IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) to /, % 1.0 I.I 128 1^ ^ 1^ 12.2 !^ ttS. 12.0 ■■.-. ■. 11.25 ||u 11.6 III llll=aBS= 1111^^= < 6" ► Photographic Sciences Corporation ^ SJ \ \\ 33 MiST signifia "A SUIVRE ". la symbols V signifia "FIN". Las cartas, planchas. tablaaux. ate. pauvant Atra fHmte A das taux da reduction diffArants. Lorsqua la documant ast trop grand pour Atra raproduit an un saul clichA. il ast film* A partir da I'angla supAriaur gaucha. da gaucha i droits, at da haut en bas. an pranant la nombra d'imagas nAcassaira. Las diagrammas suivants illustrant la mAthoda. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 Art. I befel Schil Won unSk in thi practic; nient, : tried, a from til doing i chdract The afForde( ing cou inclinat academ ed to I augmei vernrne world s of silk, into pe the wil (qi the t Art. II. — Relse um die Welt in den jahren 1803-4-5 und 6, auf befeld seiner Kaiserl. Majestat Alexanders des Ersten, auf den Schiften Nadeshda und Newa, &c. A 'Voyfigejrjuund the World in thej/eajs 1803-4-5 and 6, hy~tommand of His~Tm* pefldt'Mifiiesf^AkxuiLder.X- in tlie Ships Nadeshda and Neva, tinder the orders oj Captain A. I. Fon Krusentern, Published in the Russian and German Languages^ 1811. A NEW reign is always fertile in projects. It matters little •^^ whether the various schemes brought forward be wild and im- practicable, or have already been submitted to the test of experi- ment, and failed : under new names, and new auspices, they are tried, and fail again. The sovereign, on his part, is seldom averse from the encouragement of projectors; it wears the a[>pearauce of doing something; and tends to confer on the new government the chdracter, or, at least, the semblance, of energy and activity. The accession of Catharine the Second to the throne of Russia, afforded a remarkable instance of the degree to which her project- ing courtiers could acconmiodate their counsels to their sovereign's inclinations. Schemes as extravagant as were ever hatched in the academy of Laputa were pushed forward, and most of them order- ed to be set in motion at once. The army and navy were to be augmented ; commerce to be extended ; the administration of go- vernment new modelled; agriculture encouraged ; and the whole world supplied with tobacco, the produce of Russia : manufactures of silk, of cloth, of linen, of porcelaine, were to start up, at once, into perfection; foreign settlers to be invited to plant colonies in the wilds of Siberia; foundling and lying-in hospitals to be erected for the encouragement of popuiutiou ; and, to crown the whole, the Turk ■' »4 \ r-r 9R /. Russian Embassy to Japan. Dec. 1811. Turk was instantaneously to be driven out of Constantinople — and all these, with many other * visionary plans, were to be un- dertaken/ as the Earl of Buckinghamshire observed, * in a coun- try where every innovation was unpopular, by means of ignorant, indigent, and corrupt counsellors, an indolent people, averse from all manufactures, and more averse from the sea, a mutinous army, and au exhausted treasury; the sovereign hampered likewise by the obligations she had received, and unable to get rid of many of those about her, whose characters and mean abilities she could not but despise.' Catharine, however, might have felt it necessary to humour those projectors, and, by a: Mming the appearance of ex- traordinary bustle and business, to call oft' the attention of her sub- jects from the manner in which a recent revolution had placed her on the throne; for though her husband was undoubtedly a man of weak intellects, his good intentions, his private virtues, and public acts of munificeuce and kindness, during his short reign, had gained on the aft'ection of his subjects. i\mong other projects, those of advancing foreign commerce and navigation entirely failed; though the empress left untried no opening that presented itself for improving the one, and extending the other. In an attempt at a treaty of commerce, she had met ♦ with a smart retort from die Emperor of China, who plainly told her ambassador that, before his mistress solicited new treaties, it would better become her to fulfil tiie old ones. But her estab- lishments on Kumschatka and on the islands which stretch across the sea of that name, as far as the opposite continent, were too favourably situated not to tempt her to embrace every opportunity which might occur for negotiating a comjnercial relation with the populous empire of Japan. She was fully aware of the restric- tions and degradations imposed upon the Dutch ; but she was willing to persuade herself that the celebrity of her name and the proximi- ty of her establishments, might carry with them their due share of influence. An event too occurred about this time, which Catha- rine conceived might be turned to the advantage of Russia. A Ja- panese vessel was stranded on one of the Aleutian islands, called Mednoi-ostroff, or the Copper Island, when the master and sixteen of the sailors were saved and sent to Kamschatka. The master was taken over land to Petersbiugh by Pror^ssor Laxman, and in- structed in the Russian and Tartarian languages; while his precep- tors wer« directed to ieani from him that of Japan. As soon as a sufficient progress appeared to be made by both parties, tbe son of professor Laxman was appointed as a sort of envoy to convey this master, with such of the crew as might have survived a Siberian winter, to Japan, carrying at tlie same time suitable presents for the eiiip«r4>r. Laj^mau obtained for the Russians the boon of sending I »r.'"> Dec. ntinople — • to be uii- 111 a coun- ignorant, /erse from lous army, vise by the ^ many of could not Jcessary to nee of ex- >f her sub- >Iaced her a man of nd public lad gained commerce imtried no extendina: had met lainly told reaties, it her estab- ich across were too jportunity ii with the lie restric- r'as willing ! proximi- e share of :h Catlia- 1. A Ja- is, culled id sixteen le master I, and in- s precep- Hoon as a lie son of nvey this Siberian sents for boon of sending 1811. Hussian Embassy to Japan. 359 sending one vessel annually to Nangasaki for the purposes of trade, under the same restrictir.^s as the Dutch. Either this concession did not suit the high-spirited Catharine, or the advantages to be derived from so limited a trade did not appear equivalent to the humiliating conditions on which they were to be procured; for no farther intercourse, during her reign and that of her immediate suc- cessor, appears to have taken place with .Japan. The attempt to renew the communicution was one of the early projects of the present autociat of Russia. It was supposed that the former embassy had failed from a want of propriety in the mode of conducting it ; that it was deficient in shew and parade ; that Laxman was of a rank too low, and of manners too course, to make a favourable impression; that, instead of going into Nan- gasaki, the ship had entered a harbour on the coast of Jesso, a sort of colony to Japan, of which they are more jealous, if possi- ble, than of the empire itself; and that the letter, instead of being written by the sovereign, was only from the governor of Siberia, a mark of disrespect which was supposed to have given umbrage to the haughty monarch of Japan. All these errors might be cor- rected by a second mission; and, as it was concluded that a closer connection with the nations (»f the East was now become desirable, tlie project of a new embassy was easily grafted on the present voy- age, which, in fact, had been intended originally for commercial purposes, to the Russian settlements on the north-west coast of America. M. de Resanoft was aj>pointed ambassador extraordi- nary, invested with the order of St. Ann, and made a privy coun- sellor. Several persons of rank and science were attached to the embassy; M. counsellor Tilcsius, Dr Horner, an astroiK)iner, Dr. Laiigsdortf, a naturalist, an artist from the academy, a draftsman, a botanist, a physician for each of the ships, together with several military officers, among whom uere two sons, both young, of the counsellor Von Kotzebue; to this list were added live Japanese, who, hi the year 179<), had been taken prisoners at the Aleutian islands, and were Ktill in coniinenunit. Captain Krusenteni was «ele<'ted to conduct the naval pa^t of the expedition, which was to consist, of two *i!;ianskoy to be his cot- league in this new undertaking, iiudi these officers had been brought up, as it were, in the British navy, in which they served many years, in America, and the East Indies. It is worthy of remark tiiat, although the Russians wish it to be understood that their navy has been progressively and even ra- pidly improving for the last century, all the naval arsenals of Kus sia 360 Russian Embassy to Japan, Dec. Russia could not furnish a couple of ships fit for the performance of the voyage in question. It was proposed, therefore, to pur- chase them at Hamburgh ; but none were to be found there. From Hamburgh Captain^ Lisianskoy, accompanied by a master builder, proceeded to l(ondon, * the only place where the purcha^^ of good vessels can be reckoned upon with any degree of certainty.' Here indeed two proper ships were speedily obtained, the one of 450, and the other of 370 tons, to the former of which they gave the name of Nadeshda, or the Hope, and to the latter, that of iVei'rt. The Nadeshda was to carry the embassy to Nangasaki, and the Neva, separating at the Sandwich islands, to proceed to the settle- ment of Kodiac on the N. W. coast of America, from whence, or from Kamschatka, they were to proceed to Canton with a cargo of fur.s, and then make the best of their way to Hussia. Although this expedition round the world may be classed more properly as a voyage of experiment than of discovery, yet we can- not but deem it exceedingly important and interesting on many accounts. It is important to have ascertained in what manner the representative of the Emperor Alexander was received in a country which, for one hundred and fifty years, had seen no other Europeans than a few crouching Dutchmen. It is interesting to see how the natives of the 60th parallel of latitude, wholly unaccustomed to long voyages, bore the suffocating heat of the * equinoctial regions, and tiie great vicissitude of climate to which they were exposed. It was not only the first time that the Russian Dag was destined to be carried round the world, but the first time that a Russian ship had made its appearance in the southern hemi- sphere, the greatest extent of Russian navigation having never yet reached even the northern tropic. The ships too, though English, had been fitted out in a Russian port, and manned entirely with Russian seamen. Captain Krusenstern, it is true, might almost be reckoned an Englishman. He adopted ail the measures taken in English ships of war for the preservation of their crews. He laid in a plentiful supply of clothes and linen and bedding for the sea- men ; of tea and sugar, sour crout, and the juice of cranberries in lieu of lime-juice. He purchased, in London, cakes of portable soup, essence of malt and spruce, dried yeast and mustard. He nas su|)plied with six of the best chronometers that the metropolis could afford, and a very valuable apparatus of sextants, theodolites, &c. fur astronomical, nautical, and philosonhical purposes, most of them made by Troughton. In short, these Russians were not only furnished with English ships, but all their instruments, charts, books, and even their beef, together with all the comforts and con- veniences for a long voyage, were English. 'But/ 1811 ' B and l'( Von 2 It wa whic surpri minut tubles a ties. t M halt Dec. erformance e, to pur- ;re. Irom ter builder, ij»6 of good ty.' Here lie of 450, ly gave tlie t of ISJeva. i, and the the settle- kvhence, or a cargo of issed more et we can- : on many at manner eived in a n no other nesting to le, wholly eat of the* i to which te Russian tirst time lern hemi- never yet I English, irely with almost be s taken in He laid »r the sea- berries in portable :trd. He letropolis eodolites, ses, most were not a, charts, and con- « But/ 1811. Russian Embassy to Japan. 