The Geographical Journal. , NO.4, APRILS 1895. VOI,. V. THE LUCHU ISLANDS AND THEIRINHABITANTS.nC By BASIL HALL CHAMBERLAIN, Emeritus Professor of Japanese and Philology in the Imperial University of Japan. I. INTRODUCTORY REMARES. MOST eelucated persons ;lre aware that the Pacific Ocean holds some- where or other an island or islailds called Luchu, and the more eIderly may perhaps lemember to have heard bomething of a British exploling expedition sent there eally in the centurtr. But being a place which the globe-trotter cannot reach with comfort, and which ofEers to men-of- war no induceluents in the way of coal or good llarbours, it receives scarcely any visits frotll Europeans, and there is probably to-day no part of the world equally civili2ed that is so little known. So completely, indeed, does Luehu lie out of the ways not only of travellers, but of book-nzakers, that after the lapse of three-quarters of a century Captain Basil Hall's work, entitled, i Actount of a Voyage of Discovery to tlle West of Corea and tlle Great Loo-ciloo Island,' and published byMurray in 1818, still remains the chief authority on the subject. At the time of my own visit in the spring of last year, the only European in the whole archi- pelago was the Abbe Ferries, a French Catholic missionary, who, how- ever, lived in the northern island of C)shiina, which does not form part of Luchu in the narrower sense of the word; and the ouly occasional visitor (also to Oshima) was Mr. Alfred Unger, of the firln of Boehmer & Co., florists, of Yokohama. My own opportunities, though llnfortu- nately not permitting of a visit to the smaller outling isles, were excellent for seeint both land and people in Great Luchu, as the time of year favoured travel in that warm region, and letters of introduction * Paper read at the Royal Geot,raphical Society, January 7, 189o. AIap, p. 4()8. NO.1V.-APRIL, 1895.] U This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:28:44 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
Transcript
The
Geographical Journal. ,
NO. 4, APRILS 1895. VOI,. V.
THE LUCHU ISLANDS AND THEIR INHABITANTS.nC
By BASIL HALL CHAMBERLAIN, Emeritus Professor of Japanese and
Philology in the Imperial University of Japan.
I. INTRODUCTORY REMARES.
MOST eelucated persons ;lre aware that the Pacific Ocean holds some-
where or other an island or islailds called Luchu, and the more eIderly may perhaps lemember to have heard bomething of a British exploling expedition sent there eally in the centurtr. But being a place which the globe-trotter cannot reach with comfort, and which ofEers to men-of- war no induceluents in the way of coal or good llarbours, it receives
scarcely any visits frotll Europeans, and there is probably to-day no
part of the world equally civili2ed that is so little known. So completely, indeed, does Luehu lie out of the ways not only of travellers, but of
book-nzakers, that after the lapse of three-quarters of a century Captain Basil Hall's work, entitled, i Actount of a Voyage of Discovery to tlle West
of Corea and tlle Great Loo-ciloo Island,' and published byMurray in 1818, still remains the chief authority on the subject. At the time of my own visit in the spring of last year, the only European in the whole archi-
pelago was the Abbe Ferries, a French Catholic missionary, who, how- ever, lived in the northern island of C)shiina, which does not form part of Luchu in the narrower sense of the word; and the ouly occasional visitor (also to Oshima) was Mr. Alfred Unger, of the firln of Boehmer
& Co., florists, of Yokohama. My own opportunities, though llnfortu- nately not permitting of a visit to the smaller outling isles, were excellent for seeint both land and people in Great Luchu, as the time of year favoured travel in that warm region, and letters of introduction
* Paper read at the Royal Geot,raphical Society, January 7, 189o. AIap, p. 4()8.
NO. 1V.-APRIL, 1895.] U
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:28:44 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
from the Japanese Foreign Office threw open all official sources of information, wllile nothing could exceed the hospitality of the native aristocracy as soon as they learnt that their strange visitor was neither missionary nor merchant, and that he could speak Japanese, which is the French of those parts. These circumstances may perhaps justify aB somewhat minute account of what I saw and heard. lany items have never been described before for European readers the marriage customs, for instance, and the two systenls of ideographs. The present paper will fulfil its object if it succeeds in showing that the Luchus are no mere barbarous is]ands, but that, on the contrary, they possess a
complex civilization, an ancient and checkered history, and a language capable of throwing welcome light on iE5ar-Eastern philology; that, in fact, these minute specks on the map expand when properly studied, and becolne as full of varied illterest as a drop of water or an ant's brain when placed under the naturalist's microscope.
