Japan and the Japanese

450 JAPAN. A. D. 17921817.
inspected by the governor, notifying the ambassadoi s arrival, and
the health of his company. Nor were the Dutch allowed, in passing
even to return the salutation of the Russians. The Dutch captain put
his trumpet to his lips, but was under strict orders from the direc-
tor not to speak a word a discourtesy, as they thought it, which
the Russians highly resented. Of the Russians, none were allowed
to land till two months and a half after their arrival, the matter
having first been referred to Jedo. Finally, a fish-house, on a
small island, closely hedged in with bamboos, so that nothing could
be seen, was fitted up for the ambassador. All the arms were
given up, except the swords of the officers and the muskets of seven
soldiers who landed with the ambassador, but who had no powder
The ship was constantly surrounded by guard-boats.
After a detention of near six months, a commissioner from Jedo
made his appearance, with the emperor's answer. The ambas
sador, having been carried on shore in the barge of the prince of
Figen, was conveyed to the governor's
house in the norimon of th>
Dutch director, borrowed for the occasion ; but all his suite had tt
walk, and, in order that they might see nothing, the doors ant
windows of the houses, wherever they passed, were closed ; the
street gates were fastened, and the inhabitants were ordered to keep
at home. A second interview took place the next day, when a flat
refusal was returned to all the ambassador's requests, and even the
presents for the emperor were declined.
In the midst of all these annoyances everything was done with
the greatest show of politeness. The emperor's answer, which
Doeff was called upon to assist in translating into Dutch, placed
the refusal to receive the ambassador or his presents on the ground
that, if they were received, it would be necessary to send back an
ambassador with equal presents, to which not only the grea* ^overty
of the Japanese was an obstacle, but also the s*ri