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Sketch of Teen Fe, or Matsoo Po.
FEB.
to others. We, the kinsmen and servants of Tomoya Kiugero, in confirmation of this affix to it our signatures and seals. The second month of the first year Genboun (1736)." The governor, taking the paper, said to the complainant, "Now that I am relieved from all responsibility, I will order the head of Chudyets to be taken off. Are you so satisfied?" Tomoya replied that he was, returned his thanks, and withdrew his party.
Soon after, a robber, who was taken up for a different offense, and put to the torture, confessed, amongst other crimes, the theft of Tomoya's money. This discovery was communicated to Matsura Kawatche, who immediately sent for Tomoya, his relations and servants, laid before them the true thief's confession, and thus addressed them:-" Behold! you accused Chudyets without proof, attesting your accusation under your hands and seals. 1, upon the strength of your assertion, have commanded the death of an innocent man. In expiation of this crime, you, your wife, kindred, and servants, must all lose their heads; and I, for not having investigated the business with sufficient care, shall rip myself up." At these dreadful words, Tomoya and his friends were overwhelmed with despair. They wept and beinoaned their sad fate, and implored mercy, whilst the magistrates and officers present united in praying for some mitigation of so terrible a sentence. But the governor remained sternly inflexible.
When this scene of agony had lasted a considerable time, Matsura Kawatche suffered his features to relax into a milder expression, and said, "Be comforted; Chudyets lives. His answers convinced me of his innocence, and I have kept him concealed in the hope that the truth would come to light.” He then ordered Chudyets to be introduced, and proceeded thus:-" Tomoya, your false accusa- tion has caused this innocent man to suffer imprisonment, and nearly cost him his life. As this irremediable misfortune has been happily averted, your lives shall be spared; but as some compensation for what he has undergone, you shall give him 500 koban, and treat him henceforth as a faithful servant. Let the pangs you have this day experienced be graven on all your minds, as a warning how you again bring forward accusations upon insufficient grounds."
This decision of Matsura Kawatche's gave universal satisfaction, and in testimony of the siogoun's approbation, he was soon afterwards promoted to the more important and lucrative government of Nagasaki.
ART. III. Sketch of Teën Fe, or Matsoo Po, the goddess of Chi-
nese seamen. Translated from the Sow Shin Ke.' By J. L. S. FE's surname was Lin. She formerly dwelt in the department of Hinghwa, and district of Ninghae, being the present Pooteën heën, about eighty le from the sea-board, in the village of Mechow. Her mother, whose family name was Chin, dreamed that she saw the goddess Kwanyin3 of the southern ocean, who presented her a fig flower which she swallowed. This done a pregnancy of fourteen