For Ten Days
After Leaving Saldanha, We Had The Wind N.W. And W.N.W. But After That
We
Had a fine wind at S.W. so that we could hold our course N.W. On the
27th September,
Thanks be to God, we arrived at Plymouth; where, for the
space of five or six weeks, we endured more tempestuous weather, and
were in greater danger of our lives, than during the whole voyage
besides.
Sec.13. Intelligence concerning Yedzo, or Jesso, received from a Japanese
at Jedo, who had been twice there.[46]
Yedzo, or Jesso, is an island to the N.W. of Japan, from which it is ten
leagues distant. The natives are of white complexions, and
well-conditioned, but have their bodies covered all over with hair like
monkies. Their weapons are bows and poisoned arrows. The inhabitants of
the south extremity of this country understand the use of weights and
measures; but those who inhabit the inland country, at the distance of
thirty days journey, are ignorant of these things. They have much silver
and gold-dust, in which they make payment to the Japanese for rice and
other commodities; rice and cotton-cloth being of ready sale among them,
as likewise iron and lead, which are carried there from Japan. Food and
cloathing are the most vendible commodities among the natives of that
country, and sell to such advantage, that rice often yields a profit of
four for one.
[Footnote 46: This article is appended to the Voyage of Saris, in the
Pilgrims, vol. I. p. 384. - E.]
The town where the Japanese have their chief residence and mart in
Yetizo is called Matchma,[47] in which there are 500 households or
families of Japanese. They have likewise a fort here, called
Matchma-donna. This town is the principal mart of Yedzo, to which the
natives resort to buy and sell, especially in September, when they make
provision against winter. In March they bring down salmon and dried fish
of sundry kinds, with other wares, for which the Japanese barter in
preference even to silver. The Japanese have no other settled residence
or place of trade except this at Matchma [48]. Farther northward in
Yedzo there are people of a low stature like dwarfs.[49] The other
natives of Yedzo are of good stature like the Japanese, and have no
other cloathing but what is brought them from Japan. There is a violent
current in the straits between Yedzo and Japan, which comes from the sea
of Corea, and sets E.N.E. The winds there are for the most part like
those usual in Japan; the northerly winds beginning in September, and
ending in March, when the southerly winds begin to blow.
[Footnote 47: In modern maps, the southern peninsula of Yesso, or Yedso,
is named Matsaki, apparently the same name with that in the text. - E.]
[Footnote 48: In our more modern maps, there are four other towns or
residences on the western coast of the peninsula of Matsaki, named
Jemasina, Sirekosawa, Famomoli, and Aria. - E.]
[Footnote 49: The island of Kubito-sima, off the western coast of Yedzo,
is called likewise in our maps, the Isle of Pigmies. - E.]
Sec.14. Note of Commodities vendible in Japan.[50]
Broad-cloths of all sorts, as black, yellow, and red, which cost in
Holland eight or nine gilders the Flemish ell, two ells and three
quarters, are worth in Japan, three, four, to five hundred.[51] Cloth of
a high wool is not in request, but such as is low shorn is most
vendible. Fine bayes of the before-mentioned colours are saleable, if
well cottoned, but not such as those of Portugal. Sayes, rashes,
single and double bouratts, silk grograms, Turkey grograms; camblets,
Divo Gekepert, Weersetynen, Caniaut, Gewart twijne;[52] velvets, musk,
sold weight for weight of silver; India cloths of all sorts are in
request; satins, taffetas, damasks, Holland linen from fifteen to twenty
stivers the Flemish ell, but not higher priced; diaper, damasks, and so
much the better if wrought with figures or branches; thread of all
colours; carpets, for tables; gilded leather, painted with figures and
flowers, but the smallest are in best demand; painted pictures, the
Japanese delighting in lascivious representations, and stories of wars
by sea or land, the larger the better worth, sell for one, two, or three
hundred. Quick-silver, the hundred cattees sell from three to four
hundred.
[Footnote 50: This forms a part of the Appendix to the Voyage of Saris,
Purch. Pilg. I. 394; where it is joined to the end of observations by
the same author on the trade of Bantam, formerly inserted in this
Collection under their proper date. - E.]
[Footnote 51: This account is very vaguely expressed; but in the title
in the Pilgrims, the sales are stated to be in masses and
canderines, each canderine being the tenth part of a masse. The
information contained in this short subdivision is hardly intelligible,
yet is left, as it may possibly be of some use towards reviving the
trade of Japan, now that the Dutch are entirely deprived of their
eastern possessions. - E.]
[Footnote 52: These articles, in italics, are unknown.]
The hundred cattees of vermilion are worth from three to six hundred.
Paint for women's faces, the hundred cattees are worth twenty-eight.
Cooper in plates, 125 Flemish pounds are worth from 90 to 100. Lead in
small bars, the 100 cattees from 60 to 88. Lead in sheets is in greater
request, the thinner the better, and 100 pounds Flemish sell for 80.
Fine tin, in logs or bars, 120 pounds Flemish bring 350. Iron, twenty
five Dutch ounces worth four. Steel, the 100 cattees, worth from one to
two hundred. Tapestry. Civet, the cattee worth from 150 to 200. China
root, the 100 cattees or pekul worth 40. China sewing gold, the paper
worth three masse three. Powdered Chinese sugar, the 100 cattees or
pekul worth forty to fifty.
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