36 1 • But,' says Captain Kniscustern, * the greatest treasure we possessed, and for which we were indebted to the kiudable liberality of the liuron VonZuch, consistcfould bear a comparison, and that not a disadvantageous one, with the lively inhabitants of the south of Europe.' It seems, indeed, tliat Cap- tain Krusenstern was less .satisfied with the Spaniards of Teneriffc than they u ere with the Russians. He describes them generally as a very miserable set of men, and the women as remaricably depraved. The streets were filled with beggars of both sexes and of all ages, clad in raes, and afllicted with disease, mingling with fat monks, meagre and deformed thieves, drunken sailors and lewd women ; and wretched, indeed, in his opinion, mi»st be the lot of him who is here doomed to the caprice of the Inquisition, and of a governor who has an unlimited power of life and death over every citizen. Two other subjects gave our honest Russian considerable annoy- ance. The one was, that an alameda, or public walk, had been formed at the public expense, yet at the entrance of it was placed a centinel, for the express purpose of preventing the public from making use of what was their own ; — the other was the marble pillar in the great square, erected iu honour of the Virgin de la Candelaria, who, with a lighted candle in one hand and a crucifix in the other, led on the Spaniards to the conquest of the island. He thinks that, in this enlightened age, it would be far more pro- per for them to erect an obelisk to the memory of that auspicious day* 181 dari keej an a h the I tabl( the( indu knov uDsa Tl close with] veral 'T heit, feJtfc whole ^res, i jotatt Instea man, i made We a\ clothe my child; — e.* ' N. longi- rizontal di- hip with its e. The in- strong as to (tending the ee in width, >Uowing day Captain de- lussian Aag, [>nt of being i-ere very ci- d with asto- Yfould bear th the lively 1, tliat Cap- of Teneriffe generally as ly depraved. 1 of all ages, 1 fat monks, :wd women i of him who »f a governor >ry citizen. Table annoy- k, had been t was placed public front IS the marble Virgin de la ind a crucifix f the island. »r more pro- at auspicious day, 1811. Russinn Embassy to Japan. 3G3 day, on which the gallant Nelson was compelled to abandon his daring entcrprize, than, by continuing the present monument, to keep ulivc a ^icni»cle&s superstition, and give the stamp of truth to an absurd fuble. All this in a Russian is extremely amusing. Having laid in a stock of sheep, fowls, and wine, and refreshed the sliips* companies with fruits, onions, potatoes, and other vege- tables, they left Santa Cruz, and uuide the island of St. Antonio on the Gth JNovember, when the sparkling phosphorescence of the sea induced the naturalists to make some experiments on this well- known, but hitherto unexplained phenomenon. The results were unsatisfactory, and we forbear to copy them. They now came into those regious of squalls, heavy rains, and a close, damp atmosphere, which are almost invariably experienced within eight or ten degrees on either side of the equator. For se- veral days the sun was hid from their sight. * The thermometer was constantly between 7^^ and 84* of Fahren- heit, the air damp and oppi-cssive; yet with all the uneasiness which i felt for the health of our people, I had not a single invalid during the whole of the time. Every precaution indeed was taken by lighting ^res, and fumigating the ship. Our supply of citrons, pumpkins, and potatoes, laid in at Teneriffe, carried us even as far as St. Catharine's. Instead of brandy I caused a pint of Teneriffe wine to be issued to each man, and every evening and morning they had weak punch served out, made very sweet, and mixed with a considerable portion of citron juice. We availed ourselves of every moment of sunshine, to air and dry the «lothes and bedding, which the constant rains gave us a good oppor- 4unity of washing. The heat did not appear to atfect our people so tuuch as I had expected.' On the 26th of November they crossed the equator in 24° 20' VV". longitude, between which and 20^ VV. the commanders of ships in the East India Company's service agree that those calms, so ha- Tassing to ships bound t<» the southward, may be best avoided. * Here, under a salute of eleven guns,' says Captain Krusenstern, * we drank the health of the Emperor Alexander, in whose glorious reign the Russian flag first waved in the southern hemisphere.* In skirting the coast of Brazil, Captain Krusenstern eudca- -ffoured to discover the existence of the island of Ascension, in quest <>f wliiih J^ Perouse spent several days, and on whom the editor -jftf his voyage has passed a censure, for having dropped the search, at jfie very moment when he must have been close flpon it. The grounds of this conclusion are, 1. Tliat D'Apr^s de Manivillette ^s determined its longitude to be 38® W. of Paris, and that La J^erouse did not sail so far; and 2d. That Lepine, a French naval icer, had in 1791 touched at both Trinidad and Ascension; that le latitude of the latter was 20" 38' S. and its distance from the A a2 coast 3G4 Mussian Embassy to Japan, Dec. coast of Brazil 120 leugues. rsipiain Kruscnstcrii kept the two ships at a distuiue from cuch other, on each side of tne parallel int'iitioned by thiH Frenchman, and continued westerly to the lon- gitiule of 39' 20' from Paris, or 1° 23' more vvestcrl)' than D'Aprcs has placed the island of Ascension; at which time he was not more than 70 K agnes from the coast of Brazil. We are therefore in- clined to helieve wilh him, that no snch island exists; at least * that It is very problematical whether Lepine really touched at it; and that if he actually touched at any island, the latitude is not cor- rectly p:iven by Hint; which is scarcely, indeed, to be expected from a Frenchman ' On the 21st of December, a Portngneze pilot carried them into the harbour, formed between the Isle of St. Catharine and the main land, of which the Portngneze charts were all found to be exceedingly incorrect. Here the inain and fore masts of the Neva weje found to be so defective ut to require new ones, an opera- tion which detained them live weeks. Little alteration appears to have taken place in this settlement since the days of Anson, and none since the visit of La Perouse. The same vile system of mo- nopoly and restriction is still acted upon by the Portugueze go- vernment. The local advantages which this excellent harbour pos- sesses, the healthy climate, the fertile soil, and the many valuable productions of the island, as well as the opposite main, arc suffi- cient to raise it into a place of very considerable importance, were it not crushed by the most miserable policy that ever degraded a civilized government. The Prince Regent has, it is true, declared it a free port; yet nothing is to be exported but such articles as are paid for m specie; and timber, the principal produce, is not to be exported iit all. A free port like this, without a free trade, is as insulting to the natives, as it is injurious to the sovereign. It is fa- vourable, however, to transient visitors, and th^re is certainly no place in the southern Atlantic at all to be compared with St. Catharine's. The climate is particularly healthy at all times of the year; the w ater very good and conveniently procured ; firewood to be had for the labour of felling, or to be purchased for a triHe. Provisions of all descriptions, and fruits of various kinds, are abundant and cheap. An ox of 400lbs cost no more than eight dollars, a hog of '.'OOlbs. ten dollars, and five good fowls were purchased for one, T he season was rather too early for oranges and lemons, yet the Russians proj.ured them by thousands for a mere trifle : water me- lons and puinpkii.s were in the greatest plenty. The command of the garrison, it seems, is, by a special privi- lege, vested in the descendants of the celebrated Vasco de Gamsi In the year 178.5, when La Perouse touched at this island, Don Antonio de Gama was the military commandant; and Don Josepl: (it « Dec. |>t the two he parallel to the lou- in D' A pros IS not more lerefore in- Is; at least uchcd ut it ; B is not cor- )ected from d tlieni into ine and the fonnd to be nf the Neva I, an opera- 1 appears to Anson, and stem of mo- tugueze go- jarbour pos- any valuable in, are suffi- irtance, were degraded a ue, declared irtlclcs as are , is not to be ; trade, is as I. It is fa- ninly no place Catharine's, he year; the to be had for Provisions ibundant and oUars, a hog lased for one, ions, yet thi e: water me- special privi- 5CO de Gamsi J island, Doii i Don Josepl 1811. Russian Embassy to Japan. 365 de Carrado, a descendant of the family, held the appointment wh^n the Russians visited it. The population of the town did not exceed 3000, including negro slaves, who inhabited about one lunxired mean houses and as nvuiy meaner huts ; but the situation \^ as de- liglilful; and a new church, the government house, and the bar- racks for the troops, were objects remarkably distinguished from the rest of the buildings. It was the Cd of February before they were ready to depart from St. Catharine's, and a strong northerly wind prevented their sailing until the 4th. This delay threw their passage round Cape Horn much later in the season than was desirable. Near this ul- tima Thule of flie south, they found the weather extremely cold, rainy, and boisterous, and the sea running mountains high; still, however, by the unwearied attentiou and excellent precautions of Captain Krusenstern, they doubled the Cape without having a single invalid in either ship, lie now thought it advisable to put^ the ship's company to an allowance of water: to the five Japanese only a larger portion was allowed; yet it seems they alone nun- mured at an arrangement which was considered necessary for the safety of the whole. ' I had frequently,' says Captain Krusenstern, * during the vnyajie, found occasion to be very much displeased with our Japanese; and in- deed, it is scaicely possible to form an i 47 — 63 40 — A A The 366 I Russian Embassy to Japan* Dec, The greatest difference being only 7' 45''. ' Captain Cook's must, therefore,* says Captain Krusenstern, * be admitted as the true longitude, smcc all the others differ onty a few minutes from his.' It took ihem just a mondi, from the time they left St. Catha- rine's, to double Cape Horn; shortly after which, in 47** 9', they lost sight of the Neva, who did not rejoin tliem till the arrival of the Nadeshda on the 7th of May, in the bay which Lieutenant Hergest called Anna Maria, in Nukahiwa, one of the Marquesas; — to the group in which it lies. Captain Krusenstern has thought fit to sanc- tion, by his adoption, the name of TVashington's Js/afnfs. With what propriety a small cluster of islands, so contiguous to a lar- ger as to be visible tlie one from the other, while the distance between the nearest of the two groups is less than the distance be- tween many of the islands in each group respectively, can be digni- fied by a new name, we are at a loss to discover. I'he cluster of islands usually called Marquesas on the charts, was first seen by Mendana, in 1595, from whom they received the name of Men- doza, in honor of the Marquis Mendoza then viceroy of Peru : in 1774, the same islands were visited by Captain Cook; in 1780, by the Frenchman, Marchanrf; in 1799, they were seen, (but not visited,) by the master of an American vessel, vihose name was In graham; in 1792, by Lieutenant Hergest, of the Daedalus trans- (K)rt; and in 1779, by Captain Wilson, who carried out the mis- sionaries to the South Sea islands. Marchand, actuated by the spirit of the times, changed their name without ceremony to that of Isles de la Revolution ; from Ingraham's merely seeing them they obtained the name of Washing- tons Islands; Hergest conferred distinct names on each; and Vancouver, in honour of this unfortunate officer, who was after- wards murdered at Wahoo, gave them the name of Ilergcst's Islands: * having thus,' as Captain Krusenstern observes, ' the singular favour of four new names bestowed upon them in the space of two years.' The endless confusion created in geographi- cal science by such a practice, caimot be too strongly reprobated. There are no people so barbarous as not to have some name for the spot which they inhabit ; it would be enough, therefore, to allow the first discoverer to give a general n'ame to the group, but to re- tain the specific native names appropriated to each island re- spectively. * But,' says Captain Krusenstern, with less good sense than we expected from him, * should not an exception be made in favour of the name of Washington, which must prove an ornament to any chart.?' We answer that truth and precision are the only ornaments that ought to be admitted in any chart. * Is it allowed,* he observes, * to strike out