are of doubtful authenticity, and that he attributed to the seal characteristics of eeveral 
other sea mammals, does not detract materially from the authenticity of his observations, 
which are quoted (Bibl 4): 
"Fur Seal (ottotsu-ju) ie said to be a product of Mateumae 5/ but ie really pro- 
cared at Oshamanbe (in Uchiura-wan 6/]. It 1e usually hunted only in the coldest weather, 
from 30 December to February. It ie claimed that when killed later in spring the meat 
cannot be preserved well by salting. So the seal used for presenting to the Daimyo is 
selected from winter-rilled aniaale. 
“Markets in Hokkaido are called 'Unjoya'. ‘The one at Oshamambe is located 70-80 
ri [2832 miles) northeast of Matsumae, but by water the distance is sald to be about 700- 
800 ri. 7/ In this market are branch shops operated by merchants of Matsume, Oshu [(north- 
ern Honshu], Omi [Shiga, central Honshu] and others. The exchanges are all supervised by 
officers (of the Daimyo.) sent from Matewane. From Honshu rice, salt, fermented rice, 
tobacco and tools, exclusive of knives, are imported. From Hokkmido hair seals (imiku), 
fur seals (ottotsu), bear, bear's gail, deer hides, cod, salmon, Kelp, abalone, trout, 
herring and herring roe are exported. Eso brocades are also seen occasionally among the 
export goods. These come from Manchuria, near Tartary, and are landed at Soya (the north- 
ern tip in Hokkaido}. 
"The name 'Ottosei' is a misnomer for 'Ottoteu-ju'. The correct name of the 
animal is ‘ottoteu' ['ju' is the Japanese suffix for animal}. It is occasionally found 
in other books esented by another character ‘otto-sei', which means 'gaijin' [ outer 
kidney = testicle] and which is used for medicine and not for food. True takeri {penis} 
is very difficult to find, for testicle may be used instead in the market. These products 
also come from Aomori. We cannot always tell which is which, for many Kinds are sold. 
'Kaidateu’ [literally sea otter] and 'Kaiku' [sea dog = hair seals} are generally consid- 
ered names of particular animals. But I think they are general names which include many 
kinds of animals. Then there is the animal known as 'Kaibyo'’ {sea leopard = 1] which is 
apparently the one called ‘asarashi' [hair seal} in spoken Japanese. It resembles the fur 
seal (ottotsu) but has black spots on its skin. This may be the same animal known as 
'rojika’ [7]. 
“'Kaidaten' is an otter (kawa-uso) which lives in the sea. It looks very much 
like the fur seal, which can always be told from it by ite two rows of front teeth. Some 
claim the fur seal bas double rows of teeth only in the upper jaw. Fur seals have a hole 
in the head for blowing out salt water, so covered by hair it is not easily found. If you 
throw a seal's entrails or flesh into the cold water and the water does not freere in cold 
weather, you can be sure it is true fur seal. 
"fakeri [penis | is sometimes counterfeited, A false substitute called ‘hyakuhiro- 
takert' [hyakuhiro, literally a hundred fathoms] is said to be made from the entrails, and 
therefore hae no hair on it. The genuine object is about three sun [about four inches 
long, reddish in color, with a few hairs at the base. 
"The whole body of the fur seal (ottotsu-ju) is greyieh-black like an otter 
(kawa-uso) but is longer-bodied. The face is small like a cat's and has very long whiek- 
ers. On both sides, behind the jaw, are lege like big fins. The hind legs are just in 
front of the tail, about one foot long, and tipped with five claws. The tail is slender. 
"It lives mostly in the deep sea, but sometimes sleeps, snoring on the rocks along 
the coast. It also sleeps in big herds on the sea surface. In every herd one seal stays 
The castle seat of the Mateumae feudal lords, just west of present-day Hakodate. 
Uchiura Bay, commonly known as Funks Bay, especially in early sealing literature. 
For meaning of Japanese generic terms, see glosaary in Appendiz D. 
Actually Oshamambe ie about 65 ailes north of Hakodate overland, and about 150 miles 
by water. 
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