Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 3.djvu/333

 INTERCOLONIAL COMMERCE. 317 intermediately they would also supply it with the manufactures of distant Europe. The character of the Japanese is most singular. They possess, with the physiognomy of the Chinese, some of their political and religious institutions ; with their arts, their industry, and docility, a portion of the spirit, courage, and curiosity of the inhabitants of the temperate regions of Europe, and no small share of the revengeful temper and ferocity which belong to all men in barbarous states of society. * the devotedness of which the Japanese are capable when their honour and revenge are concerned : " As an instance of what I have mentioned," says Kaerapfer, "let it suffice, at present, to mention one single exploit of seven young men, natives of the province of Saizuma, an action the more sur- prising as it was committed in a foreign country, in presence of the Dutch, no longer ago than 1630. The case was this : A small Japanese vessel had been a trading to the island of Formosa, then, as yet, in possession of the Dutch. Japan was not at that time shut up, but its inhabitants at liberty to trade to what country they pleased, and the island Formosa hath been since taken by the Chinese, in whose possession it now remains. Peter Nuits, a Dutchman, who was then governor of Formosa, treated the Japanese who came on board this vessel with some harshness and severity, perhaps by way of reprisals. The Japanese took it as an affront and injury done, not so much to themselves as to their prince, to whom, when they got home, they made grievous com- plaints, insomuch that he grew very passionate and angry, the rather as he saw himself, as it were, under an impossibi-
 * The following authentic and well known story shews