My special thanks are due to Mr. Narabara, GolTernor of the archi- pelago; to hir. Takeshita, late Chief Inspector of Police there; to Mr. Nishi, Mayor of Shuri; to the learned botanist, Mr. Tashiro, who has devoted years to a scientific exploration of the Ezurther Isles; to Mr. Tamura, a Japanese planter resident in the island of Ishigaki; and to Mr. Alfred Unger, who has faa7oured me with several photographs. Mr. H. C. Litchfield, barrister, of Yokohama, placed in my hands the manuscript of an account of a visit to Luchu by the late Mr. E. Pryer; but unfortunately it was in too fragmentary a condition to make much use of, and contained scarcely anything on Mr. Pryer's special subject-lepidoptera-beyond an e2cpression of disappointment with the specimens ol3tained.
II. GEOGRAPHY A SD NATURAL CHARACTERISTICS. Taken in its widest acceptation, LUCHU is the name of the whole
chain of islands stretching from the south-western extremity of Japan to near the llorth-eastern extremity of iF'ormosa. Taken in its narrowest sense, it denotes only the central island, Great Luchu, or this island with its smallest immediate neighbours, while otller names are appliedt to the other sub-groups of the archipelago. Historical considerations partly explain this ill-defined usage of the term, the limits of the recently extinguished Luchuan killDdom and the nature of the Japanese claims to some of the islands having varied from time ti) time, as will be seen in Section III. A further cause of confusion has been the habit ommon to European navigators of namina and re-naming islands and groups of islands more or less at pleasure, and of mising up their own nomenclature with the native names imperfectly understood. If we are to take early history as our standard, the Luchu islands begin at the very mouth of the Gulf of Kagoshima, ill southern Japan. Are popular customs and ph) sical features to be our guides ? Then Luchu
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:28:44 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
begins onl) at Amami-Oshima. Shall we follow modern Japanese adlxlinistrative parlance? Then the northern half of the archipelago rnust be omitted altogether, because incor?orated centuries ago with Japan proper, and there remain only Great Luchu and the Further [sles. So arbitrar- a question can never be satisfactorily settled, for it depends on a definition of terms whieh every one is free to define as he *3ees fit. Another nloot point is, which of the islands shall be enumerated by nalne and which omitted as too insignificant? Thirty-sis is the nulnber always given by Luchuans and Japanese alike, and it corle- sponds vely fairly well with fact if the entire archipe]ago be included. A\Then,however,the northern part of the archipelago is omitted, the orthodox number has to be made up by addint, some of the very sl-nall islands to the list.
Waking the name ;'Luchu" in its widest sense for the purposes of this paper, and adopting the subdivisions familiar to Japanese geo- 2,raphers, we find that there are altogether thirty-sis principal islands, which fall into six groups, as follows:-
1. The North-Eastern Group, accounted as beloncing to the Japanese province of Osumi. It includes-
1. TANE-GA-SHIMA (Tanega sima of British AdllliraltyChart, No. 2,412), long in shape-sorne 32 miles by a-colYlparatively low (highest point 1,200 feet), and admirably cultivated with rice and other crops. This island is noted in history as the first point of Japanese, or quasi- Japanese, soil trodden by Europeans, the Portuguese adventurer tIendez Pinto having landed here in the year 1542 and astoni£hed the natives so greatly by his firearms, that a pistol is still sornetimes called a tane- {y-shtmcs in colloquial Japanese. The population numbers over 23)000 (census of 1890).
2. MA1{E-JIMA (Maye no Sinla of the chart) a luere islet, used for raising a few cattle, alld also resorted to by fishermell.
3. YAEU-NO-SEIIMA (Yak¢no sima of the chart), a cir(;ular island of some 15 miles diameter, covered with luxuriant forests, where grow the celebrated yaku-smgi, the variety of cryptotneria most prized for its tilnber. The knot of mountains forming this fine island attains a height of over 6000 feet, thus surpassing; any peak on the leainland of southern Japan. Whether its origin be volcanic or not, like its main- land neighbours, has not Jet been determined. The inhabitants, who nuruber some 8,800, enjoy the reputation of an alrnost idyllic simplicity Doors need neither locks nor bolts in this happy island where theft is ullknown; and a man hangint up his coat on a bush will be sure to find it untouched when next he passes by that way.
