Japan and the Japanese

1&6 JAPAN. A. D. 1C07 1C81.
After they had taken their leave, Konsequidono and Sionsubrondono
reconducted them out of the hall, at the same time felicitating them
on their favorable audience. It was very unusual, they said, for
the emperor to make himself so familiar ; he did not bestow such
a favor even on the greatest lords of the empire, who brought
"him presents of the value of ten, twenty and thirty thousand taels ;
nor had he said a single word to the Portuguese and Spanish
ambassadors. To Adams, who was called back to the royal apartments,
the emperor expressed himself greatly delighted with the
presents, as showing that the Dutch were " past masters " in arts
as well as in arms.
The Dutchmen, having caused their propositions to be written out
in Japanese, placed them in the hands of Konsequidono, and, on the
18th, they were furnished with an order for ten horses, and a
letter to the hereditary prince at Jedo. Adams, who was in as
great favor at this court as at Seruga, lodged them in a house of
his own, and undertook to give notice of their arrival to Sadudono,
president of the prince's council and father of Konsequidono, who
sent an officer in return to make his compliments to the Dutchmen.
They made him a visit the next day, with a present, which, as a
great favor, he condescended to
accept. He inquired of them particularly
the cause of the war which had lasted so long between the
Spaniards and the Dutch, and the history of the negotiations which
had brought about the recent truce. The Dutch did not conceal
the small extent of their country, and the Japanese minister ex-
pressed great astonishment that so feeble a state should have resisted
with such success so powerful a
king. Finally, he treated them to
a collation of fruit. Though very old and infirm, he conducted
them to the passage, and promised to accompany them the next day
to the palace. Admitted to the imperial palace, the prince
thanked them for the journey they had undertaken to see him ;
but when (pretending
orders from Holland to that effect) they
besought his favor and protection, he dismissed them with a
nod. An officer, however, conducted them over the palace, and the
prince sent them some presents, though not very magnificent ones.
They themselves made many presents, principally cloth and glass
bottles, to many lords of the court, among whom they found, in
kigh favor, a brother of the young king of Firando.