Narrative of my Captivity in Japan, etc. To which is added, an account of voyages to the coasts of Japan, and of my negociations ... for the release of the author, ... by Capt. Rikord

Front matter

NARRATIVE OF MY CAPTIVITY IV JAPAN, DURING THE YEARS 1811, 1812 8t 1813; WITH OBSERVATIONS ON THE COUNTRY AND THE PEOPLE. I1Y CAPTAIN GOLOV ,!,, It N To which is addi d AN ACCOUNT OF VOYAGES TO THE COASTS OF JAPAjY, A Nil OF iilcpthittons ojith the Japanese, FOIl THE RELEASE OF THE AUTHOR AND HIS COMPANIONS, BY CAPTAIN RIKORD. VOL. I. LONDON : PRINTED FOR HENRY COLBURN, l",'I5LIC LIBRARY, CONDUIT STREET, HANOVER SQ.UARK. 1818. I.ONDGN : PRINTED BY SCHTJLZE AND DEAN, 13, POLAND STREET.

Preface

. That the nations of Europe are little acquainted with Japan, is a fact generally known. There was indeed atime, when, ignorant of European cupidity, the Japanese^ opened their harbours to navigators from this qua^t^tifS^*vi;iLV&*d "every kind of information wag jjejmntesj.la.he. coU&eted ; but the accounts of the country, which were, then written, are so marked by contradictions, that complete credibility can, in no respect, be attributed to them. Besides, so long a period has elapsed since the Japanese shut their ports against Europeans, that, according to the natural course of things, many imporlant changes must have taken place, and consequently Japan cannot now be what it then was. The merchants of Holland, who trade to Nangasaky, though their communications with the inhabitants are very circumscribed, have doubtless, from their knowledge ofthe Japanese language, had the opportunity of collecting much interesting information ; but it is well known that the Dutch think it necessary to keep secret des criptions and charts, even of countries with which other and better informed European Nations have

PREFACE.

. intercourse, and respecting which those nations freely make known their most circumstantial ob servations. Hence no account of Japan, to which they are the only European people who have for a long period had admission, is to be expected from them. Information therefore on the subject of that country cannot but be interesting to every enlightened mind. These considerations have induced me to com municate to the world the occurrences Avhich took place, during my imprisonment among the Japa nese, which perhaps would not otherwise have merited the attention of the public. Whoever reads my Narrative will perceive how very limited were my means of observing all that is requisite for the description of an extensive and almost un known country, and consequently will excuse the brevity of my remarks on a subject which treated in detail might have afforded materials for manv volumes.

Had I, like some travellers, wished to au<^ inent the size of this work, I might easily, under the title of introduction or preliminary disserta tion, have composed a large volume from other books, which have long since been written respecting Japan, and which are well known to all learned readers ; but I describe only what came within my own observation and experience, and report only what 1 saw with my own eyes. W. G. NARRATIVE OF CAPTAIN GOLOWNIN.

Chapter I

In April, 1811, I had the command of the impe rial sloop of war, Diana, which then lay at Kamt schatka,* where I received an order from the mi nister of the marine, directing me to survey, in the most minute manner, the Southern Kurile and Shantar Islands,-]' and the coast of Tartary, from latitude 53° 38' north to Okotzk. * In 1807, the Diana was, by a special order, dispatched under my command on a particular expedition from Cronstadt. The most important object of this expedition was to explore the coast of Eastern Russia, which is so imperfectly known to navigators. In 1809, the Diana arrived at Kamtschatka, and sailed in 1810 to the western coast of North America. 1 consider it necessary to give an account of these voyages in a separate publication, as a work chiefly composed of nautical aud astronomical observations, aud other details connected with navigation, could not be interest ing to gi neral readers, and would, indeed, be unintelligible to many.