of the charts the immortal name of the founder liaps i)ngli |fae ex but th V in Cook's ted as the lutes from St. Catha- )', they lost ival of the nt Hergest is; — to the fit to sanc- fffs. With s to a lar- ie distance istance be- n be digni- j cluster of st seen by e of Meu- f Peru : in n 1780, by I, (but not me was In iakis trans- ut the mis- anged their ttion; from ►f Washing- each; and was after- f Hergcst's erves, ' the hem in the I geogr a phi- reprobated, le name for 3re, to allow 3, but to re- island re- ; good sense be made in in ornament are the only ( it allowed,* name of the founder 18W. Russian Embassy to Japan. S67 founder and protector of a great state, to wliich one of its grate- ful citizens had dedicated a new group of islands ?' To this we reply i by another question, By what right did this citizen change a name f which had been conferred 200 years ago, to gratify the inordinate 1 vanity of himself and his countrymen at the expense of introducing confusion and perplexity; and on what chart has this name been inserted? While on this subject, we cannot help observing to Captain Krusenstern that, when he confers the names of Cape Tciiitschagoff, Tchesicoff, and Tchesma, with many others, on those capes and islands on the coast of Japan, which in all proba- bility have been named in charts constructed 2000 years ago, it is just as if a Russian, in sailing along the coast of England, should think fit to change Flamborough-head into Cape Krusenstern, and ^convert Dunnose into the nose of TchichigoiT, or any other gallant admiral of the Russian navy. On the Nadeshda approaching the bay of Anna Maria, a canoe was perceived coming off, with eight persons in it, one of whom carried a white fiag. He proved to be an Englishman, of the name of Roberts, who had lived seven years on this island, and two on that of St. Christina, where, according to his account, he )iad been landed from an English merchant ship, because he refused to join the crew in a mutiny. He appeared in all respects like the natives, having no other dress than a girdle about his loins. He told them, that being married into the royal family of Nukahiwa lie was held in great consideration by the islanders. He warned the Russians against a Frenchman, who had been some years among Ibem: this man he represented as having made several attempts against his life. * Here too, then/ says Captain Krusenstern, * was found that inborn |jatred which exibts between the French and English. Not contented ii'ith disturbing the peace of the civilized world, the natives of these lecently discovered islands must also feel the influence of their detesta- ble rivalship. Flow deplorable is it, that even at this distance, among the rudest and most barbarous of mankind, where selt preservation •lone ought to have united two civiiiijed men, if even half the globe iMid interposed between their native countries, — that here two Euro- peans should so hHte one other, as ♦') seek each other's life — the En- glishman had frequently proposed a reconciliation, addinij, however, Ivith great emphasis, ' that it was easier to float the rocks than to in- toire this Frenchman with friendly sentiments.* We are sorry to observe, that Captain Krusenstern betrays, per- liaps unconsciously, a little fretfulness at the high character of the English, and a lurking desire to level it to that of other nations, at tj^e expense of his good sense, and even of his conviction : what but this could have led to his querulous declatnation, which was A A 4 totally 368 Russian Embassy to Japan. Dec. totally uncalled for ! We cannot discover the least cause for sur- prize at any want of cordiality between these two men. Roberts, by the captain's own account, was an excellent character, and highly esteemed by the natives: of his good disposition, as well as of his readiness to assist and to serve them, the Russians had a thousund proofs ; while they were daily experiencing the baseness and perfidy of the * wild Frenchman,' as they termed him. All that this man had to say against Roberts was, that he was too honest, and that his reluctance to thieving would ultimately be the cause of his dying of hunger. Of the mischievous disposition of the Frenchman, they had the following instance: he caused a report to be spread that the king was put in irons on board the Nadeshda, upon which the whole island flew to arms; and poor Roberts, in endeavouring to undeceive them, had nearly lost his life, while all intercourse was withdrawn from the Russian ships. As Captain Krusenstern has thought fit to transfer the 'inborn ha- tred' fiom two individuals to the two nations, can he be surprized, supposing the comparison of the national character to hold good with that of the two individuals in question, that they should not readily amalgamate? It is next to a physical impossibility, and we are old-fashioned enough to hope that it may hmg continue to be so; as we are not aware that, even if practicable, any good would result from such an ' union.* It will not be necessary to detain our readers with a minute ac- count of the people of Nukahiwa. The child of nature is pretty nearly the same restless, unfeeling, treacherous, and savnge animal, whether in the warm and fertile islands within the tropics, or in the barren and frozen regions near the polar circles. Those, however, w ho suppose a state of nature to be a stale of innocence and hap- piness, would probably find their opinions strengthened by a short visit to the Marquesas, the natives of w hich, in their manners and appearance, are highly prepossessing. By Captain Cook they are described as the iinest race of people in the whole Pacific. Men- dana considered them as a noble and elegant race of men, and de- scribes the females as paragons of beauty. Seven young women, who swam otf to the 7>«^ quite naked, except a few gceen leaves tied roimd their middle, are represented by Captain Wilson as ex- quisitely handsome, and so finely shaped, that they might have served as models for the painter and the statuary; and they are described as possessing such symmetry of features, and such health- ful glow of complexion, that their equals were rarely to be met with. These beautiful creatures continued to play about in the water, and to swim round the ship, till at length, by calling out piteously * Waheine,' — we are women, — the missionaries were prevailed upon to let them come on board, where they had an ex- cellent peop but i of t well- lar. Dbc. 1811. Russian Emhassi/ to Japan. 569 ise for sur- Poberts, racter, and as well as ssians had a the baseness 1 him. All he was too ately be the isposition of le caused a 1 board the s; and poor arly lost his ussian ships. * inborn ha- )e surprized, to hold good should not ihty, and we )ntinue to be good would a minute ac- nre is pretty ivjige animal, lies, or in the )se, however, nee and hap- ed by a short manners and Jook they are cilic. Men- men, and de- oung women, gfeen leaves Wilson as ex- ^' might have and they are il such health- ily to be met about in the jy calling out lonarics were ey had an ex- cellent cellcnt opportunity of surveying their persons: — a * lemptation,' says the journaliist, ' which no one, without great restraints from God's grace, could have resisted.' The favourable part of Captain Krusenstern's account of the people of Nukahiwa differs little from those above-mentioned; but he goes farther than they have done, and gives the whole of their character. He describes the men as tall, elegant, well-made ligures, some considerably above six feet high, muscu- lar, with handsome shaped heads, and well-turned necks; the countenance expressive of goodness, but the eye deficient in ani- mation. The women might be considered as beautiful in any country. The head approached more to a round than an oval ■.form ; the eye was large and sparkling, but wanted the expression of feeling and feminine softness. Their skin was remarkably clear, a blooming colour suffused their cheeks; their teeth were good, and their curling hair was gracefully entwined in a white band in a tasteful and becoming manner : great frankness and good humour ; were apparent in all their countenances. Their figures, however, were not good; they were rather short, and ill-proportioned; the lower part of the body was protuberant, even in girls of eighteen, and they had all of them an unseemly carriage. Uoth men and women ni|inifested the best po:;sible disposition in their intercourse with the Russians, assisting them in cutting wood and lilling water, and always appearing pleased and happy. In bartering they shew- ed an unusual degree of confidence; and though thieving seems to be the natural propensity of uneducated man, yet during the ten days which the Russians continued among them, the only theft com- mitted was that of an iron hoop from a cask on shore. We must now take a short view of the reverse of tiie picture. ; We are told, that when the men who had come on board with co- ' coa-nnts, bananas, and bread-fruit, were gone in the evening on shore, at least a hundred women remained swimming round the ship, sometimes for five hours to;;edier, throwing themselves into the most indecent attitudes, and entreating in the most earnest manner to be taken on board : in short, they are described as ad- dicted to all manner of debauchery; and it is stated that girls of ten or twelve years of age, and one, in particular, not exceeding eight, were among the most forward to offer themselves for pro- stitution. Captain Krusenstern seems to think, however, that this remarkable debasement of the female character was not so much I the effect of levity and unruly passions, as the consecpience of un- natural and tyrannical orders from their husbands and fathers ; as it was observed, that when the women returned in the morning, the men swam off to meet and deprive them of the prcscals which they '' had received on board. With 370 Russian Embassy/ to Japan. De*. ^fii. P With every inclination to look with a charitable eye on the fail- ings of the fair, we have our doubts how far the ladies of the Mar- quesas can with propriety be exculpated from the charge of * levity.' The examination of * a jury of matrons,' which the chastity of the missionary Harris had provoked, while asleep, indicates, at least, a turn for something very near it, even thouiih they may not, as Captain Wilson has it, * be abandoned and given up to wickedness.' We are told, besides, that adultery is practised with impunity; that, as a natural consequence of it, the greatest indifference prevails between husbands and wives, and between parents and children; and that mothers never suckle their infants, which are mostly brought up by the nearest relations, and fed upon fruits and raw iish. It has been supposed by former visitors, that the Marquesas were exempt from the horrid practice of child-murder, and all the other evils produced by the accursed A rreoe society of which we have heard so much on the other southern islands ; that hogs only were offered as sacrifices, and not human victims. We have now the testimony of Captain Krusenstern collected from the reports of the English- man and Frenchman, who had long dwelt among them, and who were always glad of the opportunity of contradicting each other's statements, that these people, who possess such suavity of manners, and whose seemingly good disposition has Ijeen the theme of praise from every tongue, are, in fact, the worst of cannibals; that in times of famine, which are not uncommon, women and children are eagerly devoured; that the law only of the strongest then pre- vails, and the weak and helpless are sure to be selected as the first victims; that in fact they have a relish for human flesh, and that war is expressly made to enable them to gratify this horrible appe- tite. Both the Europeans had witnessed the scenes which then take place ; both had seen them tearing the flesh of their victims with savp.ge and disgusting avidity, and completing the feast by sipping the blooi out of the skull. In corroboration of this statement, human skulls, with a hole in the back part, were offered to the Russians for sale,; all their wea- pons were ornamented with human hair, and human bones were attached to all their household furniture. * Their usual mode of v/aifiic is to be constantly watching for, and secretly butchering, their prey, which they never fail to devour on the spot. He who shews the greatest skill in these arts, who can lie the longest on his belly with the least motion, who