The
Hiſtory of Japan.
Book I.
A General Description
of the
Empire of Japan.
Chap. I.
Journal of our Voyage from Batavia to Siam, with an account of what happen’d during our Stay there.
fter I had made ſome Stay at Batavia, the Capital of the Dutch Eaſt-India Company in the Indies, and Reſidence of the Director General, ſeated upon the great Iſland Java, an Opportunity offer’d for ſailing to Japan, on board a Dutch Ship, call’d De Waelſtroom, bound for that Country. I was offer’d the Place of Phyſician to the Embaſſy, which the Company ſends once a Year to the Japaneſe Emperor’s Court. It is now almoſt a Century, ſince this Empire hath been, as it were, ſhut up and kept from all Commerce with foreign Nations, except the Dutch, who being look’d upon as the ſincereſt of all Foreigners, are for this Reaſon admitted among them and tolerated, though under a very ſtrict Inſpection, and are allow’d this particularFavour,
