272 



Described; 



J A P A N. 



That all the traA which the Dutch l^iw to the weft is that 

 land of "Jefo^ there can be no difpute ; even Matfumai is compre- 

 hended under that name : that ifland was early annexed to the 

 Japanefe empire, and is chiefly peopled with exiles. We have two 

 accounts of the inhabitants of this country ; one is left us by Cap- 

 tain Saris, the other by the Dutch *, the former gives us the fol- 

 lowing information on the fubjeft, which he colleded from a fen- 

 fible Japanefe who had actually vifited the illand oi Matfumai \ 

 we may colledt from him that it was known to the Japanefe by 

 the name of Tedfo or Jcfo. The relation beginning thus : 



" That Tedfo is an illand, and lyeth on the north-weft fide of 

 " Japan, and diftant from thence ten leagues ; that the people 

 " are white, and of good condition, but very hairy all their bo- 

 *' dies over like munkeyes. Their weapones are bowes and ar- 



entered the Ba'u de Caflrles^ on the coaft of 

 Tartary. Here was fituated a fmall village, 

 inhabited by a race whofe high cheek bones 

 and fmall eyes announced its origin; but it 

 appeared only the occafional refidence of dif- 

 ferent tribes for the purpofe of fiihing, who 

 carry the produce of their Jabor to the Mant- 

 (hew Tartars^ living on the banks of the great 

 rivef &egalien ox Amur., from whom they re- 

 ceive in exchange for their dried falmon, grain, 

 nanquin, aud other articles probably brought 

 fiom Chi/^a. The cuftom of leaving in their 

 huts, during the long feaf >n of abfence for the 

 purpofes of commerce, their bows, arrows, nets, 

 and luch furniture as their few wants require, 

 conftitutes an iiitcrefting proof <.f the honefty 

 of this hannlefs race of people ; in feveral par- 

 ticulars they agree with the natives of Karn- 



» Purchas's Pi! 



chatka ; and tombs far exceeding the propor- 

 tion of the apparent population, excited fimilar 

 aftonifliment, and gives the fame caufe for in- 

 veftigation, as the numerous memorials of the 

 dead on the coaft of /America obferved by Fan' 

 couver. 



De la Perotife^ after doubling Cape Crlllon, 

 the fouthern extremity of the ifland SachaUn^ in 

 Lat, 45° 57', landed in a fecurc bay, inhabited 

 by a tribe of a darker complexion than thofe of 

 the north, and more induftrious ; their utenfils 

 and drefs fhcwed their intercourfe with the 

 "Japanefe, The diftance from hence to the 

 northern fliores of the ifle of Matjumay^ does 

 not exceed twelve leagues. The navigators 

 here fell into the track, and had the opportunity 

 of rendering juftice to the veracity, of the 

 Dutch voyagers in 1643. E. 

 gr. vol. i. p. 384. 



" rowes 



