-Chap. I. Commodore R 
to the Governor, he orders the Beacon to be fired * or, if 
there be two Ships, two Beacons ; and, at the fame time, 
hoifts a Flag, the Colour of which intimates the Force of 
the Ship. This Signal, as foon as difcerned, is repeated 
from every Hill and Eminence, till it reaches the Gates of 
.Jed do y fo that the Emperor, and his Council, have time 
to deliberate on the Meafures proper to “be taken. The 
Forms obferved in Bufinefs are wonderfully exaCt * and the 
Emperor’s Orders or Edicts fignified in Terms equally ex- 
preffive, and full of Dignity, having very little of that 
Bombaft and (welling Stile, which is common in oriental 
Courts : Yet*, in the midft of all thefe Marks of good Senfe, 
and quick Parts, their Religion is the idleft and mod ridi- 
culous than can be imagined *, of which the Author gives us 
one Proof', that is really aftonilhing. There is a tutelary 
God to every Family, whole Idol is placed at the Top of 
the Houfe, and he has JnftruCtions given him to keep off 
Sicknefs, Misfortunes, and every evil Accident ; and when 
any of thefe fall out, they take down their Idol, and whip 
him, for not having performed his Duty. Such ftrange 
Effedts has Superftition, where -ever it prevails. 
The Hiftory of Japan will naturally fall into our fecond 
Book ; but, having fo fair an Opportunity at prefent, it 
appears reafonable to gratify the curious Reader with a 
Paper which has fallen' into our Hands, containing a much 
clearer, and more diftindt. Account of the Dutch Commerce 
in this Empire, than is any-where to be met with in our 
own, Or perhaps in any other Language. 
An Inquiry into the Nature of the Dutch Commerce 
at Japan. 
I T is natural for a Perfon of a curious Difpofition, to 
defire perfeCt Information as to thofe Points, that feem 
doubtful or obfcure in mod of the Relations that have been 
publilhed as to diftant Countries ; and I mud confefs, that 
it feems to me the mod eafy and certain Method of ac- 
quiring Satisfaction* to difpofe thofe Doubts and Difficul- 
ties into Queftions, the Refolution of which may effeCtu- 
ally-clear them ; and to propofe thofe Queftions to fuch as 
have had Opportunities of informing thenffelves fufficiently, 
in refpeCt to the Matters under Confideration. I cannot 
give a ftronger Inftance of this, than by mentioning what 
has occurred to me, upon reading the Accounts that have 
been hitherto printed of the Dutch Commerce in Japan , 
which are, in my Opinion, fo indiftindt and confufed, as 
well for want of Order in thofe Relations, as for want of 
the neceffary Circumftances which might enable one to con- 
nedt their feveral Parts together, fuppofing one inclined to 
take fo much Pains, that I prefume you will admit the fol- 
lowing Queries to be reafonable, as I hope, from your In- 
dulgence, to be delivered from the Incertainty I am under, 
as to the Subjects at which they point. A long Intro- 
duction would be unneceffary, and the Trouble my Que- 
ftions will give you, reftrains me from adding any thing 
farther than this Explanation of my Requeft, that it extends 
Only to the Dutch Commerce in Japan y and that I do not 
expedt any further Account of that Empire, than is abfo- 
luteiy neceffary to fettle my Notions of the Commerce. 
4 I. What is the Extent , and what the true Boundaries , 
4 of japan ? It is not poffible to anfwer this Queftion very 
6 precisely, becaufe we have not any Accounts that can be 
4 ahfolutely depended upon, as to the Countries that lie to 
c the North of Japan y but, with refpeCt to the End pro- 
6 pofed by your Queftions, it may be anfwered in a manner 
c perfectly fatisfaCtory. The Empire of Japan is com- 
4 pofed of three large Elands, far-rounded by a great Num- 
4 ber of fmaller Hands of different Sizes, fame inhabited, 
4 and fome defert. The moft Southern of thefe Hands, 
s is that which fome Writers call by the Name of Bungo , 
c or, according to the Portuguefe , Ximo. This Eland ex- 
6 tends from South to North, about fixty Leagues, and 
s from Eaft to Weft about forty. It is on the Weft Coaft 
4 of this Eland, that the Dutch FaCtory have their Reft- 
4 dence, which I (hall more particularly defcribe hereafter. 
6 To the Eaft of this Hand lies the fecond of thefe Hands, 
4 which is called Sikokf which,, in the Language of the 
£ L.ountry, implies a Place that is fquare •, which is a good 
ft Defcrlption of the Eland;, inafmuch as it is very near a 
N vmb. XXL 
OGGEWEIN, 301 
4 Square of fixty Leagues. The great Hand of Japan is 
4 feparated from both thefe, by a narrow and a rocky 
4 Chanel. This Hand, which the Natives call Niphon , ex- 
4 tends from Eaft to Weft 260 Leagues, and is in Breadth, 
4 from North to South, from 60 to 100. 