The present work is, however, suited to readers of every class, aud on account ofthe novelty of the subject, equally worthy of the curiosity of all. t The latter lie to the south of the main laud of Siberia, op posite to the mouth of the river Ud. — Respecting their discovery, see Mutter's Summl. Russ. Gcschichte, Sr. band. s. 96. E The minister's dispatch referred to two pa< pers, containing a copious detail of the instructions I was to follow, which had been forwarded by the board of Admiralty at the same time as his order. These papers, however, I did not receive, and ac cording to the arrangements of the post-office, they could not, as will appear from the following explanation, reach Kamtschatka before autumu. In the ourse of the Avinter, three posts are dis patched from Okotzk to Kamtschatka.

The last which arrived at Petropaulowskoi (the harbour of St. Peter and St. Paul) on the 20th of April, did not bring me the papers, and consequently they had not reached Okotzk when the post left that place. But as the post departs only once a month from St. Petersburgh for Okotzk, the papers, if brought there by the next arrival, would have to be sent off to me one month after the departure of the third post ; this too would be precisely the time when the snow melts, the rivers overflow their banks, and a complete interruption of com munication takes place in these countries. It was, besides, impossible, on the re-opening of the navigation, to send the papers by sea from Okotzk, as there was then no vessel in that harbour, all the transports having wintered in Kamt schatka. To obtain the papers in course ofthe summer, there remained then no other means except that of sailing myself with the sloop to Okotzk.

The commander of that harbour, the captain of second rank, Minitzky, had indeed advised me to come to Okotzk before the commencement of the expedition, as he, according to what he stated in his letter, presumed that the sloop must be in want of provisions and repairs, which could be obtained in that harbour. With respect to the latter, I observed no damage which I could not repair with my own people ; but as to the provisions, there was really a considerable deficiency compared with the established rate of supply. I took, therefore, from the transport Dionysius, which had wintered at Petropaulowskoi, what provisions remained on board that vessel, and I calculated that, with this addition to the stock of the Diana, I should be able to keep at sea three months, without incurring any risk of short allowance.

I had thus no reason for going to Okotzk before the commencement of the expedition, except that of obtainingpossession of the two papers with my instructions which had been forwarded by the Admiralty. This was, doubtless, a motive of considerable weight ; the pleasure of His Imperial Majesty had, however, been fully made known to me, by the order of the minister of the marine. I knew what coasts I had to explore, and that the result of my investigations ought to be detailed with the greatest accuracy ; but in what particular manner, and to what degree of minuteness 1 was to execute the duty imposed on me, were circumstances respecting which the Admiralty dispatch would doubtless have served as an explanation and a guide. Though that b dispatch could be regarded only as a supplement to the order I had already received, the papers referred to might contain directions, the want of which would expose me to the risk of leaving considerable chasms in my survey, both on account of the insufficiency of my personal ex perience, and of my being necessarily destitute^ of the exteusive information which the Admi ralty Department possessed respecting the seas I had to visit.

I deeply regretted that I had not received those papers along with the minister's order, and foresaw all the difficulties which might arise from the want of them. On the other hand, however, I perceived that the result of any en deavour to obtain them now would only be loss of time, injury to the public service, and the ab solute impossibility of accomplishing any thing which might compensate for so much expense and trouble. In a word, had I sailed to Okotzk, the summer and consequently the whole year must have elapsed without the slightest advantage to. the expedition. This opinion was grounded on. the following considerations. First ; I reflected that, after calculating the season at which my passage to Okotzk would be practicable, I had to add to that period the necessary time for laying in provisions, fresh water, wood, &c. for a long voyage from Okotzk to the Karile Islands: consequently, with the greatest exertions and most favourable wind, I could not have reached the place where my investigations were to commence, until the month of July : the months of May and June would there fore have been completely lost.

Secondly ; the state ofthe sloop, and in some measure that of the crew, rendered it absolutely necessary that we should pass the winter in a harbour, where the vessel might be cleansed and repaired ; — for, since my departure from Cronstadt, in the year 1807, no opportunity had occurred for taking out the ballast or stores, in order to see what repairs were requisite for the hull; and the ill-built store-houses of Petropaulowskoi are insufficient for the accommodation of the garrison, and there are no buildings for other purposes. — Thus, unless we went into port, the stores of every kind must have remained another winter in the vessel, where swarms of rats already made the greatest havoc among the provisions, sails, woollen-cloth, casks, and every thing within their reach. Besides, the men were in want of clothes; their shoes and stockings were completely worn out, and they required to be entirely new clothed, which could not possibly be done without going into Okotzk harbour.

