Directory_and_Chronicle_1841 — Page 180

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Notices of Japan, No. VII.

MARCH,

Instigated by these vindictive feelings, he appears to have resolved upon mak. ing Japan feel the wrath of Russia. For this purpose, during his stay in Siberia or Kamtschatka, he directed two officers of the Russian navy, named Chwostoff and Davidoff, then temporarily commanding merchant-vessels trading between the eastern coast of the Russian dominions in Asia and the western coast of North America, to effect a hostile landing upon the most northern Japanese islands, or their dependencies.

It must here be stated that, before this period, the Russians had gradually possessed themselves of the northern Kurile islands, the whole Kurile archipelago having for centuries been esteemed a dependency of the Japanese empire, and 'more immediately of the prince of Matsmai. Whether this loss of a few islands in a rude and savge state were even known at Yedo; the Dutch factory were of course ignorant; and it seems not unlikely that the prince and his secretary-mas. ters, if they could secure themselves against spies, would deem it expedient to conceal a disaster rather disgraceful than otherwise important.

It was upon Sagalien, one of the southern Kuriles, still belonging to Japan, that Chwostoff and Davidoff, according to Resanoff's orders, landed in the year 1806. This being the most unguarded part of the empire, they were able, unop. posed, to plunder several villages, commit great ravages, and carry off many of the natives. On reëmbarking, they left behind them papers in the Russian and French languages, announcing that this was done to teach the Japanese to dread the power of Russia, and to show them the folly of which they had been guilty, in rejecting count Resanoff's friendly overtures.

The Japanese government, provincial and supreme, was utterly confounded at this whole transaction. The governor of Nagasaki, evidently by orders from on high, repeatedly asked the Dutch president's opinion of its object; and the French papers were sent to the factory with a request that Doeff would translate them. Some of the interpreters had gained sufficient Russian during the six months' detention of the embassy to make a sort of translation of the Russian copy; and thus, by comparing the two versions, the council of state would be enabled to judge of the fidelity, as to matter and spirit, of Doeff's.

The only immediate result of this really wanton outrage, was the degradation of the prince of Matsmai. He was judged incapable of protecting his subjects or defending his dominions; for which reasons, the principality of Matsmai was converted into an imperial province, and, with its dependencies, Yezo and the Kuriles, thenceforth committed to an imperial governor.

Four years later, Capt. Golownin was sent in a frigate to explore the Japanese seas, and especially the portion of the Kurile archipelago still belonging to Japan. In the course of a voyage of discovery so likely to offend the feelings of the Japan- ese, some of Golownin's crew indiscreetly landed upon the Kurile island Eeterpoo -or, according to Siebold's orthography, Jetorop-near a fortress, and they were in danger of being taken; but Golownin persuaded the commandant that the hos- tile incursion of Chwostoff and Davidoff had been a sheer act of piracy on their part, for which they had been punished-they had been imprisoned, but suffered to escape, and as far as appears, not dismissed the service-and that he himself had only approached the coast because in want of wood and water. A Kurile who spoke Russ, and a Japanese who spoke the Kurile tongue, were Golownin's usual media of conversation. The commandant was satisfied, treated Golownin

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