520 TRADE AND COMMERCE. 



things the Daibutsu, of which he remarks that it should be reckoned 

 among the wonders of the world. From Kioto he betook himself 

 by way of Fushimi to Osaka, and then in a boat to Nagasaki. But 

 the ship which was to have brought him back to Manila not being 

 ready, he returned to Suruga and did not leave Japan until August, 

 1610, departing with rich gifts. Hence he had full knowledge of 

 the landing of the Dutch on Hirado,^ and their entrance into the 

 competition, which was soon so fateful for the Portuguese and 

 Spanish, as well as for the Catholic Japanese. 



The trade between Japan and the Philippines lasted over fifty 

 years, from 1580. During this time Japanese enterprise developed 

 itself also in other directions. Japanese seamen not only took 

 service on foreign ships and made long journeys in them, but, in 

 conjunction with merchants, fitted out junks themselves. At 

 times they ran in friendly commerce along the coasts of China and 

 Farther India, and again as bold corsairs they preyed upon trade 

 in these parts. 



In the above-mentioned memoir by E. Satow, on the trade 

 between Japan and Siam, we perceive how active it was in the 

 first three decades of the 17th century. In Ayuthia, at that 

 time the capital of Siam, and in Patani, the most important com- 

 mercial point on the Gulf of Siam, there was a Japanese colony, 

 which sometimes played a part even in politics. The first three 

 Shoguns maintained direct friendly commercial relations with the 

 king of Siam for twenty-four years. Both courts repeatedly inter- 

 changed letters and presents, these being in several cases conveyed 

 by Siamese embassies. lyeyasu began these direct relations in 

 1606, sending to the King of Siam a letter, with several swords 

 and suits of armour, and begging from him a few muskets and 

 some fragrant calambac {Santalinum album, L.). We discover 

 from the correspondence which followed that the King of Siam 

 and his first minister repeatedly sent such white sandalwood, be- 

 sides Borneo camphor, elephant tusks, and costly silks, as presents 

 for the Shogun and his chief dignitaries, not to mention various 

 European products, such as sarsenet, calico, gauze, and other 

 fabrics, besides muskets and powder. The Japanese gifts in return 

 were in particular horses with costly saddles, weapons and suits of 

 mail, beautiful screens, festival garments of wadded silk, bleached 

 cotton stuffs, and silver. 



With the year 1630 this ofificial intercourse suddenly ceased. 

 In Ayuthia, Phra-Chao Phrasa-thong had taken possession of the 

 throne, and when he thereupon, following the example of his pre- 

 decessor, sent an embassy to Japan with letters and presents, these 

 were refused. The same happened to several other Siamese em- 

 bassies which followed. But even. after 1636, when the Japanese 



^ The city and island of Hirado, geneially called Firado, Firato, and Firando 

 in older writings, lie on the west side of Kiushiu, and belong to the province of 

 Hizen. (See vol. i. p. 523.) 