4. KUCHI-NO-ERABU-SHI.MA (Nagarobe or Yerabu of the chart), 6 miles long by 5 broad, is an active volcano over 2,200 feet high.
II. The North-Western Group. This group, whi;h is accounted part of the Japanese province of Satsurna, consists of three small islands, called-
u '
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:28:44 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
5. 1'AKE-SHIZIA (Ta7ce Si7ela of the chart), 740 feet higll. 6. I\VO-GA-SHINIA (IWOSa Sima of the chart), lit. " Sulphur Island." *
The burnt red and yellow aspect of this island cone, rising ovel 9,300 feet sheer out of the sea, is most desolate; but the sulphur, which gives it its name, forms a valuable SOUICC of income.
7. KURO-SH[MA (Kuro Sima of thc chart), 3 miles long by 2l- wide, and over 2,000 feet hir,h.
III. Thc Shichi-to, lit. " Seven Isles " t (" Linschoten Island.s " of thc chart). These too are all very small, though mostly high, and some are active volcanoes. A few poor families manage to pick up a living even under circumstances so ullfavourable; but this grour), like thc last, lacks all practical importance. Its chief ipterest is tlle danger it oSers to navigation. The names of the islands are
8. KUCHI-NO-SHIMA (ltutaino-sima or Yerabout: of the chart), 2,23CI feet high.
9. GAJA-SHIMA or HEBI-SHIATA (Ilebi-sima 01 I)undas Island of the chart), 1,687 feet.
10. NAIVA-NO-SHIZIA (Naka-sima or Pialnacle of the chart), 3,400 feet. 11. HIRA-SHIAMIA (Fira-siqna or Disaster of the chart), 812 feet. 12. SU\v.X-NO-S.E-.T1MA (Sutva-sima or Archimedes of the chart), an active
zolcano, 0,706 feet lligh. 13. AEUIS1II-JIMA (Akuisi-sima or Samarang of the chart), 1,978 feet. 14. 1'OIVARA-SL{IZIA (Tokara-sima or Pennell of the chart), 860 feet. 10. YOWO-SH1MA (YOkO SSIRa or Ogle of the chart), 1,700 feet. IV. The Oshiqna Group, originally stlbject to the Kings of Luchu,
but conqueled and incorporated with his doulains by the Prince of Satsuma in lfilO, and now under the jurisdiction of the Japanese Pre- {ecture of Kagoshima. This group, sometillles alsc) called Sho-Ryzkyu, that is, Small Luchu, consists of
16. Os11iqsla,§ or lllore iully Amami-Osllima (Anami Oo Sima t)r Ilaxbous Island of the chart 11) This, the wecolld largest lllembel of the
* Tle ' China Sea Directory' gives it the alXernative name of "Volcano Island," re3erving the name of " Sulphur Island " for olle further to the south.
T There are leally ei^,ht, but ' Seven Isles " is a favourite nurnber with tlle J:paillese; take, for instance, the ]zu S1^c7li-to, or " Seven Isles of Izu," to the south of Yokohama. Witll regard to the terln " Linschotell Islands," the ' Chilla Sea l)irectory ' includes under it T;ne-g;z-shima, Make-jiIla, and Yttku-no-shima; but the cllart wlites the nanle so as to cover the? Sevell Isles (S7zic71i-to) only.
$ Evidently by confusion vith Erabu- (also mritten Yerabu-) s7zima. But whellce the :8nal t ? Perhaps from some French mariner, who might naturally write the sound a7)2l as about.
§ Oshima, lit. " Bio Island," is a llame of perplexingly flequellt recurrellce off the Japanese coast. Hellce tlle plan of prefixing some luore de3fillite appellatiol), to dis- tillguish each particular Oshima from its llomonyms. Thus mre have Iztz no 0 7zima (Vries lsland), off the coast of the prourince of Izu, etc.
il Chart No. 873 spells Amctmai properly, and so does tlae ' Chilla Sea Directory.' But a11 have Oo Stma for Oslwinla.