can breathe the most softly, run the swiftest, and spring with the greatest agility from rock to rock, obtains the greatest share of reputation. In all these acquire- ments the Frenchman particularly excelled, and he has frequently enter- tained us with a relation of his exploits, and of the numbers slain by him in this mode of carrying on war, with a minute detail of all the circum- stances silences tall enei flish, b< ^Oft1 cbubt ; rtsigne" iksh. stition, m thu i^othei ilfgete ' * The t&e pu: ■ savages cilemies Mood-tl tie occ lirolong elapsed tie re to i^ mere be perf( and the A no udands Any sp and his it seem lishmai wd frc cAoudS; sftven J of his dt fam Con wl jfrove the Sa ttmity ^lit hi cbnnt, self a f manners, le of praise lis; that in pd children It then pre- as the first I, and that rible appe- fvhich then leir victims e feast by h a hole in their wea- ones were ig for, and our on the :an lie the ; the most from rock e acquire- lUly enter- iiin by him le circum- stances stiknces attending these events. But he assured us, and even Roberts, fail enemy, did him the justice to say, that he had never eaten human flish, but always exchanged his victims for hogs.' ' Of the existence of cannibals we can no longer entertain any doubt ; but we confess ourselves rather spectical as to the usually rtjsigned motive for their becoming so, namely, the love of human ffesh. We can conceive that famine, revenge, and even super- ration, may drive these wretched men to this horrible expedient ; l^t that they should make war for the sole purpose of eating one dbother, is too monstrous to be believed : indeed the following pas- flUge tends to shew that they are rather averse from war. * The war is continued until one of the chiefs demands a truce for t&e purpose of celebrating a dance-feast, the Olympic games of those «|vages; they agree upon a term, and all parties, friends as well as eilemies, assist in the preparations ; and as a proof that these rude and Wood-thirsty men take no pleasure in a continued state of warfare, but ale occasionally glad to live in peace and security, they frequently ji^olong the time for making these preparations. Six months had «iapsed since the last truce was proclaimed, and eight months more tiere to pass belore the feast, although the extent of the preparations ii| merely that of making a sort of plivtform, on which the dancing is to hp performed. After the termination of the feast they return home, and the war re-commences in all its vigour. Another salutary contrivance which prevails over all the Pacific idands is that of declaring a person or place Tabboo, or sacred. Any spot said to be Tabboo is a sanctuary from blood. The king and his whole family are 'Tabboo ; the priests (for there are priests it seems, though no religion) are Tabboo; and Roberts the Eng- lishman, from his superior knowledge, which, in fact, is power, aiid from a general belief that all European ships come from the clouds, was Tabboo: but, as Captain Krusenstcrn observes, a sfiven years* acquaintance with him had probably tarnished the lustre of his divinity. Indeed he expressed some fear that the next war dt famine, or the death of the high-priest, who was then verj' ill Con which occasion three human beings must be sacrificed) might jfrove fatal to him. Captain Krusenstern oflFered to convey him to Ae Sandwich islands, from whence he would easily find an oppor- tlinity "" jetting to China, but he could not prevail on himself to dtiit his wife, who had just brought him a son. By his own ac- 4X)unt, he led n happy and independent life ; he had built for him- illf a neat house, situated in the midst of a grove of cocoa-trees, fkk one side of which was a rivulet, and on the other a mineral ^ring trickling down a rock. He possessed a piece of land, which he cultivated witli skill and diligence, introducing such improve- ittents as sugge^5ted themselves from time to time. The French- man V2 Russian Embassy to Japan. De c. liu. man being less respected, had less confidence in the Nukahiv.as. Having stolen on board, and stowed himself away when the Na- deshda was leaving the harbour, the Russians carried him to Karn- schatka and left him there to pass a Siberian winter, or to find his way home in the best maunner he could. Being grievously disappointed in not procuring any refreshments except the bread-fruit, cocoa-nuts, bananas, and water, the two ships steered for Owyhee, the principal of the Sandwicli islands, where they met with no better success. The inhabitants would not part with any thing but in exchange for cloth. Iron, which a few years ago was the only object of their rapacity, they now seemed to despise ; knives, scissars, hatchets, Scc. they scarcely deigned to look upon. They were already arrived at such a degree of luxury, that nothing would satisfy them which was not calculated to flatter their vanity. The Russian ships being unprovided with any thing of this kind, and the crews perfectly heahhy, Captain Krusenstern resolved that the Nadeshda should make the best of her way to Kamschatka. On crossing the northern tropic they had a calm of two days, the sea was without the least motion, its surface like a mirror, corresponding completely with the name of Pacific, so justly given to this vast ocean. Dr. Horner availed himself of this opportunity to ascertain the temperature of the sea at different depths. The mercury in Six's thermometer gave the following results : Diff. Surface 50.3. S Reaumur at 25 fathoms. 19.7 8 I Fahrenheit 2* 50 fathoms. 17.3 3.2 7h 125 fathoms. 13.3 7.2 17" When on the equator, the mercury, at the depth of 100 fathoms, fell from 22^ to 12| of Reaumur, making a difference of 9$ orCJ.S**, of Fahrenheit. Off Cajjc Horn the difference at 100 fathoms' depth was only U Reaumur, the mercury at the surface being 2i, and at the depth aforesaid 1 2 . Count Romanzow had given particular instructions to Captain Krusenstern to look out very diligently for an island to the east- ward of Japan, abounding with gold and silver. A iinal hope was entertained that this El Dorado, which had in vain been sought for by the Spaniards and Dutch 2(X) years ago, and which had eluded the searth of Cook, Clarke, Dixon, Vancouver, La Pe- rouse, Colnet, Broughton, and many others, was reserved for a Rus- sian discovery, and that its rich mines of gold and silver were des- tined to fill the cotFers of the Emperor Alexander. In vain, how- ever, did Captain Krusenstern, both in his passage to Kamtschatka, and Dec. Nukahivas. hen tlie Na- lim to Karn- r to find his efreshments ter, the two rich islands, ts M ould not which a few now seemed > deigned to e of luxury, ed to flatter th any thing Krusenstern of her way liad a cahn surface like Pacific, so himself of I at different followinf 9S or (1^°, 00 fathoms' :e being o^, to Captain to the east- \\ hope was )een sought which had 3r, La Pe- ^ for a Rus- I' w ere des- vain, how- imtschatka, and l|id from thence to Japan, use all diligence to discover those golden rteions which have long been exploded from the charts. ■^ Captain Krusenstern is somewhat dissatisfied with the English tvernment for not publishing the discoveries of Colnet and Iroughtou along the coasts of Japan, which omission he seems to Unk,. * would almost lead to the conclusion, that it purposely iifished to cone* il them.' We are not much afraid of any suspi- «on of this kind, or that our travellers and voyagers will put their indies under a bushel. Captain Broughton has published the !ry little which he did discover ; and Captain Colnet proba- bly did not publish because he had nothing to connnunicate. His i^as a voyage of private speculation ; but we have seen his jour- llal, and can assure Captain krusenstern, that all he says of the Islands to the northward of Fatsisio, which he accidentally observed jjb be laid down on some old charts, is to the following purport : ,f I had every reason to doubt their existence ; but as it continued ^hick weather, it was my business to avoid rather than seek for their iitualion.' The fact is, that on all the old Spanish and Dutch jf^harts, islands, rocks, and shoals, are laid clown on very slender Authority, and frequently without any authority at all : those that ave any existence are invariably misplaced several degrees with ^regard to their longitude ; w hi<-h, in the longest voyages, the Dutch leven at this day are satisfied to determine by the compass and the log- line ! V On the ISth of July the Nadeshda made the land near Shipuns- 'toynoss, and on the 1 5lh came to auclior in tlie harbour of St. Peter •Imd St. Paul, after a passage of five months and a half from the 'Brazils, and 1 1 mouths from Cronstadt, having lost only one man. |Here they were detained nearly two months, waiting for thegover- fnor and for supplies, both of which had to come from Nischney 'Kamschatsk, a distance of 700 versts : these supplies were the ■'whole winter's stock of provisions which the governor had laid in ^for his own consumption. He sent likewise to VVeschnoy Kamt- ;«chatsk, a distance of 4(^) versts, for ////et' oxen belonu,ing to the fcrown, and tno others his own property, the whole that could be ^spared ; a pretty strong proof of the scarcity of provisions in this tdistant and dreary corner of the globe. . On the ()th of September the Nadeshda left Kamschatka, en- j countering nmny hard gales of wind, and much rain, which pre- ' vented them from making as many observations as they wished in "these little frequented and almost unknow n seas. Tt l>rightened up, however, on their approach towards tiie soudiern extremity of Ja- pan, affording them an opportunity ofninking some remarks on the numerous islands and channels through which it is necessary to pass, 374 Russian Embassy to Japan. Dec 1«11 pass, in order to reach the harbour of Naiigasaki, where they au- cliored about the middle of October. Captain Krusenstern complains, and not >vithout reason, of the defective manner in which most of those islands and channels are laid down, in the few old charts which exist, of the coast of Japan. He speaks with becoming indignation of the Dutch, who, with more opportunities, have done le^s for geographical and nautical science, than any other maritime nation of J'Lurope. All that we inow of Japan is due to Kasmpter and Thunberg, neither of whom were Dutchmen. * Can this res'^rve,' sa}S Captain Kruseustern, * proceed from fear of the government of Japan, or is it to be as- cribed to indolence and a narrow policy ?' The first cannot be tlie case; as both Kiempfer aud Thunberg belonged to the Dutch fac- tory, and were regarded as Dutchmen ; and their works are read in Japan by all the. interpreters. It cannot be from indolence, be- cause a Dutchman is proverbially known as a pains-taking animal ; nor is he deficient in mental capacity : one cannot therefore, as Captain Krusenstern observes, * Forbear attributing this reserve on ho part of the Dutch, to an ab- surd policy, at variance with the true s^^irit of a philosophical age, and quite unworthy a republican government. Has the connnerce of Eng- land,' he asks, ' suffered any thing by the liberality of her government in this respect, or, has that of the Dutch gained any thing by her con- temptible and disgusting secrecy ?' We can safely answer in the negative as far as regards her con- nection with every nation, except Japan ; and if we are not deceiv- ed, .1 brief retrospect of European intercourse with this country, will shew us, that even here, their base and treacherous conduct to- wards other nations, and the degrading, »nd humiliating point of view in which they have placed their own, have been but Ul com- pensated by the exclusive privilege of a paltry trade, and a slavish submission of two hundred years to the whim and caprice of an ar- bitrary and despotic government. The empire of Japan was never heard of* in Europe until the publication of Marco Polo's extraordinary travels. His Zipangu was totally new, and the account of it considered as fabulous ; but its existence could not long be doubted, nor its position mistaken, the name being in fact its real Chinese appellation, Je-pun-quOf * the kingdom of the rising sun.' It remained unvisited, however, by Europeans, till the year 1^42, w hen a Portugueze of the name of Fernando Mendez Pinto, with two of his countrymen, having embarked at Macao in a Chinese vessl, on a voyage to the Lieou- quieou islands, were thrown by a storm on the coast of Japan, where they were treated with great humanity ; the Chinese