504 Ax\NUAL REGISTER, 1818. 



also carefully examined the pre- 

 sents I had brought for the Go- 

 vernor, among which were maps 

 of the globe, ivory-handled knives, 

 burning-f^lasses and piastres, with 

 which I intended to pay the Ja- 

 panese for a supply of provisions, 

 as soon as I could ascertain the 

 number they required. 



While the conference was going 

 on, Mr. ^loor observed, that 

 naked sabres had been distributed 

 among the soldiers who were 

 sitting in the open space. He 

 immediately mentioned thh to me, 

 but I supposed that a sabre or 

 two might have been accidentally 

 out of their sheaths ; and I asked 

 him with a smile whether he had 

 not made a mistake, as the 

 Japanese always carry swords, 

 and could at present have no 

 reason for drawing them. This 

 remark appeared to satisfy him; 

 but circumstances soon occurred 

 which roused all our suspicion, 

 and convinced us that some mis- 

 chief was intended against us. 

 The Lieutenant-Governor having 

 withdrawn for a short time, as if 

 to make some arrangement, re- 

 turned and whispered to the 

 Governor, who immediately rose 

 up to go away. We pot up also 

 to take our leave; and I repeated 

 my question respecting the price 

 ol provisions, and also asked 

 whether he intended to supply 

 us with any ? On hearing this he 

 eat down, invited us to do the 

 same, and, though it was early in 

 the day, ordered dinner to be 

 served up. 



We accepted his invitation, 

 and waited with impatience to 

 see what would next occur, as it 

 now appeared we were caught in 

 a snare from which it would be 

 difficult to escape. But the kind 



behaviour of the Japanese and 

 their assurances that we had no- 

 thmg to fear, again tranquillized 

 us, and induced us to abandon 

 our suspicions of their treach- 

 ery. Tliey entertained us with 

 rice, fish in a green sauce and 

 other savory dishes, the ingre- j 

 dients composing which we did 

 not know. Ihey also gave us 

 sagi. After we had dined, the 

 Governor was again about to 

 withdraw. I now declared that 

 we could wait no longer, but 

 must return immediately on 

 board. On hearing this he once 

 more sat down, and having inti- 

 mated that he could not supply 

 us with any thing without an 

 order from the Governor of 

 Matsmai, under whose jurisdic- 

 tion he was, proposed that one 

 of us should remain in the castle 

 as a hostage, until a decis-ion j 

 should be returned by that com- ' 

 niander on the report he was 

 about to transmit to him. The 

 Japanese began now to throw off 

 the ma.vk. I desired to be in- 

 fornried what time would be oc- 

 cupied in sendini; the report to 

 Matsmai and obtaining an answer; 

 he replied a fortnight. I felt, 

 however, that it would be dis- 

 honourable to leave an officer 

 behind me as a hostage. There 

 was, besides, no knowing when 

 such an affair would be brought 

 to a conclusion with a people like 

 the Japanese. It was probable 

 that when the report reached 

 Matsmai the commander of that 

 island would say he could do 

 nothing without the authority of 

 the general governinent; thus I 

 should, perhaps, have to wait 

 until winter for a decisive answer. 

 I therefore stated that I could 

 not wait so long without consult- 



he 



