At
landing, I showed the custom-house officers my letter from the king
of Luggnagg to his imperial majesty. They knew the seal perfectly
well; it was as broad as the palm of my hand. The impression was,
A KING LIFTING UP A LAME BEGGAR FROM THE EARTH. The magistrates of
the town, hearing of my letter, received me as a public minister.
They provided me with carriages and servants, and bore my charges
to Yedo; where I was admitted to an audience, and delivered my
letter, which was opened with great ceremony, and explained to the
Emperor by an interpreter, who then gave me notice, by his
majesty's order, "that I should signify my request, and, whatever
it were, it should be granted, for the sake of his royal brother of
Luggnagg." This interpreter was a person employed to transact
affairs with the Hollanders. He soon conjectured, by my
countenance, that I was a European, and therefore repeated his
majesty's commands in Low Dutch, which he spoke perfectly well. I
answered, as I had before determined, "that I was a Dutch merchant,
shipwrecked in a very remote country, whence I had travelled by sea
and land to Luggnagg, and then took shipping for Japan; where I
knew my countrymen often traded, and with some of these I hoped to
get an opportunity of returning into Europe: I therefore most
humbly entreated his royal favour, to give order that I should be
conducted in safety to Nangasac.
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