Being Christian
converts, and thought our ship had been the Portuguese ship from Makao;
but, on finding we were not, made all haste back again to advise them,
refusing every entreaty to remain with us.
[Footnote 5: The island of Tanao-sima is probably here meant, being the
most southerly of the Japanese islands. It may be proper to remark, that
the termination sima, in the names of islands belonging to Japan,
obviously means island, like the prefix pula in the names of islands
in the Malay Archipelago. - E.]
[Footnote 6: There is a considerable cluster of small islands south from
Tanaosima, between the latitudes of 29 deg. 30' and 30 deg. N. - E.]
[Footnote 7: Xima, or sima, only means island. Perhaps Mashama may be
that named Kaba-sima in modern maps, and Amaxay may possibly be Amacusa,
these islands being in the way towards Nangasaki. - E.]
[Footnote 8: This seems the same island called before Amaxay, or
Amacusa. - E.]
[Footnote 9: Cochinotzu is the name of a town on the south-west
peninsula of the island of Kiusiu; but Cochinoch in the text seems the
sound leading to Nangasaki, and the straits of Arima appear to be the
passage between the north side of Amacusa and Kiusiu. - E.]
Sec.6. Arrival at Firando, and some Account of the Habits, Manners, and
Customs of the Japanese.
We came to anchor about half a league short of Firando, about three
p.m. of the 11th June, 1613, the tide being then so much spent that we
could not get nearer. I was soon afterwards visited by Foyne Sama, the
old king of Firando, accompanied by his nephew, Tone Sama, who
governed the island under the old king.[10] They were attended by forty
boats or gallies, some having ten, and others fifteen oars of a side. On
coming near our ship, the king ordered all the boats to fall astern,
except the two which carried him and his nephew, who only came on deck,
both dressed in silk gowns, under which were linen shirts and breeches.
Each of them wore two cattans, or Japanese swords, one of which was
half a yard long in the blade, and the other only a quarter of a yard.
They wore neither turbans nor hats, the fore part of their heads being
shaven to the crowns, and the rest of their hair very long, and gathered
into a knot behind. The king seemed about seventy-two years of age, and
his nephew, or grandchild, twenty-two, who governed under him, and each
was attended by an officer, who commanded over their slaves as they
directed.
[Footnote 10: As the Portuguese, who first visited Japan, chose to
designate the sovereign of that country by the title of emperor, they
denominated all its provinces kingdoms, and their governors kings.