These circumstances re quired that I should winter in Okotzk, which it was necessary I should enter by the latter et.d of September, or at the latest the beginning of Oc tober. There remained therefore only three months for the duty I had to execute, and these were (with the exception of July) the most unfavourable for the expedition. All navigators who have sailed in the seas I had to traverse, complain of the cloudy weather and excessively thick fogs, which prevented them from approaching the coasts, and consequently from making any observations upon them. In the forego ing year, when i returned from America to Kamt schatka along the chain of the Kurile Islands, I was convinced by experience of the'H?uth of this com plaint. Besides the continual mrstsihat arise from the water, and totally conceal the coasts and islands, navigators have to encounter other difficulties of a still greater and more dangerous description : the currents met with among the Aleute and Kurile Islands run with extraordinary violence, and the depth of water, even in the neighbourhood of these islands, is so great, that at a distance of only three miles from land no bottom can be found, after sounding with a line of one hundred and fifty or two hundred fathoms.

In these seas, therefore, no reliance can be placed on the lead, which in general affords a certain indication of the proximity of land. I was perfectly aware of all these circumstances, and was consequently impressed with the necessity of chusing th -■ most favourable time for the execution of my enterprise, i or this purpose I perused the published accounts of the voyages of the most celebrated navigators, who have visited the quarter to which I was about to proceed, and from that perusal I collected the following information. On the 9th of October, 1779, (N. S.), the English ships Resolution and Discovery, which, after the death of Captains Cook and Clerk, were commanded by Captain Gore, sailed from the Bay of Awatska, with the view, in addition to the discoveries which were the object of their voyage, to explore the chain of the Kurile Islands.

They, however, succeeded in seeing only the first and second islands, namely, Shoomska and Paramous s-ier ; a violent westerly wind having prevented them from approaching the others, notwithstanding their most strenuous endeavours. The first land they had sight of, after these two islands, was the eastern coast of Japan, latitude 40° 05', which they descried on the 26th of October. Captain Gore did not, however, relinquish his plan of visiting the southern Kurile Islands, but violent storms prevented him from putting his de sign into execution. He left the Bay of Awatska in the end of September (N. S.). Hence I inferred that the months of September and October are by no means favourable for nautical observations on the Kurile Islands. In the middle of August, 1787, La Perouse sailed between the Peninsula of Sagaleen and the Island of Matsmai, through the strait which has since borne his name.

Between Cape Aniwa and Cape Trou, on the Island of Staatenland,* which he descried on the 19th of August, he saw no other islands except the Company's-land-jand Ma reekanj, between which he sailed. This strait he named La Boussole, after his own frigate. But the continued thick fogs prevented him from mak ing further observations on the Kurile Islands, and he was compelled to abandon his design, and to direct his course to Kamtschatka, which he did on the 1st of September (O. S.). Captain Sarytscheff,§ in li^s, account of his voyage to the north-eastern parts of Siberia, on the Frozen and the Eastern Oceans, says that he sailed from the Bay of Awatska on the 6th of August (O. S.) 1792, for the purpose of visiting the Corean Sea. He steered S. W. along the Kurile Islands, but owing to the thick fogs, he did not discover land until the 20th.

In latitude 47° 28', he per ceived what he supposed to be the Island of Ma reekan and some others, but thick mists prevented him from observing them closely, and he was ul timately obliged to give up his design and to re turn to Okotzk. On his return he perceived the seventh island and the peak of the twelfth, and further on, the southern coast of the second is- * Eetooroop or Eetoorpoo; the nineteenth Kurile Island. t Ooroop; the eighteenth Kurile Island. % Seemoossier; the sixteenth Kurile Island. $ Now Vice-Admiral. land, and the summits of the three volcanoes on the fifth ; but they were almost constantly enveloped in mist, and he was consequently unable to fix their geographical situations. In the year 1796, the English Captain, Broughton, quitted Vulcan's Bay, on the southern side of Matsmai, and sailed along the eastern coast of the same island ; he then passed between Kunashier and Eetooroop, the former of which he conceived to be a portion of Matsmai.

