508 
VOYAGE TO THE 
CHAP, against robberies and piracies committed upon the shores of that 
country by a prodigious number of vessels manned by resolute and 
May, determined seamen, principally Japanese, who landed upon all parts 
of the coast, and spread consternation along the whole of the western 
shore of the Yellow Sea, even down to Canton. The Emperor of 
China on this occasion sent ambassadors to Loo Choo ; and a repre- 
sentation was made to the court of Japan of the numerous piracies 
committed in the dominions of the Emperor of China by the subjects of 
that country ; and succeeded so far that the sovereign of Japan gave up 
to the King of Loo Choo a number of vessels and slaves which had been 
captured ; but as none of these marauding vessels had been fitted out 
by his command, and as they were the property of individuals over 
whom he had no control, it was out of his power to put a stop to the 
depredations. The Emperor of China 'rewarded the King of Loo Choo 
for this important service by sending him large presents of silk, porce- 
lain, and silver, and brass money ; and granted to his subjects very great 
privileges in their commercial transactions with China. 
Ihe Japanese pirates, among which there were a great many ves- 
sels manned by Chinese, continued their depredations in spite of the 
efforts and remonstrances of the Emperor of China ; and latterly occa- 
sioned such alarm in that country, that the famous Tay-Cosama, who 
was then secular ruler of Japan, determined to avail himself of the panic, 
and premeditated an attack upon the coast of that mighty empire. 
It was necessary to the success of this bold enterprise that the assault 
should be conducted with the utmost secrecy ; and Tay-Cosama, fearing 
that the frequent intercourse between China and Loo Choo, which 
country could not remain in ignorance of the preparations, might be 
the means of divulging his intentions to China, sent ambassadors to 
Chang-ning, who was then King of Loo Choo, haughtily forbidding him 
to pay tribute to China, and desiring him to acknowledge no other 
sovereign than that of Japan. It is said that he also sent similar no- 
tices to the governor of the Phillipines, to the King of Siam, and to the 
Europeans in India. 
Chang-ning, however, v'as not easily intimidated, and remained 
deaf to the menaces of the Emperor of Japan. He saw through the 
