervaded his soul, seeing [[14]]he was wending his steps towards a long-desired goal. We spent some time in friendly conversation, and drank our parting glass in some old tokaji. Next day, that is Monday, he again stepped into my room, lightly clad, as if he intended merely taking a walk. He did not even sit down, but said, ‘I merely wished to see you once more.’ We then started along the Szentkirályi road, which leads towards Nagy Szeben. Here, in the country—among the fields—we parted for ever. I looked a long time after him, as he was approaching the banks of the Maros, and feelings roused by the words, ‘Mentem mortalia tangunt,’ filled my anxious heart.”
In the thirty-sixth year of his age, not in a fit of excitement, but armed with the result of special scientific preparatory studies, pursued over a period of ten years, Csoma entered on the memorable journey of his life. He saw clearly his object, and knew what he meant to attain. We may well say that Csoma belongs to the rank of those noble minds who devote their lives unselfishly to a worthy, though apparently thankless object, yet in the pursuit of which nothing but death will stop their efforts. And if a pioneer on the unbeaten track meets his fate, as Csoma did, before reaching the end of his arduous path, what is due to him from posterity is the laurel wreath, and not commiseration, for which a man of his stamp always entertains a noble disdain. [[15]]
[1] The bulk of the people on that frontier are Wallachians. [↑]
[2] See Orbán Balázs: Székelyföld leírása. [↑]
[3] Hermanstadt, in German. [↑]
[4] Nemzet, 17th April 1884. [↑]
[5] Pupil-servants occupy a position similar to that of sizars at the English colleges in past times. [↑]