Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 3.djvu/324

 308 INTERCOLONIAL COMMERCE. Besides the Portuguese and Spaniards, with the Dutch, the English are the only European people permitted tp cqpoe pn board. He had scarcely entered the cabin with his suite, consisting of his secretary, the two capr tains of the Dutch ships that were here, and a Baron Pabst, when they were all obliged to remain during several minutes in an inclined posture, which they were called upon to do, by a most insolent order from the interpreter : ' Myn Heer Opperhoqfd, compliment voor de Opper Banjos .'' This sub- missive, and at the same time degrading attention, was not answered even by a nod. The compliments, as they are called, of the Dutch, are something between the bows of the Europeans and Japanese, which last consist in throwing your- self flat on the ground, touching the earth with your head, and crouching backwards and forwards, according as you may be spoken to by your superior. The Dutch would find great difficulty in casting themselves on the ground, owin^ to their clothes, and the pliability of the body required in these prostrations cannot be expected in people who are not brought up to it; but in order to imitate the Japanese cus- toms as much as possible, the Dutchman must incline his body until it forms nearly the figure of a right angle ; and what is much more difficult, he must remain in this position with his arms extended until he receives permission to stand again in his natural posture, which is not until a lapse of some minutes. There must likewise be a difference in the compliments which the Dutch pay in Jeddo from those which we saw here ; for we were told that, previous to going there, all persons belonging to the embassies receive instructions in bowing. The Japanese never ventured to propose this submission to us : upon their second visit, indeed, one of the interpreters, just after I hwid been addresbcd by the banjos,