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:28:44 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
enti1e Luehuan arehipelago, is some 30 miles lont by 17 wide at the south-western end, which is the broadesS part. It is a maze of hills, whieh rise in the south to over 2,000 feet; but none of them are voleanoes, antl Oshima is said to be entirely free fronl earthquake shoeks. Lyin=,, as the island does, direetly in the way of the Kuroshttro, or Japanese Gulf Stleam, the elimate is excessively huinid Few dat s pass entirely without rain; and even when it is not aetually raining, elouds and mist often obseure the sun. This state of things, disastrous insueha latitude(28°20')to European health,favours,as a hothouse might do, the growth of a lusuriant segetation, arnongst whieh eyeads and tree-fetns Inost strike the eye. It likewise fasours the propagation of many lower forins of animal life, espeeially the dreaded Trimere- sllrus snake, of nvhieh nlore later on. Naze, the ehief port of Oshima, lies on the north-western side of the island. It is a xery dull little place, built in Japanese stale and boasting a Japanese inn. The native clialect, essentially Luehuan in eharaeter, has been overlaid by the Satsuma dialect of Japanese, and forms a patois in xarious stages of degradation and hybridism aeeording as the speaker belongs to town or country. The ?opulation is 51,000.
17. WAKEROMA-SHIZIA (Kageroma Stma of the chart) is a aTerJ- narrow island solne 12 miles lontr, plastered up, if one may so say, against the southern coast of Oshinla, from whieh it is separated by a nalrow channeT known to English mdriners as Oo-sima, or Porpoise Strait. It boasts several small ports of export, and its coasts are much resorted to by fishermen froul Great Luehu. To its south lie the sluall but high islands of
18. YORO-SHIMA (Ioro SiXa of the ehart), 1,000 feet; and 19. U1£E SHIZIA (Uke Stma of the ehart), 1,353 feet. 20. KISAI-GA-SHIMA or KIKAI-JIMA (Kikat-ga-sima or Bunyalow Islazd
of the ehart) is nearly 7 miles long by 2.l) wide, and 864 feet high. It is almost timberless, so that the inhabitants, who number over 1S,000, are driven to the use of horse and eow-dung for fuel. It is noted as producing the best sugar and the best mats (known as Ryukyu-omote) in the whole archipelago. Popular su}?erstition represents it as having anciently been the abode of demons, whence its name, which means literally " Demon Wolld.''
21. TOEU-NO-SHIMA (Kakirouma,$ Tok-stmba, or Crown leland of the chart), lS miles long by 9 broad, and 2,200 feet high. This island and the two to be next mentioned are well-wooded, and produce considerable quantities of suaar.
22. OKI-NO-ERABU-SHIMA ( Ye2-abu Sima or Oukttz t °f the chart), 9.X -miles long, from 2 to 5 uliles wide, and 687 feet high.
* Apparently by confusion with Kakeroma-.silima. t Apparently a corruptioll of the first three syllables of the real llame.
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:28:44 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
23. YORON-JIMA (Yori-sima or Yuqu Island of the chart) is a roundish island about 3 miles in diailleter, and over 4()0 feet high.
It has already been stated that Group I. forms part of the Japanese province of Osumi, and Group IL of the province of Satsuma. These ancient provinces are now united for administrative purposes in the single prefecture of KaCoshima, irl which Grotlps III. and IAT. are also included. The Central and Southern Groups (V. and VI ) about to be enumerated, that iB, Luchu Proper and the Further Isles, have been erected into a separate prefecture called the Okinawa Ken.
