PACIFIC AND BEERING'S STRAIT. 213 



We are told that five-and-twenty dynasties succes- 

 sively occupied the throne of Loo Choo, from the 

 death of Tien-sun to the reign of Chun-tien ; but 

 nothing further was known of the history of the coun- 

 try until the year A. D. 605, when the Emperor of 

 China, of the dynasty of " Soui," being informed there 

 were some islands to the eastward of his dominions 

 named Loo Choo, became desirous of reconnoitring 

 their situation, and of becoming acquainted with the 

 resources of the islands. He accordingly fitted out 

 an expedition, but it did not effect what the emperor 

 desired. It, however, brought back a few natives ; 

 and an ambassador from Japan happening to be at the 

 court of China at that time, informed the emperor 

 that these people belonged to Loo Choo, and described 

 their island as being poor and miserable, and the in- 

 habitants as barbarians. Being informed that in five 

 days a vessel could go from his dominions to the re- 

 sidence of the king of these islands, the emperor, 

 Yang-tee, sent some learned men with interpreters to 

 Loo Choo to obtain information, and to signify to the 

 king that he must acknowledge the sovereignty of the 

 Emperor of China, and do him homage. This em- 

 bassy succeeded in reaching its destination, but, as 

 might have been expected from the ruler of an inde- 

 pendent people, it was badly received, and was obliged 

 to return with the haughty answer to their sovereign, 

 that the prince of Loo Choo would acknowledge no 

 chief superior to himself. Indignant at being thus 

 treated by a people who had been described as barba- 

 rians, he put ten thousand experienced troops on board 

 his junks, and made a successful descent upon the 

 Great Loo Choo. The king, who appears to have 

 been a man of great courage, placed himself at the 



