The green turtles which abound in the island were propably mistaken
for crabs, which may account for the gigantic size attributed by Ksempfer
to these animals. Other accounts give a much earlier date for the discovery
by the Japanese than that of 1675, stated by the authority just quoted.
At any rate, the English have not a particle of claim to priority of discovery.
In illustration of the discovery of the Bonins by the accidental
visit of a Japanese junk, it may be stated that the Commodore was informed
by Mr. Savory, an American resident, that a Japanese vessel of about forty
tons burden came into Port Lloyd thirteen years before, having been driven
by stress of weather from the coast of Japan. After remaining during the
winter she sailed on her return home in the spring, and, as she had brought
with her nothing but a small supply of dried fish, was provided gratuitously
by the settlers with provisions. On another occasion, some eight years sub-
“ Among the plants the smilax China, (or China root,) called san-ke-rei, the to-ke, a
medicinal herb called assa-ghion-keva, and others are to be reckoned.
“ Among birds there are different species of parokeets, cormorants, partridges, and
some resembling white sea-mews, bnt more than three feet long. All these birds have so
little wildness that they can be taken with the hand.
“ The chief productions of the mineral kingdom in this archipelago are alum, green
vitriol, stones of different colors, petrifactions, &c.
“ Whales are found in the sea, also huge crawfish, enormous shells, and echini, which
are called ‘ gall of the sea.’ The ocean here is unusually rich in various products.
“ In the third year of the reign Ghen-Fo, (1675,) Simaye Saghemon, Biso Saghemon,
and Simaye Dairo Saghemon, three inhabitants of Nagasaki, took a sea voyage to the
principality of Idsu. They were embarked in a large junk, built by a skilful Chinese carpenter.
These three men were well acquainted with astronomy and geography, and accompanied
by Fatobe, the chief ship-carpenter of the port of Yedo, who dwelt in the lane of
nets. The vessel was managed by thirty sailors. Having obtained a passport from the imperial
marine, they left the harbor of Simoda, the 5th day of the 4th moon, and steered for
the island of Fatsio. From thence they sailed toward the southeast and discovered a group
of eighty islands. They drew up a map and an exact account of them, in which áre some
curious details respecting the situation, climate, and productions of this archipelago. They
returned the 20th day of the 6th moon, in the same year, to Simoda, where Simaye published
an account of his voyage.
“ I t is singular that this writer makes no mention of the swift current, kuro-se-gaw,
which is experienced between the islands of Mikura and Fatsio. Its breadth exceeds twenty
matze, (about half a ri,) and it flows with great swiftness from east to west, (a) about one
hundred ri. This omission would be inexplicable if this current was not much less rapid
in summer and autumn then it is in winter and spring. Simaye, in his passage to the Bonin
islands, passed it in the first part of the intercalary month, which succeeds the fourth moon •
on his return, the latter part of the sixth moon, he should have found the currents less rapid,
and thus his attention was not called to this dangerous passage.
“ The largest of the eighty islands is fifteen ri in circuit, and thus is a little less than
Iki island in size. Another is ten ri in circumference, and about the size of Amakusa island.
Besides these two there are eight others which are from two to six and seven ri around.
These ten islands have flat plateaux which could be made habitable, and where grain would
(a) The w riter in describing the direction of the current is mistaken.
sequently, a French ship, cruizing off Stapleton Island, discovered a fire
ashore, and on sending a boat to the spot, found the wreck of a Japanese.
junk and five of its crew, the only survivors, in a most helpless plight.
They were then taken on hoard and carried to Port Lloyd, and thence subsequently
removed by the humane Frenchmen with the intention of landing
them on one of the Japanese islands. In confirmation of this statement we
have the fact that a party of officers from the Susquehanna, on a visit to
Stapleton Island, accidentally saw the wreck of this same vessel. The remains
of the junk were found in a little bay where they landed, the wreck
being still partially kept together by large nails of copper and portions of
sheets of this metal. From these materials and other indications, it was
inferred that it was a Japanese junk, and as the edges of the planks were
but little rubbed or decayed, it was concluded that the wreck could not be
very old.
Captain Coffin, whose nationality is not mentioned, but who, from his
name, was probably an American, and if so, doubtless from Nantucket, visited
and gave his name to that part of the group so singularly appropriated
and modestly christened by Beechey as the Bailey Islands. They are spoken
of by the inhabitants as the southern islands, and were always regarded by
them as belonging to the Bonin group. They are about twenty miloa to the
south of Port Lloyd. I t was not until 1827 that Captain Beechey, commanding
the English surveying vessel, the Blossom, visited the islands, and
taking formal possession in the name of the British king, gave English titles
to them. The inhabitants practically disown the paternity of the English
grow vejcy well. The climate is warm and favorable to cultivation, as one might infer
from then: geographical position. They afford various valuable productions. The remaining
seventy islets are only mere steep recks, and produce nothing.”
_ “ A colony of condemned criminals has been sent to these iilands, there to labor• they
have tilled the earth and planted some patches. They are collected in villages, and have
brought together the same things found in other provinces of the empire. . One can visit
these islands, and bring back their products in the same year. In this way a trade would
easily spring up, and the benefit to be drawn from it would he considerable. This must
be plain to all.” j In the p-eign Au-Yei (from 1771 -to 1780) I was sent on a commission into the province
of Fisen, where I became acquainted with a Dutchman named Aarend Werle Veit, who
showed me a geography, in which mention was made of some islands lying 200 ri to the
southeast of Japan, called Woest eiland by the author. The word Woest means desert and
l i l O M H M ES M °riginal ^ Malld- He remaris> these islands are not
inhabited, but that many sorts of herbs and trees are found there. The Japanese might
establish a cohmy on one of these islands on which grain and other productions Z l d
thrive In spite of the length of the voyage thither, the establishment would be useful to
em for these purposes. The Dutch company would derive very little advantage from the
possession of these islands, they being too small and too remote for thejr use ”
J i haVeT i ° USht Pr°Per *° f Pea‘ *heS6 W°rd8’ whioh de8er™ borne in mind, and
wi hem I bnng to a conclusion all that I have to say respecting the Bonin Islands.”