V. The Central Group, or Luchu Proper, tlle chief member of which is- 24. ()KINAWA or GREAT LUCHU. This, the largest and by far the
-nost important island in the whole alellipelago, has a length of 56 miles, with a breadth valying from 2 to 14 miles. It has, from the most ancient tilnes, been divided into three parts called Kunchan, Nakagami: and Shimajiri. The first or northernlnost of these (also popularly known by the name of Yambara) is rough and moun- tainous, rising to a height of some 1,5(30 feet, wooded in parts, in parts barren, and everywhere but sparsely inhabited, such inhabitants as there are being despised £or their poveltJr and rough speech and manners by the natives of the central and southern provinces. These provinces Nakagalni and Shimajiri consist of open rolling country with loxr hills in the centre, are admirably cultixated, and tllickly populated. The streams here, as on the other islands, though nulnerous, are necessarily very short, the longest attaining to a length of only about 6 miles. There is a curious stalactitic cave at Futemma, 10 miles from Nafa. The three provinces of Great Luchu are subdivided into districts termed mayiz, of which there are nine in Kunchan, eleven in Nakaganli, and fifteen in Shimajiri, the highly cisrilized central and southern provinces bein(r thus muth more minutely subdivided than the barlen northerll moor and forest land. A like division into mayiz i obtains in all the islands formerly subjeet to the Lllehuan liings. The term, though noxv unknown in Japan, is said to have been eurrent irL Satsuma in aneient dat7s The best harbour in Great Luchu is IJntell (Port 7h[elvtlle of the British eharts), on the north-west eoast; but it is, so to say, wasted, beeause situated in a hilly distriet retnote froln the eentres of population and trade. For this reason the Japanese steamers and tnost junks repair to Nafa (or Naha or Naba, as the Japanese sometimes pronounee it), in Shilnajiri, near the southern extremity of the island, which is much less good, the inner harbour being only aeeessible at high tide. Close to Nafa, and indeed practieally forming one with itX are the towns of Toreari and :@ume-mura. Shuri, the eapital (called Shui by the leodern Luehuans, who habitually drop the * in the lniddle of words), crowns a hill sorole 400 feet lligh standing a little over three miles inland from Nafa. No other plaee in the arehipelago approaehes Shuri or Wafa in size, and the two folm a
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:28:44 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
strikillg contrast, Nafa being a busy port, the seat of the Japanese administration, and altogether mueh Japonized in appearanee and in the manners of its inhabitants, whereas Shuri remains quite old-world. The eastle of Shuri is a delightfully pieturesque relic of early days.
The othet members of the Central Group, exeept Eumejilna, are small and quite unimportant. They are as follows:-
25. TORI-SHIMA or Iwo-zax :¢ (Ileno sima or Sulphu) Island of the ehart). This is a volcanie eone sotne a40 feet high, and still aetive. It is the southernmost xoleanie member of the Luehuan arehipelago.
26. IHIYA-JIMA (Yebeya sima of the ehart), 7 miles long by nearly 2 wide, and 963 feet high.
27. IZENA-SHIMA (Isezla sireta of the chart), a mere islet 403 feet high. The British naval authorities unite these last two islands under the common nalne of Montgome} y Grou?.
28. IE-SHIMA (Iye Islc;6rld or Sugarloaf of the ehart), 43 miles long by 14 broad, and 57a feet high.
29. AEUNI-JISIA (Agurlyeh of the chart), 3 miles long by 2 broad, and 30G feet high.
30. TONAKI-JIAIA (T?snashee of the chart), a mere islet 603 feet hig;h. 31. KERAWIA-JIMA is a group, whose small detaehed eastern members
are called Mae-jinla (Mai7cixirna of the chart) and Kuro-shima (Eoru- sima or Saddle Island of the chart). The white cliSs of Mae-jiina form a striking feature in the view seaward from Nafa and south-eastern Luehu generally. The large central island is ealled Tokashikijima, while the smaller western members are eollectively known by the name of Nishi-Reranla, their individual names being respeetively Zamami- jima, Yagahi-jima, Aka-shima, Kuba-shima, and lierumajima. The chart writes Yagahi as Yakany, Kuba as Eupa, and does not name Keruma at all. The island between Keruma on the south and Aka on the north seems to have no name even in Japanese, the three islands being in solne mysterious way eonsidered as only two. The ' China Sea Direetory ' ineludes all three under the general name of Aka sima. The prineipal village and anehorat,e of the lierama Group is Ago-no-ura, in the island of Zamami.
32. KUME-JIMA (B:omisany of the ehart) is some 6 miles long, also 6 miles wide in the widest part, and has two peaks a southern one 1,028 feet high, and a northern 1,108 feet high. It has a fine waterfall visible froln the sea. This outlying but thiekly populated little island is one of the most noted in the arehipelago, owing to the Ryukytb-ts?sm?4gt, a silk fabrie whieh is exported to Japan and mueh prized in that eountry. The principal village, called Kana-g;usuku- hama, is situated on the south-western eoast.
* Though lying so far nortll as to seem more naturally included in thf3 Oshima tXroup, this island is always accounted as forming one of the Central Group, because it belonged politically to Great Luchu.
