218 VOYAGE TO THE 



worthy of notice. In 1454, the Chang-tai-kieou as- 

 cended the throne amidst difficulties and disaffection. 

 His ambitious brother disputed the elevated rank he 

 had obtained, and enlisted in his cause so powerful a 

 body of the islanders, that the king was defeated, his 

 palace burned, and his magazines reduced to ashes. 

 In this state of affairs he solicited the protection of the 

 Emperor of China, who readily assisted him ; and not 

 only restored tranquillity to the island by his interfer- 

 ence, but caused the king to be remunerated for all 

 his losses. 



The commerce of Loo Choo with China afterwards 

 daily increased ; and under the reign of this prince so 

 great a trade was carried on between the two coun- 

 tries, that the provinces of Tche-kiang and Fochien 

 were distressed by the quantity of silver and copper 

 coin that was carried away to Loo Choo. The people 

 even complained to the Emperor of the scarcity, who 

 ordered that in future the trade between these two places 

 should be confined within certain limits. 



After a short reign of seven years, Chang-tai-kieou 

 was succeeded by his son Chang-te, a prince whose 

 name was rendered odious by the acts of cruelty he 

 committed, and who was so much detested, that after 

 his death the people refused to acknowledge as king 

 the person whom he had appointed to succeed him ; 

 and elected in his stead Chan-y-ven, a nobleman of the 

 island of Yo-pi-chan. Though the reign of this prince 

 is distinguished in history only by the regulation of 

 the number of persons who should accompany the 

 ambassadors to Pekin, yet he is said to have been a 

 great prince. His son, Chang-tching, was a minor 

 at the death of his father, and his paternal uncle 

 was chosen to be his protector. In this reign Loo 



