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.
