Japan.] 



ORIENTAL COMMERCE. 



513 



NANGASACKI, the sole port in the empire into which the Dutch, 

 the only European nation suffered to trade with Japan, are admitted, is 

 situated near the S. W. extreme of the island Ximo, in latitude about 

 32° 48' N., and longitude 130° 12 E. The harbour is about three miles 

 long, and one broad ; it extends N. and S., and has a muddy bottom, where 

 ships lay in five or six fathoms, within gun-shot of the factory and the 

 town of Nangasacki, at the head of the harbour. 



The island of Dezima is let by the inhabitants to the Dutch Company, 

 and is considered merely as a street belonging to the town : the inhabitants 

 therefore build all the dwelling-houses, and keep them in repair. The 

 island is joined to the town and main land, and at low water is separated 

 from it only by a ditch ; at high water it becomes an island, which has a 

 communication with the town by means of a bridge. At the entrance from 

 the bridge there is a large stone pillar, upon which hang on several tables 

 the Emperor's edicts for the regulation of the Dutch trade. The size of 

 this island is very inconsiderable, it being about 600 feet in length, and 

 120 in breadth : it is planked in on all sides, and has two gates, the one 

 towards the town near the bridge, and the other towards the water-side. 

 The latter gate is opened on such days only as the Dutch ships are dis- 

 charging or taking in their cargoes ; the other is always guarded in the 

 daytime by the Japanese, and locked at night. Near it also is a guard- 

 house, where those that go in and out of the town are searched. Length- 

 ways upon this island are built, in form of a small town, the Dutch Com- 

 pany's several storehouses, their hospital, and separate houses for their 

 servants, two stories high, of which the upper part is inhabited, and the 

 lower used as store and lumber rooms. Between these houses nan two 

 streets, which are intersected in the middle by another. Excepting the 

 Dutch large and fire-proof storehouses, the houses are all built of wood and 

 clay, covered with tiles, and having paper windows and floor-mats of straw. 

 By the sea-gate is kept in readiness every kind of apparatus for the preven- 

 tion of fire, and at the other end are a pleasure and kitchen garden, and a 

 large summer-house. For the purpose of keeping a vigilant eye over the 

 Dutch, several Japanese officers, interpreters, and guards are kept on the 

 island. There are, watch-houses built in three corners of it, in which watch 

 is kept during the time that the ships lie in the harbour. The interpreters 

 have a large house on the island, called their College ; there is also another 

 house for the Ottonas, or reporting officers, whose business it is to take 

 notice of every occurrence that arises on the island, and to inform the 

 Governor of Nangasacki of it. Within this small compass the Dutch are 

 compelled to pass their time during their stay in Japan. ^m*m~~l 



i"k 