Captain was allowed to trade ; and Pinto was sent for to the court of the king of •fBi Itctec tlun •tmel l4cu| fB- sol Wnl jtctol ^Kistii] Sew ^loulj »er, •ired liealu allow ^orti iiaci (irdini •eligi< They dities Msrs c •overt Moth image fpdcl well a 4on < grogr In «phii lie wt aectic lltpani Ikatt tion < ) Tl #id I •hips fount !ltf>on Willi Herf I Dec 1«11- Russian Embassi/ to Japan, 375 ^here they au- reason, of the d channels are oast of Japan, :h, who, wit}) and nautical AH that we ither of whom I Kruseostern, is it to be as- cannot be tlie le Dutch fac- ks are read in idolence, be- iking animal ; therefore, as itch, toanab- hical age, and inerce of Eug- ir government ig by her con- ards her con- e not deceiv- this country, i conduct to- ting point of but ill coni- and a slavish ice of an ar- )pe until the iis Zipangu buious; but )n mistaken, Je-pun-quOf d, however, )f the nau)e nen, having ) the Lieou- '. of Japan, ese Captain t of the king of «f Bungo, who, having heard of the strangers, and sagaciously col- liicted from the circumstance, that the world had in it more people ^n themselves and the Chinese supposed, was resolved to make tfime farther inquiries into the matter. Pinto had the good fortune 1^ cure the king of the gout by a Chinese drug, w hich procured him l|l sorts of honour and distinction. An unlucky accident, however, Ijllid nearly proved fatal to him. Pinto had a gun which was an ob- MCt of universal admiration. The hereditary prince, having clan- destinely got hold of it, charged it so high, that it burst and nearly Uew oil' his thumb, 'ilie bonzes pretended that it was a conspi- ficy against the life of the prince, and recommended that Pinto iliould be oU'ered as a sacrifice to the Gods. The young man, how- iyer, who had only fainted from the pain, on coming to himself de- •{red to be put under the care of the stranger, who succeeded in kenling him. He was now loaded with presents and after some time allowed to depart. From this moment Saint Xavier and a host of l|?ortugueze Jesuits crossed over to Japan in trading vessels from liiacao, Goa, and their other establishments in India. These extra- ordinary men, who had the knack of accommodating the Christian iriigion to the principles and practice of the religion of those whom Aey meant to convert, succeeded beyond all expectation in Japan. jThey baptized kings, viceroys, and magistrates ; and in the great oities of Meaco and Jeddo, thousands daily enlisted under the ban- MBrs of the Cross. The similarity of tlie functions of the spiritual •Overeign at Meaco and of th^^Pope, the resemblance of the Holy Mother to the Virgin Mary, with all the inferior appendages of wages, dress, shaved heads, tingling of bells, burning of incense, #id chaunting of orisons ; tlie state of celibacy to which bonzes as Hrell as monks were doomed, — all tended to facilitate the introduc- 4on of the catholic religion into Japan ; and the rapidity of its Irogress is almost incredible. In 1609, a Spanish governor of the Phillipine isles was wrecked fn his passage to New Spain, upon the coast of Japan, from whence lie was forwarded to Acapulco in a ship constructed under the di- iKctions of an Englishman of whom we shall presently speak. The Spaniards returned the obligation by an embassy in 16 1 1, and from Ikat time shared with tlie Portugueze in the commerce and conver* tion of the Japanese. ; The Dutch owed their first knowledge of Japan to an accident, 9fnd their establishment in that country to an Englishman. Four ihips were fitted out in the Texel in the year 1598, for a voyage found Cape Horn to the East Indies, three of which were wrecked 4tt)on the coast of America, and the fourth, which was piloted by William Adams, an Englishman, found its way to the coast of Japan. Here they had the ill fortune to meet with some Portugueze Jesuits t who 376 Russian EmlasfHf to Jnpan. Dec. 1811 who endeavoured to persuade the Japanese to hang them up ait pirates. Luckily, however, the emperor had been apprized o| this vessel, and had the curiutiity to send for the pilot to court. Adams w'M an ingenious man, and soon worked himself into favour, He explained to him the ditTerent kingdoms of the world, drew him charts, instructed hint in geometry, and built him ships.. In short, the Kmperor took so !2,reat a liking to him, that he never would be prevailed on to sutler him to leave Japan; but at his so- licitation he allowed the Dutch ship, in which he had come, to pro- ceed to Jialavia, with pcrinissiou to return for the purposes of trade. The Dutch gladly availed dunisclves of this opening ; and, on their second visit, by nit ans of Adams, had all the diHiculties which the Portugueze and Spaniards are staled to have thrown in.their way easily removed ; at his request they were allowed the farther indulgence of establishing a factory on the island Firando, in the year 1 6 1 1 . There can be little doubt that many letters written by x\dam.s were suppres.sed by the Dutch, as pne only reached England, ad- dressed to his unknown friends and eountrynieu at Limehouse, or Gillingham. Another of his letters, however, fell into the hands of die English at Bantam, who, in consequence thereof, in the year l6l.'5, dispatched the Clove, commanded by John Saris, with the view of establishing a commercial intercourse with Japan, On his arrival at Eirando he was well received, and Adams shortlj made his appearance to convey him to court, where a licence was without ditiiculty obtained for the English East India Company '> ships to come to any of the ports of Japan without let or hin- drance ; to buy, sell, and barter, free from all duties, and at their pleasure depart; to establish a factory, and trade freely with the subjects of Japan. Such signnl favours could noi. fail to bring upon ' the Engli.sh the hatred of the Dutch, who, being vastly superior in point of numbers, proceeded to all sorts of violence and personal outrage against them ; but the latter maintained their ground bj having a good friend in Adams at court. From some unknown cause, however, (probably from some indications of the gathering storm,) the English speedily withdrew from Japan, and a vioh. U persecution of the Christians took place, which ended in the total extirpati(m of Christianity out of the empire. The Dutch lav the whole blame on the Portugueze Jesuits, who, they say, instead of continuing to observe that moderation and humility which first gained them the esteem of the Japanese, grew proud, insolent, and dissolute ; continually intriguing at court, and meddling with state affairs ; * making the direction of consciences much less their care than the direction of councils.' On the other hand, the Portu- gueze gucze iot c lbbri( dethr io av enou{ Astab the im i\'er, tfaisd •wo c l^ress iestati ll'odui ij^pon ^ Th 1639, Ish ti Ihki V Japan ibterp iiete i Ingli.> ftrince liid in ^mevi rords, linipt the 1 Thi Engl is gjarecl alcul doast i J791, t&e hai teit he Ipetely wood «|id ha Obncei count ! and hii ^roug . VOL I Dec. g tlicrn up a^ apprized ot lot tu cuuit. f into favour, world, dre\f 111 si lips. In that he nevci but at his so- ;ome, to pro- oses of trade. lug ; and, on culties which rown in .their !d the farther raudo, in the en by Adams blngland, ad- l .Liniehouse, fell into the lence thereof, )y John Saris, e with Japan, Vdauis short!) a licence was ia Company'!- let or hill- and at their eely with the to bring upon ly superior in and personal ir ground by me unknown the gatherin}; and a viob. U d in the total le Dutch lay •y say, instead ty which first , insolent, and ng with state ess their care d, the Portu- guezc 1811. Russian Embassy to Japan. 377 gueze complain of the treacherous conduct of the Dutch, who iot only propagated all manner of slanders to their discredit, but Ibbricated accounts of plots, the supposed object of which was to dethrone the emperor, and subvert the government ; and add that, lo avert the storm after the persecution had begun, they were base enough to abjure Christianity, and to take the abominable test established by the Japanese, which required them to trample on Ihe image of the Virgin Mary, and on the cross. Thunberg, how- ever, denies that the Dutch, in his time, were called upon to perform ibis disgraceful ceremony, though he admits that it is observed ft)r •wo or three days annually, at Nangasaki, by the J;H)anesie, to im- l^ress on the minds of the rising generation an abhorrence and de- testation of the Christian religion, and of the Portugueze who in- Ik'oduced it; a ceremony which even children in the arms are called lipon to perform. ^ The Portugueze were completely routed from Japan in the year 1639, and no farther attempts were made on the part of the Eng- lish till 1()73, when the East India Company sent a ship to Nanga- lliki with a letter from his Britannic Majesty to the Emperor of Japan. The governor, having gone on board with some Dutch Ibterpreters, asked a luunberof questions, and among others, which Were evidently suggested by the Ditlch, what sort of Christians the Inglish were, and if King Charles was not married to a Portiiguezc firincess.'' The result of the examination was sent to the Emperor, 4id in the mean time the English were confined to their ship. In ^mewhat less than a month the Eniperor's commands were wrought on board with great soleinnity, and pronounced in a few words. * The Emperor cannot permit any interconrse with his do- minions to the subjects of a prince who has married the daughter of the King of l,\'rtugal.' t Thus ended all conmumication with Japan on the part of the Snglish till the year 180.3, (the same year in which the Russians ap- fieared there,) wlien a ship was sent on a mercantile speculation from Qalcutta ; she was refused admittance, and ordered to leave the coast in twenty-four hours. Captain Colnet had, indeed, in the year 1791, skirted the western coast M'ith the viev*' of entering some of tile harbours, for the purpose of opening a trade with the natives, Ibit he was every where repulsed by the guard boats which com- petely blocked up all access : they readily supplied him with Wood and water, which they brought on board, free of expense; tSkd having done this, they clamoured out curre, curve, which he Obnceived to signify * get away ;' but which it seems, from the ac- count given by Captain Saris, is a term of reproach with which he mud his companions were assailed by the mob in all the townia rough which they passed, Core, core, cocori ware : * You Coreans, VOL. VI.NO.XII. BB with ii78 Russian Embassi/ to Japan. Dec. V ilh false hearts.' To all the entreaties of Captain Colnct lo be allowed to enter a harbour, they shut their eyes and stopt their ears; * by which,' says he, * 1 understood that their orders were to be deal' and blind to all that I should urge.' \\\ 1808, Captain Pellew, in the Phaeton frigate, entered the harbour Nangasaki under Dutch colours. A boat, wiUi a Ja- panese ofiicer and two Dutchmen, came oft* to meet the Phaeton's boat; but on ihe latter laying hold of the former, and the Japanese inakiii;^ some shew of resistance, the crew drew their cutlasses, and all but the two Dutchmen inunediately jumped overboard. Not- withstanding this inauspicious rencontre, the Japanese very readily scut otV the following morning an ample supply of goats, vegetables, lirc-wooil neatly cut hito lengths, and water, for which they re- fused nay juiuucnt; nor could they be prevailed on to accept the least tritlc in retinu: aU llicy required was, that the vessel would dcpait, Itiiving the iiiliabitants uiunolested ; and we may safely M iiture to say that Uuy iit\er \vi.'h to st e an {'English frigate again. it would appear fiom iliis brief sketch of iuuopean inteicouise with Japan, that ihc exclusion of foteigners formed no part of the constitution of that govnmnent; but that all the rigid and [)re- cautiouary measures adopted by it, owe their existence entirely to the conduct of those Einopeans who gainevith a Ju- ic Phaetoii's he Japuiicsu utlusses, and )ar(l. Nol- very readily , vegelables, licli lliey re- ) accept the vessel N\ou]d may safely Vi^ale again. I ii)teicuuiso J part of llie ;id and pie- ;e eiilirely to / aduiilt'.uico lealonsy tii>t ke|)t up by ^e eonbenl«.(l umablti and and morti- )ii board of ents and as- and neigli- es that tlicy ewhat more Dutch and y to Jeddo, itionul and, itraordinary 'cpeetatiouH, Tlie ani- e kept close shut up for the bay of iptaiu Kru< mi me, al- tlie sum of our 1811 tttis%ian Krfibmntf to Japan, m iour knowledge is «o small, however, every addition mu^t be coix- lidored as valuable. 