Japan and the Japanese

ENGELBERT KAMPFER. 217
rather to lead the restless and troublesome life of a traveller, than
by coming home to subject myself to a share in that train of calamities
my native country was then involved in. Therefore, I took
my leave of the ambassador and his retinue (who did me the honor
to attend me a mile out of Ispahan) with a firm resolution to spend
some years longer
in seeing other eastern courts, countries and
nations. I was never used to receive large supplies of money from
home. 'T was by my own industry I had till then supported my-
self, and the very same means maintained me afterwards, as long
as I staid abroad, and enabled me to serve the Dutch East India
Company, though in a less honorable employment.
" This offspring of Japhet enjoys, more than any other European
nation, the blessing of Noah to live in the tents of Shem, and to
have Canaan for their servant. God hath so blessed their valor
and conduct, that they have enlarged their trade, conquests and
possessions, throughout Asia, to the very extremities of the East,
and there hath never been wanting among them a succession of
prudent and able men, who have promoted their interests and welfare
to the utmost of their capacity. But to come to the point. It
was by the gracious leave, and under the protection, of this honora-
ble Company, that I have often obtained my end in the Indies, and
have had the satisfaction at last to see the remote empire of Japan,
and the court of its powerful monarch."
Kiimpfer remained at Gamroon, on the Persian Gulf, for near
three years, employing his leisure in scientific researches. Leaving
that unhealthy station in June, 1688, he proceeded in the fleet along
the coasts of Persia and India to Ceylon, and thence by Sumatra to
Batavia, where he arrived in September, 1689. Having obtained
the appointment of physician to the factory in Japan, he left Bata-
via in May, 1690, and having touched at Siam, of which he has
given an account in his book, on the 22d of September, about noon,
he came in
sight of the high mountainous country about Nagasaki.
As soon as the land was seen, all on board were required, as the
usage was, to give up their prayer-books and other books of divin-
ity, as also all the European money they had about them, to the
captain, who, having taken a memorandum of them, packed away
all these surrendered articles in an old cask, to be hid away from
the Japanese, but to be surrendered to the owners on leaving
19