He continued his course along frre north-western coast of the Island Eetooroop (Staatenland), but of which he merely saw the first half, and the north-east extremity, without being aware that these were parts of one and the same island. He then sailed along the western coast of Ooroop (Company's-land) and Seemoossier (Mareekan), and reached the Island Ketoi. Thence he returned along the southern coasts of Ooroop, Eetooroop and Kunashier, without being able to make any observations, though he anxiously wished to ascertain correctly the situation of islands as yet so imperfectly known. Fogs, violent winds and weather, upon the whole very unfavourable, prevented him from carrying his design into execu tion. Capt. Brought on's cruise, among the southern Kurile Islands, took place in the month of October.

Captain Krusenstern, who, in the year 1805, returned to Kamtschatka from Japan, was among the Kurile Islands during the latter end of Mar aud beginning of June. On his passage to the Peninsula of Sagaleen, he also sailed through these islands in the early part of July, and again, on his return, in the end of August (N. S.). This I learned from his atlas, which I obtained, along with some other charts, from the under-pilot Kuritzyn, who had commanded a vessel belonging to our American Company ; but not havjns' read the second part of Captain Krusenstern's Voyage, I had no knowledge of the weather he had experienced among these islands. hi addition to the information thus obtained from the above celebrated navigators, who served me as a council on the subject of my enterprise, I endeavoured also to discover persons in Kamt schatka, who had made voyages to the islands I was directed to examine, and questioned them with the greatest strictness on every point of im portance.

But what sort of information could I derive from men so ignorant in navigation, and, above all, so limited in their excursions, as the popes and pelt-hunters of Kamtschatka, who merely go to the nearest inhabited Kurile Island with the officers who collect the yassak (or tribute). They only knew that there were some bright days in summer, but how often and how long they continued, and particularly in what places they experienced that favourable weather, were circum stances of which ll»ey could give no account. It was merely during the passage and in the straits that they paid any attention to the changes of the niS CAPTIVITY IN JAPAN. wind ; when once on the Kurile Islands, thev eared little for the state of the atmosphere or any meteorological phenomena. To make booty and collect the yassak Mere their sole objects.

An under-pilot, named Andrejeu, a man whose know ledge in his profession was not altogether despi cable, and who had been at the Kurile Islands; with Lieutenant Chwostoff, on board one of the company's vessels, during the beginning of June, assured me that the weather was then favourable. In the preceding year, 1 had sailed from Kamt schatka to America in June, and returned in August and September. At both periods we had rough and hazy weather, and the horizon was constantly covered with heavy clouds. All, therefore, that has been stated respecting the weather in the Eastern Ocean, convinced me that fogs might be considered as proper to that sea, that they prevail there in all months without exception, though in some more frequently than in others, and that there was in no season good and clear weather for more than a week together.

I perceived also that to survey so extensive a chain of islands and coast as was prescribed to me, would require an entire summer from the beginning of May until October. Besides it would be necessary to keep the land at all times as hard on board as possible, in order, as soon as the fog dis persed, to approach the coast more closely. It might therefore happen that a full investigation could not be completed in three years. On all these grounds and considerations, I felt convinced that it was necessary to proceed as speedily as pos sible to the execution of my mission. I will now briefly state the plan I intended to follow. I resolved to sail direct from Kamtschatka to the Strait of Nadeschda between the Islands Matua and Rashaua, and to regulate my chrono meter according to their situation*, in case I should find no opportunity for lunar observations.

I then proposed to steer along the southern coasts of ttie Kurile Islands, and to commence my observations with the Island of Ketoi, which had not been seen by the Nadeschda, and so on with every island in succession until I arrived at Mats mai ; next to sail between the Islands Eetooroop and Matsmai, and to explore the whole northern coasts of the latter until I should reach La Pe rouse's Straits ; thence, keeping the Peninsula of Sagaleen in view, to steer to the spot (53° 38' latitude) whence my investigation of the Tartar coast was to commence ; with which, as well as my observations on the Shantar Islands, I hoped to be ready towards the latter end of the summer. • Captain Krusenstern had a close view of these islands, aud gave the name of Sarytscheff'.s Peak to the volcano on the Island </f Matua. ] therefore concluded that he had fixed their geogra phical situation with the utmost accuracy.

