THE JAPANESE. 471 



Many among them spoke Dutch, and some a little French. 

 They appeared to be very well acquainted with geography, 

 and pointed out their three principal islands, (which they 

 pronounce Kew-Sew, Nipung, and Sikok,) on the map 

 with the greatest ease. Some of them seemed to be well 

 conversant with guns and gunnery ; others could even 

 master a few words of English. When I offered an old 

 gentleman who paid us a visit in the midshipman's berth 

 a penknife, he said very distinctly, " I must not;" although 

 no compunction of that nature was manifested when eat- 

 ables and drinkables were in question. Those of more 

 respectable appearance, and who were doubtless inter- 

 preters sent off as spies, were all furnished with writing 

 materials. Their " Yahtati," or inkstands, were very 

 compact, and similar in principal and nearly in form to 

 the ancient Atramentaria found at Pompeii, and in use 

 among the Greeks, with little covers to keep the dust 

 from the ink. The Japanese, however, had the advantage 

 over these, in being provided with a long hollow metallic 

 handle, in which the pen was always kept in readiness. 

 Many of these people had a debauched and debilitated 

 look. Like the Loo-Chooans, they dress in long loose 

 robes of various texture and colour, secured about their 

 middle with a broad sash, in which among the upper 

 orders two sabres are thrust.* The pattern of their robes 

 is very various, blue being the chief and favourite colour; 

 some however are light black, some buff colour, some 

 chequered black and white, some striped, others flowered, 

 many quite plain, some marked with characters on the 

 back, others with various circles and mysterious hiero- 



* Sec Frontispiece. 



