numerous, and since not long after, as is recorded in their
Histories, great Wars arose among them, and many
thousands perish'd by plague and famine, unless one would
bring them over at once from another Country, or out of
the Earth like Mushrooms, which is either impertinent or
improbable. I am more inclined to believe, that from
the time of their ancestors coming into the Country, they
led for many ages a wandring life, erring from place to
place, with their families and cattle, which the very dis-
position of the Country, divided by mountains, seas and
rivers, seems to have requir'd, till the happy Ninus Dsin
Mu Ten Oo, civiliz'd and brought them into better order,
and became himself, whether by force or choice, their first
Monarch. Since that time they have been accurate, and
faithful, in writing the History of their Country, and the
lives and reigns of their Monarchs. To conclude, as
Dadsijno Mikotto is by them believed to have been the
greatest of the first succession of Celestial Spirits, and
Ten sio Dai Dsin, that of the second of God-men, so
they look upon Sin Mu Ten Oo, as the greatest of the
third race of the now living Inhabitants, in whose family
the hereditary right to the crown with a more than human
authority was continued down to Kinsan Kiwotei, the
present 114th Mikaddo, that is 2360 years, computing to
the year of Christ, 1700. I I say, the hereditary right to
the Crown, for the government of the Empire itself is of
late
gone over into Secular hands, as will be shewn more
particularly in another place.

1690.

[Chap. VIII.

1690.

Climate of Japan. Its

Air.

Rains.

Sea.

Whirlpools.

Chap. VIII.

Of the Climate of Japan, and its Produce as

to Minerals.

Apan boasts of a happy and healthful Climate. The Air is very inconstant and subject to frequent changes, in the Winter loaded with Snow, and liable to sharp Frosts, in the Summer on the contrary, particularly during the Dog-days, intolerably hot. It rains frequently throughout the whole Year, but with the greatest profusion in the Months of June and July, which are for this reason call'd Satsuki, that is, Water-months. However the rainy Season in Japan is far from coming up to that regularity, which is observ'd in other and hotter parts of the EastIndies. Thunders and Lightning happen very frequently.

The Sea, which encompasses the Islands of Japan, is very rough and stormy, which with the many rocks, clifs and shoals, above and under water, make its navigation very dangerous. It hath two remarkable and dangerous Whirlpools. The one is call'd Faisaki, and lies near Simabara below Amakusa. It is dangerous, chiefly when the Tide turns; for in high water it becomes even with the surface of the Sea, but as soon as the Tide begins to go out, it also after some violent turnings falls in of a sudden, as I was inform'd, to the depth of fifteen fathom, swallowing up with great force, what ships, boats, and other things happen at that fatal juncture to come within its reach, which are dash'd to pieces against the rocks at the bottom. The shatter'd pieces sometimes remain under water, sometimes they are thrown out again at some German Miles distance. The other Whirlpool lies near the Coasts of the Province Kijnokuni. It is call'd Narrotto, and from the neighbourhood of the Province Awa, Awano Narrotto, which signifies, the rushing of Awa, because it rushes with a great boistering noise about a small rocky Island, which

is by the violence of the motion kept in perpetual trembling. This, tho' of a formidable aspect, is yet esteem'd less dangerous than the other, because its noise being heard at a considerable distance, it may be easily avoided. Japanese Authors, especially Poets, frequently allude in their Writings to the wonderful nature and motion of this Narrotto, as do also the Priests in the Pulpit.

1690.

Water-spouts also are frequently observ'd to rise in the Waterspouts. Japanese Seas, and to turn towards the Coasts. The Japanese fancy, that they are a kind of Water Dragons with a long watry Tail, flying up into the Air with a swift and violent motion, for which reason they are by them call'd Tatsmaki, that is, spouting Dragons.

The Soil of Japan, in itself, is for the major part Soil. mountainous, rocky and barren, but through the indefatigable care and industry of the Natives, it hath been made fruitful enough to supply them with all manner of necessaries, besides what the neighbouring Sea affords of fish, crabs and shells. Even the most rocky and uncultivated places yield their plants, fruits and roots, for the sustenance of the Inhabitants, which their indigent Ancestors by experience learnt to dress and to prepare, so as not only to make them fit for food, but likewise pleasing and agreeable to the taste. Considering this and the frugal way of living of the Japanese in general, we need not wonder, that this vast and populous Empire is so abundantly provided with all the necessaries of human Life, that as a particular World, which Nature seems purposely to have separated from the rest of the Globe, by encompassing it with a rocky and tempestuous Sea, it easily can subsist of it self without any assistance from foreign Countries, as long as Arts and Agriculture are follow'd and improv'd by the Natives.

