NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN. 21 



more, rendering it reasonable to suppose that fully one hundred wrecked Jap- 

 anese junks, have been heard from, in one way or another, adrift upon the 

 North Pacific, or stranded on the northwest coast of America or some outly- 

 ing islands. 



In answer to the question of whether any of these waifs have ever found 

 their way back to Japan from the American coast, in early times, I can say, 

 that from historical data still extant, and from the personal relations of de- 

 scendants of some of such returned voyagers, I have learned that in rare 

 cases, occurring from 4U0 to 260 years ago, crews actUcilly reached Japan with 

 tidings of the American coast; and Professor Davidson informs me, that when 

 recently in Japan observing the Transit of Venus, a very intelligent Japanese 

 scholar, well known to me personally, related to him a well authenticated case 

 within this century. Formerly such accounts were not allowed general jDub- 

 licity*, because stoutly discountenanced by an ecclesiastical government, to 

 whom such discoveries were quite as repugnant as were Galileo's to the me- 

 dieval government of Kome. To the peaceful masses, the confines of their 

 archipelago, were but recently the horizon of the world. 



The famous voyage of the Buddhist priest from China, at the beginning of 

 the seventh cenlury, to a country called by him Fusang, (meaning, translated 

 "to aid or cultivating mulberries,") was at the exact period when Japanese 

 historians record their first official intercourse with China; and was probably 

 reached by a coasting voyage along the western coast of Corea, thence along 

 the northern coast of Niphon, around Yeso, and southerly, to the southeastern 

 shore of Niphon, where mulberry trees were then cultivated abundantly, and 

 which was undoubtedly the land he called Fusang. A careful study of the 

 native records seems to indicate that his much mooted Chinese voyage could 

 not possibly have extended to the American coast. 



Of the sixty cases here reported, 27 wrecks were encountered at sea, and 

 the balance stranded, as follows: On the Aleutian Islands, 8; Coast of Kam- 

 schatka, 6; Alaska, Oregon, Hawaiian and Brooks Islands, two each; Off San 

 Diego, Acapulco, Nootka Sound, San Bonito, Queen Charlotte, Cedros, Prov- 

 idence, Baker's, Stapieton, Ocean and Ladrone Islands, one each. 



In 23 cases where the actual number on board was named, they aggregated 

 293 persons; an average of 12| persons to a junk; ranging from 3 to 35 in in- 

 dividual cases. 



Where definite statistics of the saved are given, we find 222 persons saved 

 in 33 cases; an average of 6% persons in each disaster. On eight occasions, 

 three persons each were rescued; in four cases, one person; and on four other 

 cases, four persons; three times, eleven were saved; and twice each, 5, 12, 15, 

 17; and once each 2, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13, were saved. 



By an examination of the above figures, we may estimate the probable ex- 

 tent of Japanese blood infused into the Indian tribes around the shores of the 

 North Pacific. 



Fifteen vessels mention having drifted helplessly at sea an aggregate of 106^ 

 months, averaging a little over seven months each. 



Eleven cases report 122 deaths ; averaging a little over eleven deaths to each 

 wreck. 