1? The Hrsi proceedings of the Japanese, after ihe Xadeslida au- V^hored, were to take possession of all the powder and hrt-arnis, even to the fowlinjjr pieces of the othcers, and to send diciii on shore; llir next step was to forbid any of ihe llussians to land, or tvrn to row about die haibotir wiUiiii a short distance of the >-liip. In fact, she was surrounded by a circle of ihirty-two guard boats, through which no o»ie was allowed to pass. And when two Dutch ^Vessels, that were lying in the harbour, were about to dcptiit, a message was .^ent to Captain Krusenslern diKntiiig hini on no ac- tount to return their salute, which lie was rar» iully inlonncd w*as liot meant as a compliment to the Kussian>, but in honour of thd iEinperor of .lapan. • It was not till after a negociation of six weeks that permission V'ns obtained for them to take an ocr ision;d walk on \Uv b(:i( h op- |)osife to the ship. This walk' was 100 paces lor.g I)y40wiile, shut in on the land side by a hi;.':li fence of bamboos, and guarded Jby a watch-house at each end; this indulgciK-e was giaiitcd on the plea of the ill-slate of the anibassailor's hcalih. I'^eiy boat pas- sing to and from the ship to ihis walk was conducted by a Iket cff twelve or fifteen Japanese vessels. All intercourse with the Dutch Ihips was interdicted in die most positive manner; uui when these faded for IJatavia, not a letter was allowed to be sent, except one from the ambassador to the Emperor of Itussia, and in this he was flirccted to conline lii:n;elf strictly to the transactions of his voyage. *'liis letter was first translated into Dutch; a copy of it was theil |cia(le with such accmacy that every line e.uled with the same letter is the original; diis was deposited with the g')\(inor; the original |vas then sealed up in his presence, and carried on board by tw o of ||is secretaries. 5s ot satisfied with all these precautions, we are |old by Captain Krusenstern, that * When llie Diitcli sliips sailed, he received an order on rio account whatever to send a boat oft" to them; and when I hailed Captains .Mus» Suelier and Belinark to wi'^h them a prosperous voyage as ihey passed y me, and to ask alter their health, the only reply lliey iuatle was a ilgn with their speaking trumpets; these Captains, as we afterwards . fcarned, having been strictly forhidilen to utter a single syllable in reply lb any question that might be asked.' ^ iSonie little time after their arrival at Nangasakl, the director of We Dutch factory, Mynheer Van Doeff, his secretary, a liaron jrabst, and the two Captains of the Dutch ships, attended by some •f the I'janjos or inferior magistrates of the town, paid a visit to |he Nadeshda; and, as if these Japanese wished to exhibit to th© llusbiaus the state of degradation in which they held the Dutch, * - B B 2 they 380 Russian Embassy to Japan. Dec. they kept the latter waiting a full hour alongside before they gave them leave to come on board. On their entering the cabin, the interpreter called out in an abrupt and insolent manner, * Mynheer opperlwofd, compliment voor den opper Banjos.^ * Mr. Director, pay your respects to the chief Banjos !' The coni])liment which * Mynheer opperhoofd' is thus called upon to pay to these petty of- ficers, who have a mere temporary commission from the governor of Nangasaki, consists of an inclination of the body, so as to form , a right angle, in which position Mynheer is to remain with extended arms until permitted to stand upright, which is not until a lapse of several minutes ; and this abject act of servility is not returned even with a nod from the Banjos. When called on to do homage to the Emperor of Japan, the representative of the Dutch falls on his knees, and touches the ground with his forehead several times. This ceremony being performed, himself and his suit are then pa- raded through the streets of the capital to the houses of twelve or fourteen of the principal officers of the court, for the purpose of being exhibited to their W'»men and children. ' When the ambassador at length received permission to land, a build- ing, sufficiently large it is true, was appropriated ft)r his reception ; but the seven towers of Constantinople were scarcely so well guarded as our ambassador's tnegasahy. It was situated so near the sea that the tide flowed close up to the windows. When 1 say windows, indeed, I make use of an improper expression, which can hardly be applied to a square hole about a foot wide, filled with lattice v;)ik so as to adinit only a glimmering light. A high bamboo fence surrounded the whole building, not only on the land side, but on that next the sea, in spite of the waves, the protection of which the Japanese did not consider to be sufficient. Two rows of bamboos were carried from the door down to the sea to the low water mark, so that boats could land only between this fence. A large gate with double locks closed the entrance on this side. An officer stationed in a boat near the ship was entrusted with the key of the outer lock, and another in the house with that of the itmer ; so that the keeper of the outer key attended every boat going on shore to open his lock, after which the ollicer of the inside was called upon to open his. In like manner, when the inside porter opened his lock, the porter afloat was hailed to go on shore to opeu the outer lock. The land side was guarded with the same precaution. A strong double locked gate closed the boundary of a small yard attached to the ambas- sador's house, and surrounded by guard houses, in which twelve officers and their men jelieved each other daily on this duty : three other ent'iir new buildings were run up to si-rve as the residence of other officer* Kvhose only employment must have been to keep a watciit'ul look out upon us, and upon their own people. The number of persons cominj; on shore was always accurately taken, and the boat was not allowed to return without taking the same number, so that when any of the officers • wished to pass the night at Me^asahy, one of the ambassador's train was obliged Dec. 1811. Russian Embassy to Japan. 381 •e they gave 3 cabin, the , * Mynheer tr. Director, ment which icse petty of- the governor 5 as to form , ilh exteiided il a lapse of etunied even > homage to 1 falls on his ^veral times, are then pa- of twelve or e purpose of lanil, abuild- Trption ; but ;uarcled as our that the tide ws, indeed, I ajn)liod to a 1 us to admit dcil the whole sca, ill si)ite of consider to be door down to only between trance on this listed with the ; of the inner ; oins^ on shore s called upon ■ned his lo(k, ter lock. Tlic strontj; double to the anibas- twelve officers ?e other entire other officer* chful look out )ersons coining not allowed to ' of the officers lor's train was obliged obliged to go back to the ship in his stead ; and in like manner, if any one belonging to the ambassador had occasion to sleep on board, one of ^the seamen was sent on shore to supply his place.' These fellows are qualified to give instructions to Buonaparte, »nd we shall not be surprized if, when the Dutch factory is routed ?"rom Nangasaki, we hear of its members being transported to the fnou»!is of the Ems and the Weser to act in the capacity of dou- ■ftniert Japanese precision, it would seem, extends only to number, and is indifferent as to quality. In fact, it is quite evident, that the officers and subjects of his Japanese majesty are mere automatons ; incapable of judging of the spirit of an order, they are afraid of departing an iota from the letter of it. We recollect, in Thunberg, A ludicrous instance of their scrupulous adherence to precedent. He had obtained leave of the governor to botanize in the vicinity of the town, in consequence of its appearing that a similar per- mission had been given to a Dutch surgeon some years before. ■Onexamining more closely, however, it was discovered thatthe Dutch botanist was a surgeon's mate, whereas Thunberg was a full-grown Isurgeon, upon which the indulgence was immediately withdrawn, fcs not consistent with the laws of the empire, which, as in China, fire the recorded mandates of a series of despots. Of the ex- ' |reme absurdity of some of their laws, if they may be so called, rthe following instance, given by Captain Krusenstern, may serve bs a specimen. One of the Japanese, who had been brought from i^ussia in the suite ol the ambassador, in a fit of despondency made an attempt to put an end to his existence, by cutting liis throat with a razor. The physician and the surgeon of the Jembassy instantly prepared to stanch the blood ; but the Japanese ^Ucrt'd interposed, asserting that it w ould be unprecedented to take tiny measures until the governor's orders had been received. It Vas in vain to t( II them that the nran might die in the interim : he \vas left to bleed on till the arrival of some of the Banjos, who de- clared that it would have been quite irregular for the Uussian doc- tors to save the life of a Japane^^e ; and he was accordingly turned Over to the faculty to be dealt w ith according to the laws and insti- tutions of Japan. ' V\'e are not told by Captain Krusenstern what was the nature of the negociations carried on between the ambassador and the go- vernment. It would seem, however, that the mission was more of t complin)entary tli;m of a direct commercial character. They tonthuied for nearly six months without making any apparent J)rogress, the ambassador being in the mean time amused with a variety of fallacious promises, while expresses were constantly arriving from the temporal sovereign at Jeddo, and the spiritual ruler at Meaco, to both of which places he was led to suppose it li li J "^was 38S Russian Embassy to Japan, Dec. was Intended he should proceed, especially after the rec j'lpt of an order to land all the presents. Among these were some mirrors of a reniarkabjy large size Captain Krusenstern inquired of the in- • terpreter in what manner thty proposed to convey them to Jeddo; he replied, that, like every odier present for his imperial majesty, they must be carried by men : the Captain affirmed that this would be impossible, as each of them would require at least sixty bearers, to be relieved at every half mile. The interpreter Ioaki, to whose presenee, after a negociation of four days, the andntssador was ad- milted, on agreeing to pay to the representative of the Japanese emjieroK, the same compliment whieh Europeans are accustomed to pay lo their own sovereigns; on condition, however, that he left be- }iind him his sword and his shoes, and that he should sqiuit on the floor with his feet tucked under him, it being quite inipossible to allow hiiM to exhibit them to so great a man. >ioUiing piissed at this audience, but an exchange of compliments, and a fi;vv insigni- ficant questions. A second was conducted with j)retty nearly the fiamc ceremony, and concluded bv the plenipotentiary delivering to %i\ m Dec. c ipt of an e minors of d of the in- n to Jeddo; ia! majesty, xi tliis woidd i\l) bearers, >(;kinf^ stead- gilt that any t >ear,' con- le Emperor 1 all the way .1811. Russian Embassy to Japan. o 83 1 ipan is never ill. -one. A he east coast to enter any s of weather hither. The nil w'a8 much iasaki. The on the spot; op<. ration of hundred men ^angasaki he fnst time, leuipotentiary e necessity of lis, it was an- it, by his rank, ) look at the jfore to consi- paid to him. ^aki, to whose sador was ad- the Japanese lI( cnstomed to luit he left be- 1 squat on the inipossible to iintj; ptissed at a few insigni- tty nearly the ury delivering to to the ambassador a paper containing the commands of his Tm- fperial Majesty, to the following eft'ect: * That no Russian ship Jihould thenceforward be permitted to enter aiiy port of Jaj>an; 4hat the presents intended for his Imperial Majesty could not be Ijccepted, nor the letter from the Kmperor of Hussia received.' i^hus began and thus ended the important affair entrusted to the *reat plenipotentiary from Jeddo, of \\hoin nothing more was #card or seen: but it was afterwards explained by tlie interpreter, Jlliat the presents and the letter could not be accepted without other presents, and an ambassador being sent in return to Russia, which Wouhi be contrary to the laws of the empire. ''' * Sucli/ says Captain Kruscnstern, ' was the result of an embassy which -liad given rise to vast expectations. We not only i^-ained by it no new #rivaMtages, but lost even those which we before