Japan and the Japanese

254 JAPAN. A. D. 1G90.
of execution the acting governor of Nagasaki sent notice by the
Ottona to our director to keep himself with the rest of the Dutchmen
in readiness to see the criminals executed. About an hour
after came over the numerous flocks of our interpreters, landlords,
cooks and all the train of Desima, with the sheriffs and other offi-
cers of justice, in all to the number of at least two hundred people.
Before the company was carried a pike with a tablet, whereupon
the crime for which the criminals were to suffer was specified in
large characters. Then followed the two criminals, surrounded with
bailiffs. The first was the buyer, a young man of twenty-three
years of age, very meanly clad, upon whom the camphor was found.
The second was a
well-looking man, and well clad, about forty years
of age, who suffered only for having lent the other, formerly a serv-
ant of his, the money to buy it with.
" One of the bailiffs carried an instrument upright, formed like a
rake, but with iron hooks instead of teeth, proper to be made use of
if any of the malefactors should attempt to make his
escape, because
it easily catches hold of one's clothes. Another carried another
instrument proper to cut, to stab and to pin one fast to a wall.
Then followed two officers of the governor's court, with their reti-
nues, as commissioners to preside at this act, and at some distance
came two clerks. In this order they marched across our island to
the place designed for this execution.
'' We Dutchmen, only seven in number (our ship being already
gone), resolved not to come near. But our director advised us to
go, as he had heard that on our refusal we would be compelled by
force. I followed this advice, and went without delay to see the
execution done. I found the two criminals in the middle of the
place, one behind the other, kneeling, their shoulders uncovered,
and their hands tied to their backs. Each had his executioner
standing by him, the one a tanner (for tanners in this country do
the office of executioners), the other his best friend and comrade,
whom he
earnestly desired, as the custom is in this
country, by
doing him this piece of service, to confirm the friendship he had
always had for him. At about twenty paces from the criminals
eat. the two commissioners upon one bench, and the two clerks upon
another. A third was left empty for our director, who, however,
did not appear. The rest of the people stood promiscuously where