1850.
Notice of Japan in the Hái-kwoh Tú Chí.
141
fort of Cháng-kwoh, and in the 4th moon, invaded T'ai-tsống chau, stormed the town of Shanghái, sacked Kiáng-yin, and attacked Chápu. In the 8th moon, they plundered the station of Kin-shán, and broke into the districts of Tsungming, Cháng-shuh and Kiáting. In the 1st moon of the 33d year (1553), they moved out of Tai- tsáng upon Súchau, which they pillaged; attacked Sungkiáng, and repassing the river rapidly, made a stand to the north of it in Tung- chau and Taichau. In the 4th moon, they razed Kiáshen to the ground, stormed the town of Tsungming, ravaged Súchau fú a second time, and made their way into the district town of 'Tsungteh. In the 6th moon, they proceeded by way of Wú-kiáng to Kiá-hing, after pil- laging which they returned to Cheh-lin (the wood of Cheh), where they took up a position, and went to and fro in every direction just as if they were in an uninhabited country. Wáng Sử not being able to do anything, was in a short time removed to Tá-tung (in Shánsí) to be siunfú there; his place being supplied by Lí Tien-chung. By the Em- peror's desire Cháng King, president of the Board of War assumed the general control of military operations, raised troops on all sides, and advanced to exterminate the enemy with his united forces. At this time their haunts were at Chuenshá marsh, and in the wood of Cheh, from which they made forays in all directions.
In the 7th moon of the following year (1554), the pirates seized some [government] vessels, with which they made an irruption into Chápú and Hái-ning. They rased Tsungteh to the ground, and pro- ceeding thence to Tangtsih, ravaged it, with Sin-shí, Hángtang, and Shwánglin; and assaulted the district town of Teh-tsing. In the 5th moon, again uniting themselves with some freshly arrived Japanese, they made a sudden descent upon Kiáhing, but on reaching the stream of Wang-king, they were attacked with success by Chúng King, who beheaded upwards of 1900 of them; the rest escaped to Cheh-lin. The new comers once more laid waste the region about Súchau, their ravages extending to Kiángyin and Wú-sih; and they crossed and landed from the Tai Hú, or Great Lake, without opposition from any
one.
There were on an average three native Japanese in every ten, the remaining seven [were Chinese, who] followed the others. In action they used to drive their prisoners on in front, and their discipline was such that all these fought till they died. The government troops, on the other hand, always weak and cowardly, fled before them in great confusion wherever they came. The Emperor accordingly dispatch- od Cháu Wan-hwá, a vice-president of the Board of Works, to take