46 INTRODUCTION. 



■was perfectly useless to retain them, as he had given up all the ammunition to the Japanese. 

 He then very foolishly contrived to convince the inmates of the Dutch factory at Dezima, to whom 

 he hrought letters, that he suspected them of secretly intriguing to defeat his pirrposes with the 

 Japanese ; while, in point of fact, the sagacious Dutchman, Doeff, who had charge of Dezima, 

 was exercising all his ingenuity to pursue such a nicely balanced system of non-committal, that, 

 let the mission terminate as it would, he might he ahle to exclaim, "thou canst not say, /did 

 it," and to turn events to the advantage of himself and his countrymen. But, at last, the 

 ship was broTight into safe anchorage, within the harbor ; and after a great deal of negotiation 

 and delay, consent was given that the Eussian ambassador might live on land until an answer 

 to his message was received from the Emperor at Jeddo. An old fish warehouse was cleaned 

 out and prepared for his reception, and surrounded with a high fence of bamboos. At last, 

 when he was summoned to go to Nagasaki to hear the Emperor's answer to his application, 

 curtains were hung before the houses on each side of the street through which he passed, and 

 the inhabitants were all ordered to keep out of sight, so that he saw nothing of the place. 

 Indeed, as we read the account of Eesanoff's mission, it is liard to resist the belief, that the 

 Japanese took pleasure in mortifying the ambassador, and in overwhelming him, at the 

 same time, with an "affectation of great personal politeness. They kept him waiting, too, 

 until 1805 for his answer ; when it came, it was peremptory enough. " Order from the Emperor 

 of Japan to the Eussian ambassador." "Formerly, our Empire had communication with 

 several nations ; but experience caused us to adopt, as safe, the opposite principle. It is not 

 permitted to the Japanese to trade abroad ; nor to foreigners to enter our country." * * * 

 "As to Eussia, we have never had any relations with her. Ten years ago, you sent certain 

 shipwrecked Japanese to Matsmai, and you then made us propositions of alliance and commerce. 

 At this time you have come back to Nagasaki, to renew these propositions. This proves that 

 Eussia has a strong inclination for Japan. It is long since we discontinued all relations with 

 foreigners generally. Although we desire to live in peace with all neighboring States, the 

 difference between them and us, in manners and character, forbids entirely treaties of alliance. 

 Yourvoyagesandyourlaborsare, therefore, useless." * * * " All commimications 

 between you and us are impossible, and it is my imperial pleasure that, henceforth, you no more 

 bring your ships into our waters." 



Eesanofi" departed, the Japanese paying all the expenses of the embassy while it was in Japan. 

 It is easy to understand how the indignant Eussian envoy immediately resolved to be revenged 

 for the treatment he had received. He gave 'way to his angry feelings, and proceeding to 

 Kamtschatka, directed two Eussian naval officers, Chwostoff and Davidoff, who happened to be 

 there in the temporary command of two armed merchantmen that traded between Asia and the 

 northwest coast of America, to make a hostile landing upon the most northern Japanese islands, 

 or their dependencies. He, himself, started for St. Petersburg, and died on the way. 



The Eussian officers did make a descent upon one of the southern Kurile islands that belonged 

 to Japan. That Empire had once owned the whole Kurile archipelago ; but Eussia had contrived, 

 by some means, to possess herself of the northern islands ; and it was doubtful to the Dutch 

 whether this appropriation of territory was even known at Jeddo. It is said not to he unlikely 

 that the prince of these islands, (thus taken by Eussia,) and his spy secretaries, deemed it 

 expedient to conceal from the Emperor this loss of a territory, of but little value, rather than 

 make known an event which would be deemed disgraceful to Japan, and subject them to 