possessed, namely, a ♦ritten permission which Laxnian had obtained tor us to visit Nanga- ||aki with one ship yearly. All communication is now at an end lie- toveen Russia and Japan; unless indeed some great change should take Iflace in the ministry of Jeddo, or in the government itself, and this is firhaps not to be expected, although the interpreters flattered the am- ssador with assurances, that the treatment of him had created a great nsation throughout Japan; but particularly in the cities of Meaco and iStangasaki.' — And he adds in a note, ' By what Lieutenant Chwostofl", tj^ho visited the northern coast of Jesso in the yeai-s 1806' and 1807, liarnt from the Japanese, a revolution tlid actually take place in Jeddo, ibr which the reason assigned was the dismissal of the Russian embassy.' We did not expect that the sober good sense of Captain Kru- ;nstern would have led him to give publicity to so idle a tale. Taught from infancy to consider all numkhid as barbarians, who ive not the good fortune to be born in Japan, and conilrmed in fiis sentiment by daily experience of the most abject submii-siou oni a few miserable Dutchmen of the factory at Nangasaki, the pnly representatives of Europeans in this country, what possible il^terest could such a people take in any thing which might happen ^ a handful of Russians : I'he idea is too absurd to have occupied mie moment's attention ; unless, indeed, it was intended to flatter fne vanity of Count RomanzolT. To prevent all intercourse between the Russians and the people, tfie Japanese, like their jealous neighbours the Chinese, took great care to supply every thing that was necessary the nK)ment that the demand was made. Provisions of the best kind which Nangasaki could afford, were sent otf to the ship with the greatest punctuality ^ aH materiids, even to copper sheathing, were supplied for her repair; and before she left the bay, provisions for two months' consump- tion, together with Hl)00 lbs. of excellent biscuit, 2f)(X) sacks of •nit each weighing 30 lbs. and 100 sacks of rice of IjOlbs. each, ij B 4 were 584 Russian Embassy to Japan. D^t. mi. were sent on board as a present to the seamen ; and 2000 pieces of silk wadding for the officers; in return for which they could not be prevailed on to accept the smallest trifle. They seemed indeed to say, * You shall have all you want; but make the best of your way from our coasts the moment you have been so supplied.' The Russians were not sorry to obey the mandate; every man, from the ambassador to the cabin-boy, was heartily sick of Japan. The Japanese, on their part, were equally glad to get rid of their new visitors; they saw them sj»fe out of the bay, and desired that they would on no account attempt to enter any of their harbours in future. The Nadeshda had a very stormy and disagreeable passage round the Gotto islands on the east coast of Japan. She after- wards passed within sight of an island, which was supposed to be that of Oki. On opening the streights of Sangaur, which divide the great island of Japan from that of Jesso, the weather was suf- ficiently favourable to determine by observation the latitude and lon- gitude of the two promontories which form the western end of these streights: continuing to the northward they examined the west coast of Jesso, and discovered that the Pic de Langle and Cape Guibert of La Perouse were not on the main land of Jesso, as laid down by that navigator, but on two different islands, between which and the N. VV. coast .of Jesso, the Nadeshda passed into the streights of La Perouse, and anchored in a bay to which thev gave the name of Romanzofl.* The Natleshda w as no sooner at anchor tiian several of the na- tives of Jesso came on board. Their first salutation was to drop on their knres, lay both hands on the head, then, drawing them down the face and breast, make a profound inclination of the head. The Russians presented them with biscuit and brandy, but they seemed to have no relish whatever for the latter. One ot them brought with him as a present a boat load of excellent her- rings, which served the whole ship's company for a meal. The dried herrings are represented by Captain Krusenstern as superior to any he had ever met with, and he sagaciously observes, that as they willingly gave one hundred of them in exchange for an old brass button, the hitter must be exceedingly valuable, or the former of no value at all. This northern extremity of Jesso is described as a dreary and * If Lu PiToiise had left it (loiilui'iil, wliolher tliis leinarkable pfc and lipadland were on Jesso, or on detached islHnds, tiie want of more accurate infitrnration would aciniitcit a ready excuse ; hut to state positively in his journal what is not the fact, and to fill up in liis chart tlie line o(' the coast, and shade it all round the northern extremity, throw- ing two coiisiderahle islands into the island of Jesso, between which and them is a broad passa;i;e, tlirough which the iNudeshda navigated, is an assuiiiptiuii which merits the se- verest reprehension. most fliost the h Hang #i-th Ib^re i ment- or sn< lingh ■Dt a itace iiome ■ii^ th< ,4i50 d lln ai •iibsei «iw .#f A iiaark llie w trill iiid a Moi liie s M. vas^ .llave fl^ute cause Ihalh jlwan 'ivhici ique* SThe north f>f tl inagr on til 11 *xtre lis or liave pfB else 1 from and ■•'* T>^r.. H511. Russian Embassi/ to Japan. 385 1 2000 pieces hey could not eemed indeed St of your way pplied/ The ry man, from Japan. The of their new iied that they r harbours in eable passage 1. She aftei- upposed to be , which divide ather was suf- itude and lon- n end of these ned the west gle and Cape 1 of Jesso, as inds, between a passed into Ijay to which al of the na- n was to drop drawing them nation of the d brandy, but ler. One ol excellent hei- i meal. The m as superior serves, that as ^e for an old liable, or the a dreary and intl headland were on would admit cl fact, and to (ill up extremity, throw- rid them ii a broad hich merits the si- most fliost miserable comitry. The Russians had been sanguine in tbe hope that their late imprisonment of six months in the bay of Kangasaki would speedily be compensated by a ramble on the abrthern coast of Jesso, uncontrolled by Japanese jealousy; but huBre also they were doomed to experience a grievous disappoint- ment — all beyond a sandy beach strewed with pebbles, was bog, or snow, or deep clay, on which it was impossible to proceed a 'tingle step. In many places the snow lay in considerable depth, not a leaf was to be seen on any of the trees, nor the least appear- ance of verdure except what proceeded from a fe^ wild leeks, and some scattered beds of samphire ; yet the spring was now advanced ■ii) the middle of May, and the latitude of Romanzoff Bay is only v||b°24'; the parallel nearly on which Venice, Lyons, and Mi- Jin are situated. But even in Archangel, as Captain Krusenstern •Ipbserves, which is eighteen degrees farther to the northward, so lilw and late a season would be deemed extraordinary in the month f theory to start the question, whether the position of the magnetic pole, and the direction of its eftlnvia have any influence 0n the temperature of the atmosphere. '^ The jealousy of the Japanese pursued them even to the northern extremity of Jesso. This large island may be considered in fact us one of their colonies. In every creek and bay on the coast they liave an establishment of officers, resembling more die douaniers pf Buonaparte in Holland and the Hanse towns, than any thing else to which we can compare them. They soon received a visit from one of these officers, who seemed to be exceedingly alarmed, and entreated most earnestly that they would immediately be ^ gone J a?6 Russian Embassy to Japan. Dec ]g^l. gone ; endeavouring to terrify them, as much as he could, Avith tiie l])^|epar extreme badness of the boy, the dreadful typhons to be expected, 9(||it of and above all, the sure destruction which awaited thrni from tho tiqfnt o Japanese squadron and its terrible honi/joms ; a word of whicli lu Xll*'^ ^ frequently made use, puffing out his cheeks at thr same time aiij j^lere maiiug other antic j^esture,s, to the <2,reat amiisemeiil of the Uiis- u^^ese < sians. On being assured that the moment the fog cl«ared away ii Q^ij^ried was their intention to rjuit the bay, he became tiaii(,iiillized, ami to tlie ( communicated information respecting the neighbouring islands, p^ese < uhich was not altogether useless. superioi Passing ihe straits of La Perouse, tiiey ap,ain cijuic to anchm Capt in Aniwa bay, a deep }>;ulph in the southern extremity of SachuliM pet^ n or Saghalien, called Tclioka by La Perouse, and Karafuta hy b^y. the Japanese.* The native name, accordmg to Captain Krusen- fpi^s ai Stern, is Sandan, and that of the inhaldtants, Ainos, who are pre- wM" J* cisely the same people with those who occupy Jcsso, and tin ild^ht b whole of the Kmiles islands, that is to say,l'artars. 'J'here is abuii- P*#" ai dant reason to believe that this Sachalin or Karafuta is not an island, (J^lBJeult but a large peninsula connected with eastern I'artaiy, and that its a* *<> P name arises from the river Amour of the Russians, called Soglialicn tl|fii:n; ' Oula by the Tartars, as mentioned by Du Halde, who adds that it th# ^vat forms a long narrow gulph, which may properly be called the guljili pfiUcaut ofTartary. Captain Broughton navigated this gidph or chanjiel ThP J'l to the northward, on the western side of Sachalin, tdl he had onlv *t!^ am two fathoms of water, and the passage to the northwartl appeared says, tli to be closed by low land : at this time his latitude was .j'2° X. ajwl •"»' La Perouse vs as of opinion that there is a passage thr<»ugh this MM>ii cl channel ofTartary, making the great tract of land on the eastern ^ the side of it an island, which he calls Tchoka; but for whicli appel- Wp cai latiou there does not appear to be any authority. La Perouse, \>»tnld ho^vevfcr, continued no farther to the norths ard than .51* .'JO' where t-bftmsel he had six and nhie fathoms. \Ve have seen an old chart, without pwt m name or dale, made by some of the Porlugueze missionaries, in VV^ bci which Saglialien is laid down as a peninsula, connected with eastern ^yy " Tartary by a narrow isthmus near the spot where the Saghalien ficient 1 Oula empties itself into the sea of Ochotsk. Captain Krusensteni G^ld e rounded the nnlrl, with the be expected, uni IVom the 1 of which he line tune ami I of tile Hus- ciiieil away ii uiliized, and uing islands, nc to anc]i(>! / of Sachulin Karafuta by )tain K Hi sen- Nvho are pre- sso, and the "licre is abnii- lot an ishuid, and that its ed SaghaHcn ) adds that it led the guljih 1 or cljanjiel I he liad onlv ard appeared WAS .3^2° X. through this II the eastern vhich appel- Lu Perouse, P .'}(/ ^^ here liart, without sionaries, in I with eastern le SaghaUen krasenstern ern side, till current, oh- hat it is not hereafter to issionnrio's, tlmt Iroviiiir varifuis )_V wliich it WHS ck rittr. Ij^ leparated, if separated at all, by a shallow strait, resembling the jBt/m^t of Manaar, which divides lli<; island of Ceylon from the con- tinlnt of India, or, by an isthnvis of sand, like that which divides Tl|a>le IJay from Bay False, at the Cape of Good Hope. ^ere too they found the gulph of Aniwa, surrounded by Ja- o^jpese establishments, and many Japanese vcs.