4 Thefe three Hands make up what may be properly 
4 ftiled the Empire of Japan . They extend from 3 1 0 to 
4 42 0 North Latitude, and from 157 0 to 175 0 of Longi- 
4 tude, placing the firft Meridian in the Eland of Fero. 
4 On the North of Japan lies the Land of Tedfo y and Part 
4 of Tartary , China , and Corea , on the Weft; California , 
4 and the reft of America , on the Eaft *, the Philippines 
4 on the South-eaft ; and the Sea of China on the South. 
4 1 he common Opinion, that it is equal to Great Britain , 
4 may be pretty near the Truth in one Senfe, though not 
4 in another ; and it is requifite to diftinguifh thefe Senfes, 
4 '1 he whole Empire of Japan , to fpeak ftfiCtly, all the 
4 three Hands, are pretty near the Size of the Britijh Hands, 
4 that is to fay, with Ireland included ; and the Hand of 
4 Japan , diftinCtly considered, is fome what bigger than 
4 Great Britain , ftri&ly taken, without any of its adjacent 
4 Hands. As to the Countries dependent on Japan , they 
4 are, befides the adjacent Hands* many of which are very 
4 rich and well cultivated, 1. The Hands of Riuku , 
4 which belong to a Prince who is fubjeCt to the Emperor, 
4 and fo are reputed to belong to Japan. 2. Tfiofm , which 
4 is Part of the Peninfula of Corea , and belongs likewife to 
4 one of the Princes of this Empire. 3. The Hand of 
4 Tedfo , making Part of the Dominions of a third tribu- 
4 tary Prince. This Hand, however, is to be diftin- 
4 guifhed from the Land of Jedfo , which lies ftill farther 
4 North * and, whether it be Hand or Continent, I cannot 
4 take upon me to determine. 
4 II. What are the Commodities or Manufactures of this 
4 Empire , that make its Commerce fo valuable ? The Com- 
4 modifies of Japan are fewer than one would imagine, 
4 confidering that it is as fertile a Country, and the People 
4 as induftrious, as any in the World. The Reafon of this 
4 is, becaufe they chufe to deal with Strangers for ready 
4 Money, that is to fay, for Silver, which is at once a 
4 Commodity, and the Meafare of all Commodities here. 
4 They have great Quantities of Gold, but the Exporta- 
4 tion of it is forbid, under the fevertfi Penalties. Sul- 
4 phur alfo abounds in this Country to a prodigious degree, 
4 lo that vaft Quantities are annually difpofed of, without 
4 any Danger of exhaufting their Stock. But the grand 
4 Commodity in point of Value, next to Silver, is Copper, 
4 of which they have likewife prodigious Quantities, which, 
4 at the lame time, is by much the fineft in the World * 
4 they formerly fold it with a great Mixture of Gold, but 
4 they have now found a Way to extraCt that * yet their Cop- 
4 per remains ftill in very high and juft Repute. They 
4 have very fine Pearls, and great Quantities of Mother- 
4 of-pearl, which they do not much efteem. Ambergris, 
4 and other rich Drugs, are likewife to be met with ; there 
4 is alfo very fine Silk of feveral forts, which they fell very 
4 reafonably * though, at the fame time, they purchase 
4 China Silk, which is not fo good as their own * but, in 
4 all Probability, this is with a View to fome Manufacture., 
4 for which it is more proper, 
4 All forts of Cabinet-work, and Lacker’d-ware, they 
4 make in the utmoft Perfection, and export vaft Quanti- 
4 ties of it ; as they do likewife of their Porcelain, or 
4 Earthen-ware. This was formerly much finer, and much 
4 ftronger, than it is now made * and therefore the old Ja- 
4 pan Ware is very valuable, even in the Country. I will 
4 give you an Inftance of the Japonefe Sagacity on this 
4 SubjeCt. The Dutch were very inquifitive into the, 
4 Caufe of it * and were anfwered, That they put more of 
4 Mens Bones into it formerly than they did at prefent y by 
4 which they gave them to underftand, that it was for- 
4 merly made with greater Care and Labour than at this 
4 Day ; which has, however, been fo far miftaken, as to 
4 create an Opinion among idle People at Batavia , that human 
4 Bones enter into the Compofition of their Earthen-ware. 
4 I ought to add, to this Lift of the Commodifies and 
4 Manufactures of Japan, their Tea, which fome efteem 
4 much better than that of China , which is, however, only 
4 true upon the Spot 5 for, as its Flower is more delicate* 
4 H - * 
