Directory_and_Chronicle_1841 — Page 184

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Notices of Japan, No. VII.

MARCH,

passed for Americans in the Dutch service, and Doeff remained Dutch president, Dezima alone in the whole world then being in fact Dutch.

Dr. Ainslie, who now visited in Nagasaki, according to Doeff, as an American physician, appears, from the very slight report of his mission given in sir Stam- ford Raffles' Memoir, to have experienced great kindness and hospitality, and to have been much pleased with the Japanese character, especially with the treat- ment of women, and the elegant manners of the ladies. It is to be observed that this report gives the impression of Dr. Ainslie's having been known as an Eng. lishman. Indeed, he positively states that the Japanese spoke to him of his coun- trymen with respect, averring their conviction that the English would never play a second act of the Russian embassy. But, as before said, this is not the place for discussing the question as mooted between sir S. Raffles and president Doeff; and the subject may be dismissed with the wish, that the publication of the Recollections of the latter may induce some one who possesses, or has access to the requisite knowledge of the facts to give a British statement of them to the world.

In 1814, Heer Cassa again appeared at Dezima as appointed opperhoofd, bring- ing tidings of the great events of 1813 in Europe, especially of the Dutch insur- rection in behalf of the House of Orange, and the consequent prospect of the immediate restoration of the Dutch colonies by England. Sir S. Raffles and Heer Cassa probably expected that this information would remove all Heer Doeff's patriotic objections to follow the fate of his lawful superior, governor Jansens, and obey orders from Batavia, as of old. But Doeff still professed dis- belief, and recurring to the measures of the preceding year, inforced compliance by the same threats then employed. He was now energetically aided by the interpreters, whose lives would be forfeited should their previous complicity be discovered.

This year, however, Heer Cassa was less unprepared for the conflict-he counter-manœuvred; and had he engaged no lady-domestics from the tea-houses, might possibly have triumphed. He gained over two of the confidential inter. preters, and negotiated through them, not the disclosure replete with danger to all, but the procuring from the court of Yedo a refusal of Doeff's request for leave to remain. But some of the women in Cassa's service were Doeff's spies; from them he learned what was going forward, and by threatening the interpreters to lay the whole truth, at all hazards, before the governor of Nagasaki, he car. ried his point, and again sent away his appointed successor. Sir S. Raffles did not apparently think it worth while, under the circumstances, to renew the at- tempt. He sent no more ships; and as some time elpased ere a Dutch govern- ment was reestablished and in full action in Java, Heer Doeff paid the price of his triumph in another interval of years without trade, emoluments, or European comforts. It was not till 1817 that Dutch vessels brought him a Dutch appointed successor, Heer Blomhoff.

All that need be added, upon the subject of these attempts, is, that Japan now possesses interpreters understanding English and Russian as well as Dutch, and that, since the year 1830, these interpreters are according to Siebold, stationed at different points all round the external coast, in preparation for the possible approach of any strange ship. It seems something singular that in Dr. Parker's account of his repulse in 1837, these interpreters are not mentioned; unless we are to suppose that they might be present, but finding Mr. Gutzlaff perform their