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.
AFTER 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, 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 particular
