Page:Kaempfer History of Japan 1727 vol 1 (IA historyofjapangi01kaem).pdf/72

2 Favour, that their Reident may every Year appear at Court in order to pay their Repect to the Emperor. This is the only Opportunity at preent, an European can have of going thither, and viewing the Majety of that Court and Empire. Our Ship was bound firt to Siam, there to dipoe of Part of her Cargo, and to take in Goods of that Country, whereby I had an Opportunity of eeing alo this famous Kingdom and its magnificent Court.

I went on Board on Sunday the Seventh of May 1690 early in the Morning. We weigh’d Anchor the ame Day and et Sail with a mall, but favourable Breeze. About Noon we made the mall Iland Eidam, lying a few Leagues off Batavia, along which we coated till late at Night, when we lot ight of it.

On Monday the Eighth we lot Sight of the high Land of Java, but not of the neighbouring Ilands. We were becalm’d in the Afternoon and advancing but lowly, cat Anchor in Twenty nine Fathoms, let the Currents, which run here very trongly, hould carry us too much out of our Coure. About half a League off us we aw a mall Portuguee Veel at Anchor, with Chinee Sailors on board, which et Sail from Batavia two days before. She was call’d the St. Paul, and had the Image of this Apotle painted upon her Stern. She had been in Japan about five Years ago, notwithtanding that by order of the Japanee Emperor all Portuguee whatever are forbid entring his Dominions under Pain of Death and Forfeiture of their Ships and Goods. I flatter myelf the Reader will not be dipleas’d to be inform’d of the Occaion and Event of this Voyage, which I particularly enquir’d into at Batavia, the rather ince it bears a near relation to the main Subjet of this Hitory.

About ix Years ago, a Japanee Veel was forc’d away, in a violent Storm, from the Coats of Japan towards China, and having uffer’d many Incommodities, was at lat wreck’d near Macao, a famous trading Town in China, belonging to the Portuguee. The Portuguee Government at Macao thought this an excellent Opportunity, to recommend themelves to the Japanee Emperor, and perhaps, which they had more at heart, to recover their former advantageous Trade. For this reaon it was reolv’d to relieve the twelve Japanee, whoe Lives had been av’d, to treat them with kindnes and civility, and generouly to end them back to Japan on board one of their own Ships. But the Event fell far hort from anwering their Expectation; for when they got into the Harbour of Nangaaki, all the Japanee without exception were committed to Prion, and the Portuguee Veel trictly guarded, without permitting any Body to et foot on hore, till the Governors of Nangaaki could give an Account of this nice Affair to the Imperial Court at Jedo, and Orders ent from thence as to their further Conduct. The Portuguee were like to be put to Death and to have their Ship burnt, puruant to the tanding