Shima no Sukune sent one of his followers named Nihaya, and a Thak-syun man named Kwa-ko to the Land of Pèkché to make friendly inquiries of the King's health.
King Syo-ko[1] of Pèkché was profoundly pleased, and received them cordially. He presented to Nihaya a roll each of five kinds of dyed silk, a horn-bow[2] and arrows, together with forty bars of iron.[3] Thereafter he opened his treasure-house, and pointing to his various rare objects, said:—"In my country there is great store of these rare treasures. I have wished to pay tribute of them to the honourable country, but not knowing the way I was unable to carry out my intention. I (IX. 27.) shall now entrust them to envoys, who will visit your country in order to offer them." Nihaya took charge of this message, and on his return informed Shima no Sukune, who thereupon came back from Thak-syun.
A.D. 247. 47th year, Summer, 4th month. The King of Pèkché sent Kutyö, Mi-chu-nyu and Ma-ko with tribute. Now a tribute envoy from Silla came along with Kutyö. Hereupon the Grand Empress and the Prince Imperial Homuda wake no Mikoto were greatly delighted and said:—"People from the countries wished for[4] by our late Sovereign have now come to Court. Alas! that they cannot meet the Emperor!' " There was not one of all the ministers who did not shed tears. But when the articles of tribute of the two countries were examined, the Silla tribute was of rare objects in very great number, while the Pèkché tribute articles were few and mean, and of no value. So inquiry was made of Kutyö and the others, saying:—"How is it that the Pèkché tribute is inferior to that of Silla?" They answered, and said:—"We lost our way and arrived at Sabi.[5]
- ↑ There are two kings of this name in Corean history. The first died A.D. 214. This is the second, who reigned from A.D. 346 to A.D. 375. The Japanese chronology is, as usual, at fault.
- ↑ The Corean bow is to this day the Tatar bow described in Tylor's Anthropology as "formed of several pieces of wood or horn united with glue or sinews. Shorter than the long bow, it gets its spring by being bent outside to string it." The Japanese bow is a variety of the ordinary long-bow.
- ↑ Iron is plentiful in Corea at the present day, and its quality is much esteemed.
- ↑ On the contrary, Chiuai Tennō would have nothing to do with them.
- ↑ A Sabi in Tsushima is mentioned above. But this may be a place in Corea, in which case it should be read Sapi.