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:28:44 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
Vl. The Sakt-shXBa Grot6p, or " Further Isles." In the British Admiralty Charts 2,412 and 2,10o it is staled Meiaco-sXszGs or Yayeyaiza Goup; but both these designations are founded in misapprehension, Miyakojima being really the individual naIIle of the easternmost large island (Taipinsan Island of chart 2,412 $) with its tiny satellites, while YayeFama (or Yaeyama) is a general name for the two large western islands of Ishit,akijima atld Iri-omotejima (Pa-chztny-san and Kz-kien- san or Nishioznote Sirna of the chart), with their satellites. Tonakuni- jima (@umi of the chartt) stands alone. It matr be added that Tai- pin-san, Pa-chung-san, and Ku-kien- san are Chinese names for the islands. The Saki-shima or Further Isles are enumerated as follows 33. MIYAKO-JINIA, 17 miles long br 5-l) wide. It and its neighbouring islets are comparatively low, nowhere much exceeding 300 feet. They lack tiruber, but are thickly populated. Water is often scarce, and in the hollows whele it is kept it goes up and down with the tide. The names of the isTets are Ogamijima (Eumsock Island of the chart), Ikemajima (Coq^uma of the chart), (Oku-no-) Erabu-shima (Yerrabu of the chart), Sbimoji-shima, Euruma-jima (Kurixnah of the chal t), and- some way further to the west-Minna-jima (Mitsuna of the chart), and Tarama-jima (Tarara of the chart). The British Admiralty chart names, as will be noticed, are nlore than llsually faulty in the case of this sub-group. It will be observed, also, that the chart gives no name at a11 to Shimoji-shima, but makes the latter form one with Erabu-shirna by omitting the extremely narlow channel between these twin islands, and that it thus callses what are reall.y two to appear as one. The Japanese Admiralty chart, on the eontrary, which dates from 1888, is very carefully executed. Miyakojima was the first point of Luchuan land with which British mariners became acquainted, H.M.S. Pq ovidence, Captain Broughton, having been wrecked about a century ago on the great Bayebise, or I'rovidence Reel2, which stretches to the north of it. In 1863, the German ship R. J. Robertson also was wrecked on Miyako- jima; and a monument, raised on the spot by order of the Emperor William, commemorates the kindness xvith mrhich the German luariners were rescued and then entertained for a whole month by the inhabi- tants. The name of the chief village is Karimata-Minato. 34. ISHIGAKI-JIMA.-AS alread) stated, this island and the next, Iri- olaote-jima, are together known under the collective designation of Yayegama. Ishigaki, a vely irregularly shaped island, might be defined as a clump from 6 to 7 miles in diameter, plus two narrow peninsulas, one 11 miles long running north-east, and another 4 miles long to the west. It has many hills and mountains, of which the highest is 1,680 feet high. The chief village, also called Ishigaki, stands on the south- * This and some of the other names are diSerently spelt ill the cther chart. t Probably a mutilation of the second half of the naule (k/,wli), which sigllifies i' country.'
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:28:44 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
west coast. The south in general, which is colaparatively level, is highly cultivated with sugar, indigo, and other crops.
35. IRI-OMOTE-JISIA, 521 miles long by 12 xvide, is very mountainous, solue points close to the coast reaching a height of 1000 and even 1,300 feet, while the interior, for the most part covered with a dense growth of tangled forest, is still imperfectly explored. The chief village is called Sonai; but Iri-omote is less well peopled than its neighbours. 'The odious climate-with its constant downpours and violent alternatiorls of temperature-and the rotting of timber in sluggish streams and morasses doubtless contribute to this lesult by producing dreadful malarial fevers, which the Luchuans call fuchi. The mountain recesses are for this reason viewed with well-founded dread, few that have spent a night in them escaping the scourge. The work- ing, of coal, which, though of poor quality, promised to become a pro-- fitable industry in Japanese hands, and was for a short time exported to Hongkong, has had to be practically abaradoned in consequence of the alarming mortality among the miners. The difficult nature of the interior causes communication between the various villages to take place chiefly by boat along the coast. Horses, however, are a]so in constant use. Wild boars exist in great numbers, also pigeons, foxvls, and pigs; and what with rice and fish of various kinds, tlle bill of fare in these Further Isles leaves even less to be desired than in Great Luchu.