By calculating their longitude also, according to our chronometer, we could, on obtain ing his work, iu case we should have made no lunar observations ascertain the difference of our reckonins. Having thus determined on my plan, I immediately set about preparing every thing for my departure. I opened for myself a passage through the ice, and on the 25th of April got the sloop out from Petropaulowskoi to Awatscha Bay. On the 4th of May we weighed anchor and put to sea. On the 14th of May I reached Nadeschda Strait, the place, whence, according to the plan I bad laid down, I was to commence my observations. I will not here detain the reader by giving an account of my cruize among the Kurile Islands, or the nature of my investigation, as I have de voted a particular work to that object. It is sufficient to say, that previous to the 17th of June, the first day of our accidental communication with the Japanese, notwithstanding the im pediments of thick fogs and violent irregular cur rents, we succeeded in making observalions on the following islands : the 13th Rashaua*, the 14th Oosheessierf , the 15th Ketoi£, the 16th Seemoos sier or Mareekan, the 17th the two Tschirpoi and Macantar and the western coast ofthe 18th Ooroop.

I think it proper, however, before I proceed to describe the treatment we received from the Japanese, and the unfortunate occurrences which • On Captain Krusenstern's chart these islands ere improperly named: — This is called Matua. t Called Raschaua. % Called OosheMsicr. golownin's! narrative or 14 ensued, to state all I then knew respecting the political relations between Russia and Japan. About thirty years ago, a Japanese merchant man was wrecked on the Aleute Island Amtshitka. The crew of the vessel and the commander, whose name was Rodai, were saved and taken to Irkutzk, where these unfortunate Japanese lived about ten years. At the end of that period, the Empress Catharine gave orders that they should be conveyed back to their native country ; and that advantage should be taken of that opportunity to ascertain whether some commercial relations, beneficial to both countries, might not be established between Russia and Japan.

The orders received on this occasion by General Pihl, Governor in Chief of Siberia, are worthy of particular attention. He was expressly instructed to send as envoy to Japan, a person of rather inferior rank, bearing presents in his own (General Pihl's) name, as governor of a frontier province, but by no means in the name of the Empress ; it was further ordered that the com mander ofthe vessel employed on this occasion should neither be a native of England nor Holland. In obedience to these instructions Governor Pihl appointed Lieutenant Laxman envoy, who embark ed on board the transport Catharina, commanded by the pilot Lowzoff, and sailed in the autumn of 3792, from Okotzk to Japan. Laxman landed on the northern coast of the Island of Matsmai, and passed the winter in the little Harbour of Nernviro.

In the following summer, in conformity with the desire of the Japanese, he entered Chakodade Harbour, which is situated on the southern coast of Matsmai, near the Straits of Sangar, from whence he travelled by land to Matsmai, which is three days' journey to the west of Chakodade.

Here he entered into negociations with officers sent from the capital, in consequence of which the Japanese Government issued a declaration to the following effect :— - 1st. Although the Japanese laws ordain that all foreigners who may land upon any part of the coasts of Japan, the Harbour of Nangasaky ex cepted, shall be seized and condemned to perpe tual imprisonment, the penalties inflicted by the said laws shall not be enforced against the Russians in the present instance, as they were ignorant of the existence of such statutes, and have brought with them Japanese subjects whom they had saved on their own coasts ; and they shall be permitted, without let or molestation, to return immediately to their native country, on this condition, however, that they never again approach any part of Japan, except Nangasaky, even though Japanese subjects should be driven on the coast of Russia, otherwise the law shall be executed in its fullest force. 2d, The Japanese Government returns thanks for the conveyance of its subjects to their native country ; but at the same time informs the Russians that: they may either leave them, or take them back again, as they shall think fit; for, according to the Japanese laws, such persons cannot be forcibly detained, since those laws declare that men belong to that country on which their destiny may cast them, and in which their lives have been protected. 3d. With regard to negociations for commercial arrangements, the Japanese can admit of no relations of that sort any where except in the harbour of Nangasaky ; for that reason they gave Laxman, for the present, merely a written certificate, on producing which a Russian vessel might enter that harbour, where would be found Japanese officers furnished with full powers to treat further with the Russians on this matter.

