[Footnote 360: More rigidly from lat. 31 deg. 28' to 40 deg. 80' N. and between
the longitudes of 127 deg. 47' and 142 deg. 33' E. from Greenwich. - E.]
[Footnote 361: Meaning probably a different denomination of measure. The
island of Niphon measures 824 English miles in extreme length, from S.W.
to N.E. in a somewhat bent line. Its breadth varies from 55 to 240
miles, averaging about 100; but it is extremely irregular, owing to many
deep bays and considerable peninsulae. Jedo is now the capital and
residence of the temporal sovereign, Meaco of the once spiritual
sovereign, now reduced to chief priest of the national religion. - E.]
[Footnote 362: The only islands of magnitude besides Niphon, are
Kiusiu, which does not appear to have any representative in the text,
and Sicocf, probably the Cikoko of De Faria. The other numerous
islands are of little importance, and several of the names in the text
cannot be referred to any of the islands. Firando and Taquixima
remain unchanged, and the others cannot be traced. - E.]
The first action of the new governor De Sousa was to diminish the pay of
the soldiers. The saving of charges is a great means of gaining the
favour of princes; yet ministers never express their zeal by
retrenching their own large allowances, but by cutting off the small
ones from the poor; and, as was natural, this alteration occasioned much
discontent among the troops.