Besides the large islands of Ishigaki-jima ard Iri-omote-jilua, the Yayeyama subgroup includes the islets of Taketomijima (Robe-ton of the thart), Kobamajima (Koubah of the chart), Kuro-slaima (Raugh of the chart, Baugh of the sChina Sea Directory'), K;3mi-banare-jirna, or Kami-jima for short (Inglefeld of the chart), Shimo-banare jima or Shimo-jima (loney of the chart), Haderuma-jima (Sandy Island or Easyo- kan of the chart), which is the most southern of all the Luchus, and Hatomajima (Isaac of the chart). None of these islets attain to any height. All are inhabited.
36. Separate and westernmost of all the Luchu islands is YONAKUNI- J[ArA (Xumi of the chart), 6 miles long by 2 broad, about 700 feet high, ancl well populated. The chief village is called Sonai (same name as that of the principal village on Iri-omote-jima). This island produces sandal-wood, mulberry, persimmon, aild other valuable timber-trees. It is said that from here, on a clear night, lights are sometimes visible on the Forrnosan coast. Perhaps, holvevel, only lights og the coast, such as tbose of fishing-boats that have colue unusually far out from shore, are meant. None of the Further Isles have any decent harbours.
Such, in its widest extent, is the Luchuan Archipela^,o. The follow- ing is the official census of the VAliOUS islands,* taken on December 31, 1891:-
* l.e. of such as are includetl iTl the Okina^X-a Plefectule.
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:28:44 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
and small wild boar and small rild cleer on the principal islands. The cattle too are small, and the horses-or ratller ponies remarkably so, the leajority being only from 102 to 11 hands high, and some as little as 10 llands; but they are wiry and extraordinarily sure-footed. Two species of rats exist-the house rat and another smelling strongly of musk and tmro or three species of bat, including the larg;o fruit-bat, Pterop?l,s dasymaZl?l,s, which has been ascertained to be peculial to these islands. The malumal most conspicuous in Luchu by its absence is the monkey. This fact strikes one the more on account of the wi(le distri- bution of the monkey in Japan, where it ranges as far north as the extreme north of the leain island, despite months of snow and ice. Luchu also has no foxes or badgers a lucky deliverance in the opinion of lfar-Eastern Asiatics, by whom these animals are universally credited +^rith supernatural powers fol evil.
Of birds some fifty species are known, including the Ertthacus koma- dorz (called aka-htge by the Japanese), ascertained by Mr. Pryer to be peculiar to these islands.t The reptilia include at least three species of frogs, one of which is a vely large green tree-frog, and a salamander resembling the common Japanese species, except that it is yellow on the belly instead of red. A pretty green lacertula is common on Okinawa, as is also a chameleon. There are some harmless snakes, besides the poisonous Trimeresurus. The latter, called habu by the natives, is 4 or 5 feet long by 2 inches in dialneter, and is an object of universal fear and hatred. In Okinawa, indeed, one rarely meets with it except in the forests of the north, and the islands of iEZeralna, Oki-no-Erabu-shima, and Kikai-ga-shima aro said to be quite free of it; but in Oshima and Toku-no-shima it is ubiquitous. Not only does this dreaded reptile spring out at passers-b5J froln the hedges, where its hahits lead it to lie in wait for birds; it actually enters houses, lnaking it perilous during the warm season to walk about the house at night except with a lantern. A letter from the Alobe Ferrie dated June 1, 1893, informs
., . . _
* The late Mr. Pryer, in the mamlscript reterred to on page 290, says, " Wallace, in his ' Island Life,' gives this bat as olle of the animals peculiar to Japan; but it must be erased florn the list, as it cannot be said to be found llorth of Luchu." (Mr. Wallace gives it as a native of Kyushu, the southernmost of the large islands fortning Japan proper.)
t He says, in the manuscript already quoted, " This bird was origina]ly described from Japan upon specimens obtained by Von Hiebold, lYho unfortunately tra.nsposed the native na.me, which should be akahige, givin,: this na.me to the Zzoqnadf)q , a.nd calling the komadorz aka71igi.... It is a. ground bird, and its song very sweet. I have often seen specinlens in the shops of Yokohalna and Tokio, and, in ansxver to my inquiries, ha.ve been told that they came from Korea, lYhich is vcry improba.ble, as a long price was always asked for them, and they a.re very susceptible to cold, (tnd very unsuited to stand such an inclement climate as Itorea. It is now definitely ascertained that they are natives of Luchu, where they are most probably residents, and do not extend further llorth, as Ml. Namie, of the Educational Mllselsrn, found them in March."
