INTRODUCTION. 47 



puuislimcnt. If this be so, they had, of course, to buy up the spies of government. The 

 isLinds were of but little value except from ^Msition. It was precisely on account of their position 

 that Russia desired them. On the southern Kuriles, however, their officers landed, and wreaked 

 their vengeance on the unoffending inhabitants, by plundering their villages, killing some of 

 the peoj)le, and carrying off others in their vessels. This was in 1807. 



The news of these events filled the Japanese court with surprise and indignation ; and they 

 sought, through the medium of the Dutch, to find out whether they had been authorized by 

 the Emperor of Russia. Some time after, in May, 1811, Captain Golownin, of the Russian 

 navy, was sent in the sloop-of-war " Diana," ostensibly to make a survey of the Kurile group, 

 though it was suspected (not proved) that he had ulterior objects, and was instructed once more 

 to attempt the establishment of commercial relations. When he came to the island Eeterpoo 

 (which Siebold calls letorop) he landed, supposing he would find Kuriles only ; but he was met 

 by a Japanese officer and soldiers, who asked him if the Russians meant to treat them as Chwostoff 

 and Davidoff had treated another island some few years before? Golownin, on this, thought it 

 best to get away as soon as he could. He then went to an island called Kunaschier, and 

 here the Diana was fired ujjon. Golownin, however, strove to show them that his purposes 

 were friendly, and was finally, by the cunning of the Japanese, tempted to land with only a 

 midshipman, pilot, four Russian seamen, and a Kurile interpreter. All were made prisoners, 

 and passed through various adventures, which Golownin has recorded. They were kept prisoners 

 for a long time, avowedly in retaliation for the injuries that had been committed to gratify the 

 angry feelings of Resanofi'; nor would the Japanese release them until they were satisfied that 

 these injuries had not been ordered by the Russian Emperor. When Golownin left he was 

 furnished with a document warning the Russians no more to attempt the impossibility of 

 establishing trade with Japan. It is but just to the Japanese to add that Golownin, notwith- 

 standing all his sufferings, unavoidable in a state of imprisonment, gives to the people of Japan 

 a high character for generosity and benevolence. 



Thus ended the efforts of Russia, until within a very recent period, of which we shall speak 

 presently. 



THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



The attempts of our own country are all recent, and need not detain us long. In the year 

 1831 a Japanese junk was blown off the coast, and, after drifting about for some time in the 

 Pacific, at length went ashore on the western coast of America, near the mouth of the Columbia 

 river. Kindness was shown to the shipwrecked Japanese, and finally they were carried to 

 Macao, where they received the protection and care of the American and English residents. It 

 was determined, after a time, to return the poor creatures to their home. Either their benevolent 

 friends were ignorant of the Japanese law which prohibited the return of natives to Japan, or, 

 if they knew it, they supposed that, at any rate, those who went to Japan on such an errand of 

 mercy would not be molested for entering one of the hai'bors of the Emj)ire. Accordingly the 

 '' Morrison," an American merchantman, was fitted out by the American house of King for the 

 voyage to Japan ; and the more effectually to manifest her purely pacific purposes, all her guns 

 and armanent were taken out. In 1837 she made the voyage, notes of which have been published 

 by Mr. C. W. King, an American merchant of great respectability, who sailed in the "Morrison." 

 The ship reached the bay of Jeddo, and the Japanese very soon found out that she was entirely 



