Japan and the Japanese

250 JAPAN. A. D. 1090.
in that such presents as the governors of Nagasaki desire to be
made to the emperor, not to be found in the Company's warehouses,
and therefore to be bought, can be furnished by him out of hi.s own
stock, if it so happens that he hath them^in which case he takes all
the profit to himself, without doing any prejudice to the Company.
Nay, they might possibly go still further in pursuit of their own private
advantages, were it not that they endeavor to pass for men of
conscience and honor, or, at least, aim to appear fearful lest they
should be thought too notoriously to injure both the confidence and
interest of their masters. I do not pretend hereby to charge them
with any indirect practices as to the annual expenses, though per-
haps even those are sometimes run up to an unnecessary height ;
nor is it in the least my intention to detract from the reputation
and character of probity of so many worthy gentlemen, who have
filled this station with honor, and discharged their duty with the
utmost faithfulness to their masters. Thus much I can say without
exaggeration, that the directorship of the Dutch trade in Japan is
a place which the possessor would not easily part with for thirty
thousand guilders (twelve thousand dollars). T is true, it would
be a great disadvantage to the director, and considerably lessen his
profits, if he hath not a good cash in hand to provide himself, before
his departure from Batavia, with a sufficient stock of goods, but
must take them upon credit, and upon his return share the profits
with his creditors. Besides, he must not presume to leave Batavia,
much less to return thither, without valuable considerations to his
benefactors, unless he intends to be excused for the future the honor
of any such employment. The goods he brings back to Batavia
are silk gowns, which he receives as presents from the emperor and
his ministers, and whereof he makes presents again to his friends
and patrons, victuals, china ware, lackered or japanned thing**, and
other manufactures of the country, which he can dispose of at Batavia
at fifty per cent, profit ; and besides some kobangs in gold ; though
if he have any left it is much more profitable to buy ambergris,* or
Ambergris is a sulotanee thrown up from the stomachs of whales suffering
from dyspepsia or some other disease. It is much employed in the East
in the preparation of perfumes and sweetmeats, and once had considerable
reputation in Europe. Its true nature was for a long time in dispute. The
Japanese understood it, as appears from their name of the article, Kusera-
no-fung ; that is, whale's excrements.