[Footnote 52:  The geographical notices in the text are hardly intelligible.  The northern cape of Japan is in 40 deg. 30’ N. Sanddown point, towards the south end of the eastern side of the great island of Niphon, is nearly in the latitude indicated in the text.  The latitude of 32 deg. 30’, where, according to Adams, they had first sight of Japan, is on the eastern side of Kiusiu, the south-western island of Japan, in long. 131 deg. 25’ E. while Sanddown point is in long. 141 deg.  E. from Greenwich.—­E.]

Being now in safety, we let go our anchor about a league from a place called Bungo.[53] Many boats came off to us, and we allowed the people to come on board, being quite unable to offer any resistance; yet, though we could only understand each other very imperfectly by signs, the people did us no harm.  After two or three days, a jesuit came to us from a place called Nangasacke, to which place the Portuguese caraks from Macao are in use to come yearly.  This man, with some Japanese chieftains, interpreted for us, which was bad for us, being our mortal enemies; yet the King of Bungo, where we had arrived, shewed us great friendship, giving us a house on shore for our sick, and every refreshment that was needful.  When we came to anchor off Bungo, we had twenty-four men living, sick and well, of whom three died next day, and other three after continuing long sick, all the rest recovering.

[Footnote 53:  In modern maps, Bungo is the name of the middle province on the eastern side of Japan, and includes the indicated latitude, the nearest sea-port town being named Nocea, thirty-five miles farther north.  But as we have hardly any intercourse with Japan, our maps of that country are very imperfect.—­E.]

The Emperor of Japan hearing of us, sent presently five gallies, or frigates, to us at Bungo, with orders to bring me to the court where he resided, which was almost eighty English leagues from Bungo.[54] When I came before him, he demanded to know from what country we were, and I answered him in all points.  There was nothing almost that he did not enquire about, more especially concerning war and peace between different countries, to all of which I answered to the best of my knowledge, which were too long to write off at this time.  After this conference, I was ordered to prison along with one of our mariners, who had accompanied me to serve me, but we were well used there.  Some two days afterwards the emperor sent for me again, and demanded the reason of our having come so far.  I made answer, that we were a people who sought peace and friendship with all nations, and to have trade with all countries, bringing such merchandise as our country had, and buying such others in foreign countries as were in request in ours, through which reciprocal traffic both countries were enriched.  He enquired much respecting the wars between us and the Spaniards and Portuguese, and the causes of the same, all the particulars of which I explained to him, with which he seemed much pleased.  After this I was again remanded to prison, but in another place, where my lodging was bettered.[55]