-iels taking in cargoes pl^ried fish, which they stowed in bulk from one end of the hold to tlie other, covering them over with salt. At one place the Ja- n^ese officers wore only one sword, but at anoiher, to denote M^riority iu rank, each officer wore two. •Chaplain Krusenstem seems to think that some active Euro- pepi nation would do well to form a settlement in Aniwa \fm. The natives have plenty of furs, the skins of dogs, wolves, f49l^s and dried fish, articles which wouUI always force a trade Vii^ Japan, Corea, and China. Even Kamschatka and Siberia i|M(lit be supplied, from such an estabiishment, with those Euro- pean articles which they are now obliged to procure widi great 4Jj||cuItv, and at an extravagant rate. Fish indeed arc repixssented aft f o plentiful on this coast, that nets are not neccsjsaiy to take t^lHgpi; whole pail-fulls are brought up by merely dipping ihem iu ^1 water: whales are so abundant in the bay, that it requned great pSjtcautiou in steerinj-; the boat to eyeapc being overset by them. Th^ Japanese knov nothing of the whale fishery; but spermaceti 9H^ ambergrease are in great demand among them. Broughton saye, they h:'ve horses, dogs, deer of several kinds, bears, foxes, ^llfl rabbits;-* he describes many of the vallies i!S very be:^mtiful, yK^\ clear rivers running through them; and adds, that almost ^ the shrubs indigenous in England are found growing there. "Vip cannot ihiuk, with Capt. Krusenstern, that the Japaitese Vlii.dd oiler no resistance to Europeans attempting to establish ijiftmselves on this part of Sachalin, because a failure on their port might destroy the supposed omnipotence of their Emperor. Wc believe w ith him, however, that their opposition would be per* f^iy impotent, and that a cutter or two well armed would be suf- fioienl to prevent the niost formidable armada which the Japanese G«|ild equip, from passing die Straits oi La Perouse. An esta-* bWnnent on Sachalin, he seems to think, might easily be accom- plished by Russia, were it not for die want of a n»ore frequent QWnmunication by sea between Europe and the Russian territories ioijthc north of Asia. \\c tells us, indeed, that Resanoif, on his l^nn to Europe, had set on foot a military expedition against the northern possessions of Japan, intended merely to destroy the «*r- f Dii Ilaldc «tiUes posiiivc'ly that they hi»ve QO horses, but MVi a khid of deer, reseiu- bli9g i(.in-(iccr,to draw their itledges. Japanese 388 Mttssian Embasst/ to Japan. De( Japanese establislnnonts in Aniwa bay, and on the north side oi Jesso. Such an expedition, which had no other object but sheet mischief, hatched in the true spirit if revenge, by an angry and in suited ambassador, cannot he too severely reprobated : the othei project is feasil)le, and might turn out a profitable speculation while it could hardly fail to better the condition of a very harmles' and well disposed race of men, held in utter subjection by thf Japanese. The conciurent testimony of all the authorities with which \vt are acquainted represeuts^he Ainos, by whatever name they may h called either on Jesso or Saghalien, as a mild and inoffensive people, contented and happy among themselves without the enjov ment of any thing to which an Englishman would give the nanif of comfort. They are described as rather short of stature, of s dark complexion, with thick bushy beards, black rough lank hair much resembling the natives of Kamtschatka, but in their feature; rather more regular, and less strong ; the women tolerably ugly and not much improved by tatooed hands and faces and blui painted lips ; defects, however, which the Russians considered t( be in some degree compensated by their modest and reserved be haviour: great good-nature and a strong desire to please were ev« n ■where imprinted on their expressive countenances, and all evincec a peculiar simplicity of manners and singleness of heart. Captaii Krusenstern says that, without exception, the Ainos are the bcs people he ever met with. There is a story which has long been current, particularly amoii: the Chinese, that the natives of Jesso have their bodies coverec with hair. Capt. Saris was told in Jeddo, by a Japanese traveller that though the skins of the people of .lesso were fair, their bodiei were covered with hair like monkies. Spanberg, the Russian speaks of the hairiness of this people; and, if we mistake not, lii ingenious French editor informs us that the Dutch called the islam after Esaa, from the extreme hairiness of the natives ! Broughtoii after mentioning their remarkably thick and large beards and bush hair, observes, that 'their bodies are almost universally covered witi long black hair, and that even in children the same appearance is ob- servable.' — All this. Captain Krusenstern assures us, is an idle sloiv They examined several persons of all ages, at the Bay of Roman- zoff, and found their breasts, legs, and arms, with just as mutt covering of this kind as might be expected in Europeans — lit admits, however, that one of his lieutenants had seen a child oi eight years old, whose body was entirely covered with hair, whil^i his parents were quite suKtoth ; — so diftieult is it to get at llit real truth, even in a j)lain matter of fact, coming immediately undti the cognizance of the sense least likely to be deceived. Th. sag€ h«| be i0S( Dec Russian Embassy to Japan. 380 north side oi ^he dress of the Ainos consists chiefly of the skins of dogs and ject but sheet tMlls. Some of those at SaghaUen \\ ear furs, and Withers a robe of I angry and in ^low stuff made from the bark, of a tree, bordered uith blue ted : the othei cl|th. There is a plate, with three portraits, in the Atlas to the e speculation Vll\a"e of La Peiouse, in their tlov\ing robes, for which some very harmles< pMits" from Kaphael nuist have sat, instead of three Sughalien jection by the Tirtars — but we must not look for accuracy in a Frenchman. Their hvHia are in the shape of a cone, made of the bark of trees, and in vith which \\t jMgo, covered with Japanese mats, apparently erected only for the le they may h fiiAing season, their permanent dwelling being more inland, nd inoffensive ^l^e can atFord but '«^tle more room for tracing the proceedings lout the enjoy. Q^Capt. Krusenstern. From Aniwa bay, proceeding along the ;ive the name eafttern coast of Saghalien, he entered the bay of Patience, which f stature, of s hejiexplored as far as circumstances would allow. From hence, in )Ugh lank hair cdjistino- to the northward, they were obstructed by large fields of 1 their feature; k^ which obliged them to return through the Kuriles by a new tolerably ugly ngLaf'e, in which they had nearly been lost, to the harbour of St. aces and blue fSerandSt. Paul, in Kamtschatka. Here Mr. KesanofT and his considered tc g^e left the Nadeshda, and set out on their journey overland, id reserved be. thf^uoh Siberia, for Petersburgh ; and Capt. Krusenstern again jase were even prepares to complete the survey of Saghalien, proceeds from the ind all evincec bay of Patience lo the northward, doubles the northern extremity, Rart. Captaii diwovers the N. VV. coast to be a continued series of sandy downs, )s are the bcs se^ the opposite coast of Tartary, but tinds the currents so stnpng, owing, as he conceives, to the proximity of the Amour or icularly amoiis: Swhalien Oula, that he thinks it prudent to desist, and returns to bodies coverec tb|(t N. VV. extremity of Saghalien, where he anchors in a bay, to anese traveller wj||ich he gives the name of Nadeshda. After a fruitless attempt ir, their bodiei to gain the coast of Tartary a second time, the Nadeshda returns , the Russian to^amtschatka, where he receives information of the Neva, by the listake not, lii anfval of a vessel belonging to the Russian American Company, ailed the islanc fr<^ Unalaschka — and her<^ the second volume concludes. The IS ! Broughtoi! third has not yet reached this country, nor do we know that it is ards and bush yet; published. It will continue the voyage of the two ships from lly covered witt Ktmtschatka to Canton in China, and from thence round the Cape )pearance is ob- of Good Hope to Russia, w here they arrived in safety in the year is an idle story l^Q. It will also, as we learn from the general preface, contain liay of Roman a |letailed account of their observations, whether astronomical, li just as mutl. meteorological, or physical, all of which we are persuaded were Europeans — lit iii;|de with great accuracy and assiduity; and we have no scruple in seen a child oi siting, that the geography of the Tartarian Gulph, the Sea of ilh hair, whil>i (j^chotz, the Kuriles Archipelago, and the coast of Japan and Jesso, ; to get at llit haf been enlarged and amended by Capt. Krusenstern's voyage, nediately undti If Mrill contain also some detached papers on subjects of natural 'ed. pl^losophy, together with charts of bays, harbours, coasts, and Till , ' islands :— ^ :j9o fiitssitiu Emba.sfiji/ to Jaiymt. Of- im^ islands; — parts of the W(>rk, >vl)ich liowcvrr important am) csscnti to its merit, supply but little that could be «o!i\ pressed williiu il limits of a review: we tlioiight it best, ilurefore, to lose no time 'df Jfent o by<«K|)re! w&lndirec cominunicating a brief outline of the voyap;e itself, as eompri/t wftion tl peot to h iMnn. ■ • We ca tlWlsati.sf citW and QfUb tlu; pal-toft) bodk, wli ancbtiic >984iave I •^s.f. m within the two volumes that have come to our hands. And v ^''■nto"^ cannot but take some credit to ourselves for our exertions in ol ••iBollh taining from Berlin the f)nly copy, we have every reason to brii*". Alters nhicli has yet reached Kiigland. 'riie only remainin;j; part of the vn Bi*e which can be considered as iit all inter«>stinjv, is the acconiil . the reception of the Russians in China, and of this we happen i have some authentic information. On th(Mr arrival at Canton, aboi the end of 180.), they annomiced their wish to dispose of their < ir goes of skins and furs. Permission was immediately granted, an . they had nearly fniished their business, when all proceedings un oppnrcnt suddenly suspended, and they were told that they must wait p: iWWatcd tiently for the Emperor's onh rs from Pekin. The monsoon biiii; nearly exhausted, and the whole conduct of the Chinese bearing; (ji the face of it a eliscreditahle character, the Committee of the l-n glish Factory remonstrated strongly widi the principal merchant* representing the dis;:;race and impropriety of laying an embargo o* the ti ade of a friendly nation, under such circumstances, and witlidii the slightest imputation against them. 'I'his had the desired etfetl P"®,'*^ ^'^' their cargoes were completed, and they lost no time in quittir- *****^^'''<^ the river of Canton. Scarcely, however, had they passed the T3occa Tigris, Mlior an im|>erial mandate arrived at Canton to stop them. It stair that tl»e Hoppo Yen had informed the court of the arri\; of two Russian ships with two foreign merchants, named Kr,i senst( rn and Lisianskoy, having on board a cargo of specie an furs; that the said Hoppo, \\\\\\ the approbation of the Vicen Itoy and the Sub-viceroy Snn, had allowed the llong merchants t trade with them on fair and honest terms; it stated that this was] very negligent and sunmiary mode of proceeding ; that the Hopjil was very cidpable, and that Ho and Sun were highly censurabit for their concurrence; and the more so as the name of Ru!^.si3 \ had never i>efore reached the court, which however they con- \ sidered to be no other dum X\\(i foreign pronunciation of (U)-U)->:i ,|. The Viceroy and Hoppo were therefore directed immediately t j inquire whether these Russians really came from the nation ot Go-lo-Sti, and if so, how they, who had hitherto always traded bj way of lla-kc-lita (Kiachta) 'u\ Tartary, had now been able to find their way to Canton. They were to inquire also whether they had visited any kinuidonis in their way thitlu i ; and whether they had nnt received information from some of them how to j)r()cccd to Chin;i. Also, whether the cargoes of the ships were on their own account. . or I n ?j Russian Embassij to Japan. 391 t am) cf^semi cd wiiliiu tj ).sc no tinip; as coni|)ii/( ids. And V LTtions in ri|; on to briic',. Hit of tljl' Vn \\c accouiii I ve happen i Canton, nboi ! of their ( ir granted, im eedings ww ust wait p;; onsoon brill: se bearing; 01 ;e of the I'^ii jl niei'chant? 1 eml>argo or I, and uitlioii lesired effect e ill quittiii; Of llint of their sovereign — the result was to I)e tran.«nuttpd to Pekin bjrt«Kpres3 — but if the ships should have already departed, then it was, directed thut no foreign vessel in future, belonginj;- to any other H|lta>n than those which have been in the habit of frerjuenting Canton, should on any account be perniilled to traile, until the or- litrtof the court were received on the subject. After such a reception at the ports of the two great empires con- t^ons to the dominions of Alexander in the east, we do not ex- pect to hear of the Russian flag again flying either in China or is»«n. We cannot take leave of Capt. Krnsenstern without expressing tlka* satisfaction which we have derived from the perusal of his very cUmr and intelligent account of a voyage rojiud the world, conducted appnicnily with great good teuiiier, discretion, and judgment, and iwiiratcd in a stile of modesty inid candour which cannot fail to se- QHUb tiu! approl)alion of the most fastidious; and although we Unlinoi subsciibe generally to the sentiment e\[)ress»d in the former piii"t i [mediately t; le nation <>! ys traded by 1 able to find her thev had they had not cd to Chin:i, *wn account, . or ^m¥ni^>t:\ :...., •."I s,t -•""^■tsMtl^..