5
nearly square, and, being divided in four provinces, the Japanese call it Sikokf or the country of Four Provinces. These three large islands are encompassed with an almost inconceivable number of others. All these islands have been divided, in the year of Christ 590, into seven large tracts of land—called Gokesitzido. In 681 they were sub-divided into 66 provinces,” to which number two formerly belonging to the Corea, Iki and Tsussima, were afterwards added. These 68 provinces have been broken up into 604 lesser districts. The borders of this empire are its rocky, mountainous coasts and a tempestuous sea, which by means of its shallowness admits none but small vessels and even those not without imminent danger.
Amongst the neighbouring countries subject to the Emperor of Japan are specified by Dr. Kaempfer;
(1) The Islands of Riuku or Liquejo, the inhabitants of which style themselves subjects of the Prince of Satsuma.
(2) Tsiosin, the third and lowest part of the Corea, governed by the Prince of Iki and Tsussima.
(3) The island of Jeso, governed for the Emperor by the Prince of Mutsumai, whose own dominions form part of Osiu. (p. 61–62.)
With reference to a recent discussion at one of our meetings, it may be of interest to know that Kaempfer considers the Liukiuans, judging from their language, to be of Chinese extraction.
Under the head of the second of the three above-named dependencies of Japan (the Corea), an account is given of the invasion of the Corean peninsula in the reign of Taiko—a seven year’s war, which resulted in the temporary reduction of Corea.
Yezo is spoken of as being a Japanese possession “out of their own empire.” It was invaded and conquered by Yoritomo, the first secular monarch (p. 64). Yezo, says Kaempfer, is so thoroughly full of woods and forests, that it produces nothing of use to the Japanese besides pelts and furs and the famous fish karasaki, which is esteem-