The Country besides is plentifully supplied with fresh Rivers and water, there being very many Fountains, Lakes and Rivers Sweetwaters. up and down the Empire. Some of the Rivers in

particular are so large and rapid, by reason either of the

J. I

161

L

1690.

Ujingava
River.

steep high Mountains and Rocks, where they arise, or because of the profuse showers of Rain, which fall frequently, that they are not to be pass'd over without danger, the rather since some are so impetuous as to bear no bridges. Some of the most famous Rivers are, 1. Ujingava, that is, the River Ujin. It is about a quarter of a German Mile (or an English Mile and a half) broad, and there being no bridge laid over it, it must be forded through. The force and rapidity, with which this River falls down from the Mountains, is such, that even when the water is low, and scarce kneedeep five strong Men, well acquainted with the bed of it, must be employ'd to ford a Horse through, which with the many large Stones lying at the bottom, makes the passage equally difficult and dangerous. The people, whose business it is to ford passengers through this and other such like Rivers, lest they should not take due care, are by the laws of the Country made answerable for their lives. This is the reason, why there are but few unlucky accidents happen. 2. The Oomi River. River Oomi, is famous for its surprising beginning; for it is recorded in Japanese Histories, that it sprung up of a sudden in one night in the year before Christ 285. It borrow'd its name from the Province where Askagava it arises. 3. The River Askagava is remarkable, for that the depth of its bed alters perpetually, on which account it is frequently alluded to by Japanese Authors, chiefly Poets.

River.

Earthquakes.

Japan is very much subject to Earthquakes, which happen so frequently, that the Natives dread them no more, than we Europeans do an ordinary storm of thunder and lightning. They are of opinion, that the cause of Earthquakes is a huge large whale's creeping under ground, and that they signify nothing. Sometimes however the shakes are so violent, and last so long, that whole Cities are thereby destroy'd, and many thousand of the Inhabitants buried under the ruins. Such a dreadful accident happen'd, as Father Lewis de Froes relateth (in opere de Rebus Japonicis collecto a Joh. Hayo) in the

*

The like
In 1704, I

1690.

year 1586, he himself being then in Japan. accidents happen'd frequently since that time. had a letter from Batavia, from a friend of mine, then lately arrived from Japan, wherein among other things he gave me an account of such a violent shock, which happen'd there in 1703, whereby, and by a great fire, which broke out at the same time, almost the whole City of Jedo, and the Imperial Palace itself, were destroy'd and laid in ashes, and upwards of 200,000 Inhabitants buried under the ruins. It is remarkable, that some particular places in Places free Japan are observ'd to be free from all manner of suc- from Earthquakes. cussions. The Japanese reason variously upon this

* The effects of this Earthquake were so stupendious and dreadful, that I could not forbear, with the Reader's leave, to insert at length, the account, which F. Lewis de Froes gives of it in a letter dated at Simonoseki in the Province Nagatta October 15. 1586. His words are: 'In the year of Christ 1586 Japan was shook by such dreadful Earth'quakes, that the like was never known before. From the Province Sacaja as far as Miaco the Earth trembled for forty days successively. 'In the Town of Sacaja sixty Houses were thrown down. At Nagasama, 'a small Town of about a thousand houses in the Kingdom Oomi, 'the Earth gaped and swallowed up one half of that place, the other 'half was destroy'd by a Fire. Another place in the Province Facata, 'much frequented by Merchants, and likewise called Nagasama by the 'Natives, after it had been violently shook for some days, was at last 'swallowed up by the Sea, the waters rising so high, that they overflow'd 'the Coasts, washed away the houses, and what ever they met with, 'drown'd the Inhabitants, and left no foot step of that once rich and 'populous Town, but the place on which the Castle stood, and even 'that under water. A strong Castle in the Kingdom of Mino, built at 'the top of a high hill, after several violent shocks sunk down and 'disappeared of a sudden, the earth gaping, that not the least footstep ' remained, a lake quickly filling the place, where the foundations of the 'Castle had been. Another accident of this kind happened in the 'Province Ikeja. Many more gaps and openings were observed up and 'down the Empire, some of which were so wide and deep, that Guns 'being fired into them, the balls could not be heard to reach the other 'end, and such a stench and smoke issued out of them, that people would 'not venture to travel that way. Quabacundono (who was afterwards 'called Taicosama) resided at Sacomot, in the Castle Achec, when these Earthquakes begun, but they growing too thick and violent he retired 'hastily to Osacca. His palaces were strongly shook, but not thrown down.'