First Russian Embassy to Japan, 331 



shoals and two reefs of sunken rocks at the eastern end of 

 the island, they recommended another bay named Nimuro ; 

 which being found convenient, they anchored in it ou the 

 9th, and made the necessary preparations for passing the 

 winter. At this landing-place they found a very neat house 

 belonging to a Japanese custom-house officer, together with 

 a magazine. The Japanese not only offered to build a ha- 

 bitation for the Russians, but promised for their greater se- 

 curity to reside therewith his people during the winter; a 

 circumstance which never before took place, as he was ac- 

 customed to return about that time to Matmai. Matmai, 

 which is the residence of a Japanese governor, is situated, 

 according to the Japanese mode of reckoning, at the di- 

 stance of 300 rih from Nimuro. 



On the 1 2th of October M. Laxman dispatched a letter 

 by a Japanese messenger to the governor of Matmai, to 

 announce his arrival, the object of his voyage, with his in- 

 tention of wintering there ; and to request that he would 

 communicate this information to his government, and ob- 

 tain from it permission for him, in case he should be pre- 

 vented by contrary winds in spring from reaching the prin- 

 cipal landing-place, to touch at any other part of the king r 

 *<Jom, 



On the 13th of December an officer brought to M. Lax- 

 man a note from the governor, in which it was stated, that 

 his letter had been sent to Jedo to be submitted to the de- 

 cision of government. The officer, who was a man of great 

 politeness, requested some of the charts which he saw in 

 the ship, in order that he might copy them, which he did 

 with wonderful precision, by means of transparent paper 

 placed over them. He also showed two charts of Matmai, 

 Jedo, and the island Karop, lying to the north-west, which, 

 were exceedingly well executed. TJi£ island of Karop is 

 subject to the governor of lytatmaL The tribute paid by 

 the inhabitants consists of dried fish, train oil, dried mush- 

 rooms, and a small quantity of fox skins : they trade 

 chiefly with the Coreans, from whom they are separated 

 only by a strait of about fourteen versts in breadth. The, 

 articles they receive from these people are, coral and Chi- 

 nese stuffs of every kind, for which they give in exchange 

 the skins of sables, foxes, and wild goats. 



On the 29th two civil officers arrived from Matmai, in- 

 duced, as they pretended, by mere curiosity; but it was 

 soon discovered that they were spies. The Japanese in ge- 

 neral, and these two in particular, showed a great desire for 

 acquiring knowledge: ihev not onlv took drawings of all 



Zi the; 



