We Estimated Its Height To
Be Twenty-One Or Twenty-Two Feet, Being In The Form Of A Man Kneeling On
The Ground, And Sitting On His Heels; The Whole Of Wonderful Size, And
Well Proportioned, And Being Dressed In A Gown Cast Along With The
Figure.
Some of our men went into the inside of this idol, and hooped
and hallooed, which made an exceeding great noise.
It is highly
reverenced by all native travellers who pass that way. We found many
characters and marks made upon it by its visitors, which some of my
followers imitated, making their marks in like manner. This temple and
idol stand in the main road of pilgrimage to Tencheday, which is much
frequented for devotion, as both night and day people of all ranks and
conditions are continually going or returning from that place.
Mr Adams told me that he had been at the Fotoqui, or temple dedicated
to Tencheday, to which image they make this devout pilgrimage. According
to his report, one of the fairest virgins of the country is brought
monthly into that Fotoqui, and there sits alone in a room neatly
fitted up, in a sober manner; and, at certain times, this Tencheday,
who is thought to be the devil, appears unto her, and having carnally
known her, leaves with her at his departure certain scales, like unto
the scales of fishes. Whatever questions she is desired by the bonzes,
or priests of the Fotoqui, to ask, Tencheday resolves. Every
month a fresh virgin is provided for the temple, but Mr Adams did not know
what became of the former.[21]
[Footnote 21: The editor of Astley's Collection, vol. I. p. 487, note b.
very gravely informs his readers what they certainly are aware of, that
the gallant must have been one of the bonzes, or priests. - E.]
We arrived at Jedo on the 14th September. This city is much larger
than Surunga, and much better and more sumptuously built, and made a
very glorious appearance to us on our approach; all the ridge-tiles and
corner-tiles of the roofs being richly gilded and varnished, as also the
door-posts of the houses. They have no glass in their windows, but have
large windows of board, opening in leaves, and well adorned with
paintings, as in Holland. In the chief street of the town there is a
great cawsay all through from end to end, underneath which flows a
river, or large stream of water; and at every fifty paces there is a
well-head, or pit, substantially built of free-stone, having buckets
with which the inhabitants draw water, both for their ordinary uses and
in case of fire. This street is as broad as any of our best streets in
England.
On the 15th I gave notice of my arrival to Sadda-dona, the secretary
of the young king, or son of the emperor, requesting him to inform the
king. I had access to the king on the 17th, and delivered to him the
presents sent by our king, as also some from myself, as is the custom of
the country. The king holds his court in the castle of Jedo, which is
much stronger and more sumptuous than that of Surunga; and the king was
besides better guarded and attended than his father the emperor.
Saddadona, his secretary, is father to Codskedona the emperor's
secretary, his years and experience fitting him to have the government
and direction of the king or prince successor, who appeared to us to be
about forty-two years of age.
My entertainment and access to the king here at Jedo was much like that
formerly mentioned with the emperor his father at Surunga. He accepted
very kindly the letters and presents from our king, bidding me welcome,
and desiring me to rest and refresh myself, and that his letters and
presents in return should be made ready with all speed. On the 19th I
delivered the presents to Saddadona. This day, thirty-two men being
committed prisoners to a certain house, for not paying their debts, and
being in the stocks within the same, it took fire in the night by some
casualty, and they were all burnt to death. Towards evening, the king
of Jedo sent me two suits of varnished armour, as a present to our king;
and sent likewise for myself a tatch and a waggadash, the
former being a long sword which is only worn in Japan by soldiers of the
highest rank, and the latter being a singular weapon resembling a Welsh
hook. I was informed that the distance from Jedo to the norther-most
part of Japan, was estimated at twenty-two days journey on horseback.
I left Jedo on the 21st September by boat, and came to Oringgaw,[22]
a town upon the sea-side, where is an excellent harbour, in which ships
may ride with as much safety as in the river Thames, and the passage
from which by sea to Jedo is very safe and good; so that it would be
much better for our ships to sail to this port than to Firando, as
Oringgaw is on the main island of Japan or Niphon, and is only
fourteen or fifteen leagues from Jedo, the capital and greatest city of
the empire. Its only inconvenience is, that it is not so well supplied
with flesh and other victuals as Firando, but is in all other respects
much preferable. From thence we proceeded on the 29th to Surunga, where
we remained in waiting for the letters and presents from the emperor. On
the 8th of October I received the emperor's letter, of which a
translation is subjoined, and I then also received the privileges of
trade, formerly quoted, the original of which I left with Mr Cocks.[23]
[Footnote 22: No such place as Oringgaw is to be found in modern maps of
Japan. Jedo is situated at the head of a deep gulf of the same name, in
the south-east corner of Japan.
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