travels into î/jf I N D I E S. Part III. 
Oija^an. A fricnd of mine at Surrat gave me a fhort relation of the Affairs of the 
Dutch in Japan^ which I look upon to be curious enough to deferve a place 
here. It fays , that after the horrible Perfecution of the ChrilHans in that 
Kingdom -, the Vortuquefe (by the artiiice of the Dutch ) having b^en depri- 
ved of their Trade , the Emperour/if that Countrey fuffered the laft comers 
to take the place of the Fortuguefe ; but fearing left that if he gave them too 
^ much liberty, they might abufe it \ he ordered them to live in a little Pcnin- 
fale (called Difima^) which is a t the bottom of a Channel , near the Town 
of Manfaffue , which in fome îvcflations of the Jefuits is termed Mangafaquy. 
This Peninfulc is about two thoufand Paces in circuit -, they go to the Town 
by a point of Land , and on another ^ide there is a Bridge. The Dutch have 
built Houfes there of Stones, which they brough t from Bata-via ; but they 
are forbidden to bind them with any Mortar or Ciment -, and they have ob- 
tained no more liberty but to Pile them up one upon another , "to hinder 
People only from feeing what they are doing at home -, yet they cut and po- 
lifli them fo ingenioiifly , that their dry Walls are as good as if they were 
built with Mortar. They have made two Streets and three publick Gates , 
but they do nothing but what the Governour of the Town knows, either by 
Spies, or by Guards he fets at the Gates , whom he obliges every evening to 
give him an account of what paflTes in the day-time -, and thefe Guards are 
chang'd every day. 
None of the Dutch dare go out of the Peninfule without the Governours 
leave , under pain of being cut -, they dare not fo much as have a Candle 
lighted in the night-time , nor make the ieaft noife ^ and if the Guard hear 
any , they blow a Horn , and immediately the Governour fends a Com- 
miffary to know what news there is ; this Commiflary goes into the Streets, 
makes enquiry , and leaves not the Peninfule till he knew who made the 
noife, and why ? And he has Orders to check , not only thofe that made 
it, but alfo thofe who are appointed to keep all things quiet and in order. In 
this conftraint the Dutch live during eight months of the year. 
When the Moufon or Seafon ( for failing upon thefe Seas) is come, the 
Governour places Sentinels upon hills to diicover the Dutch Fleet. So foon 
as ever it appears, they give him advice, and he fpeedily fends out to.wards 
the Fleet as many Boats and Waiters as there are Ships feen-, nofoonerare 
they brought into Port, but the Governour fends notice of it to the Empe- 
reur by Expreffes, (for they have regulated Pofts) and the Dutch cannot dif- 
pofeofany thing before the return of thofe Expreffes. In the mean time 
they make Inventories of What is on Board the Ships -, each _ W^^*^^^. ^^^^^ 
one in the Ship that is affigned to him -, and the Dutch Captain is obliged to 
write down the Name, Age^ Stature and Office of all the Men in his Ship , 
and to give that Lift of them to the Waiter , that he may fend to have it 
Tranflated into the Language of the Countrey : When one of the Couriers 
is come back from Court , the Dutch go a-Shoar one after another , accord- 
ing to the order and rank of the Ships wherein they ferve : The nrft Shij» 
crew go a-Shoar firft, and then the reft in order -, all are Muftered before 
the Commiffaries-, and the Dutch Clerk who has the Lift , and the Secre- 
tary or Japanefe Clerk that has the Tranllation of it, name them aloud ac- 
cording as they pafs, and tell their Quality, Age, Stature and Office. 
After they have been thus examined a-Shoar, they are put on Board 
gain -, the Yards are lower'd , and the Sails, Arms, Guns and Powder of 
the Ship are carried a-Shoar -, the Hatches are fhut , and fealed up, with a 
Seal put upon a piece of Paper, tied with Straw, whereon they caft a certain 
knot , which the Japanefe alone can untie -, and the Carpenter of the Ship 
covers thefe Seals with Boxes of Wood , for fear they Ihould be broken when 
they wafti the Ship, or are about any other bufinefs \ but there is fuch a 
conftraint upon all the Crew, that if any one ftand in need of a bit of Meat 
or any other thing that is in the hold, he cannot have it without a particu- 
lar permiflion from the Governour h imfelf, who fends a Man exprefi to 
open the Hatches , and go below decks with the Dutch -, after which he a- 
gain fliuts and feals them up. 
They are neither permitted to light a Candle nor make a noife on Ship- 
board, 
4 