Having received this declaration, Laxman returned to Okotzk in the autumn of 1793. From his account it appears that the Japanese treated the Russians with the greatest civility and courtesy. shewed them every mark of honour in a way con formable to the customs of their country, maintained at their own expense the officers and crevv during the whole time they remained on the Japa nese coasts, provided them at their departure with provisions, for which they refused to accept of any payment, and made them various presents. He only regretted that, owing to the strict execution of the laws, the Japanese would never permit them to go freely about the town, but kept a constant watch upon them. I cannot divine why the Em press did not, immediately on Laxman's return, dispatch a vessel to Nangasaky ; probably the commencement of the French Revolution, which, at that period, disturbed the peace of Europe, occasioned her to neglect this opportunity.

In the year 1803 the Chamberlain Resanoff was sent to Japan by the present reigning Monarch. The public have learned the details of that expedi tion from Captain Krusenstern's narrative ; from which I also collected my information on the same subject, having, as I have already observed, read the first volume before my departure from Kamt schatka. I therefore knew that, in the declaration which the Japanese Government communicated to Resanoff, it was notified that noilussian ship would be permitted to approach the coasts of Japan, and that in case the subjects of that country were driven by storms on the coasts of Russia, they were to be conveyed home in Dutch and not in Russian vessels. On his return to Kamtschatka, Resanoff sailed to America in one of the Ame rican Company's ships, commanded by Lieutenant Chwostoff.

He returned to Okotzk with the same officer, and was travelling through Siberia on his way to St. Petersburg when he fell ill and died. Chwostoff, however, put to sea again and attacked the Japanese villages on the Kurile Islands. Further information on this subject may be found in Vice-Admiral Sehiskkoff's preface to the voyages of Chwostoff and Davydoff. Were Resanoff and Chwostoff' still living, we should c probably have ample explanations respecting the proceedings of the latter ; but as it is, we ought, in obedience to the old rule, to say nothing but good ofthe dead ! I must observe, however, that I have been informed our government was dissatisfied with the conduct of this officer. Having received orders to visit the Southern Kurile Islands, and being aware that some of them were in the possession of the Japanese, I endeavoured to collect all the information in my power respecting Chwostoff's proceedings in those seas.

For this purpose I examined a pilot who had accompanied him on his cruize ; and I was convinced, by that man's declaration, that the two attacks on the Japanese were unwarrant able arbitrary acts, and that they had not the slightest ground for supposing the hostilities of two insignificant vessels authorised by the sovereign of a country, the power and greatness of which must have been known to them from the descriptions of their countrymen who had lived many years in Russia. The account given by this pilot fully corresponded with what I had heard when I first arrived at Kamtschatka, from an officer of the company, named Massnikoff, Avho had been attached to Chwostoff's expedition. But notwithstanding the opinion I had thus formed, I resolved, unless superior orders should other wise direct, to hold no intercourse with the Japa nese.

My determination was to sail without any flag in the neighbourhood of the islands belong ing to them, in order to avoid exciting either fear or doubt in the minds of this distrustful people. But Providence was pleased to ordain otherwise, and probably for the better. Such, as far as I have above explained, was the state of the relations between Russia and Ja pan, at the lime when the duty I had to perform required me to approach the coasts of those is lands which are under the dominion of the Japa nese. And I now proceed to the most important part of my Narrative. On the afternoon ofthe 17th of June we found ourselves very near the western coast of the northern extremity of the Island of Eetoorpoo, though we were not immediately aware that the land we saw formed a part of that island. On the contrary, that extremity appeared to us like a separate island ; for the Bay of Sana, which extends very far in land, resembles a channel, and on Captain Broughton's chart this part of the coast is not defined, he not being certain whether the opening formed a strait or a bay.