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:28:44 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
me that since nly visit to him at the end of March five persons ha(l already been bitten that season, of whom three had died. No antidote- is known. The general result of such cases as do not end in death is lifelong crippling. Pecuniary reu7ards a.re oSered by the authorities- for the bodies of these snakes, dead or alive, and the villagers go out into the woods to secure theln. Even so the number of the hab7b does not seem to diminisll perceptibly, and there is at least one case within recent years of a village llaving been abandoned by its inhabitants because they could not cope with their dire reptilian foes. The species has been named Trtmeresurus q4yu7ryzanus by M1 . Pryer, and is, I believey peculiar to the Luchuan archipelago. Several of the Luchu islands also produce sea-snakes, locally known as Erabu-unayi, lit. "Erabu eels," and which, thouDh all lumped together by the natives, really belong to at least tllree distinct species. Most are harmless, but of one species the bite is poisonous. Of the comrnonest species the femalesb are about 4 feet long and 9 or 10 inches rounc., the males about 22 feet long; the femalee3 having a white belly and rings on the back, while the males have reddish bellies. A second alld less cornmon sort is somewhat larger, sometimes as much as 5 feet long; the belly reddish, with white, greerl, and black bands. All these can be easily caught in a depth of about 7 fatlloms. The poisonous speeies is still larger, running to as lYluch as 8 feet. Like vipers in some of the rural districts of Japan, these Luchuan sea-snakes are highly prized, being consumed as food by the rich, and in smaller quantities as medicine by the- poor. They are smoked ative by being tied round and round a stick and placed at a suitable distance above a fire. They become nearly black in the process of smoking, and at first sight look like short black stieks to one viewing them in the Nafa market, where they are commonly exposed for sale.
Land-shells are abundant, and the waves cast up on the sea-beach a varied and beautiful assortment of marine shells. The coast watels swarm with fish, most of which, however, nlake but poor eatillg at- least, to one fresh from Japan.
The late Mr. Pryer, who visited Okinawa chiefly in quest of Lepi-- doptera, expresses disappointment at the results obtained, as all the specimens were either of world-wide distril)ution, or at least common in. Japan or in Malaysia. He seems, however, to have examined only the butterflies, and even these but during a short visit in the month of May The moths, I believe, have never been worked at all, though I was told of a monster bombyx peculiar to the furthermost isle of Yonakuni jilna. The paucity of insect life during my own visit early in the spring was emarkable. No mosquitoes had yet ventured out. Perhaps the open nature of the country in Southern Okinawa and the constant sea- breezes prove as adverse to insect life as they are beneficial to human beings.
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:28:44 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
to that province. Native historians inform us that it was acclimatized in Luchu and passed into common use within the short period of four years after its first introduction.
Meteorological observations are quite a recent institution in Luchu having been started by the Japanese authorities at Nafa in the latter half of 189Q, and being still confined to that single station. I insert an abstract of the statistics fol 1891, the last published at the time of my visit. Statistics for a single year do not perhaps count for much, even if no doubt exists as to theil accuracy, and the following table is given only for what it may be worth. It will be seen that the maximum in August is 33° 7' Centiorade (92 66° Fahr.); and the minimum in January, 7° 4' (:entigrade (45 32° Fahr.).
NAFA OBSERVATORY, 1891, LAT. 26° 1.OS N., LONG. 127° 41' E.
(Centzgrade cmd mtllinsetres.) _ . . . ..
Jan. Feb. March.! April. May. Julle. July. k Atlg. t Sept. Oct. Nov. Dee;. Year.
As in Eastern Asia generally, so here also, speaking broadly, the winter is the dry season, while the late spring and summer form the wettest season; but the distinction is less marked than on the mainland of C)hina or even in Japan. Speaking broadly, too, the climate of Greait Luchu is a pleasant and salubrious one notwithstanding; its moistness, the insulat character of the place softening down all extremes of heat and cold. Duling March, 1893, the daily variation of the therraometer at Nafa was sirlgularly small, never more than 7° Fahr., sometimes barely 1°; and the differences from day to day were likewise slight, varying in a whole month only between 56° and 72°. Also there was almost always an invigorating breeze. Gaptain Basil Ea]l and Dr. McsLeod, who were there in September and October, and Gommodore Perry, who was there off and oni during the; summer, speak equally highly of the ,uleasant climate and air of this fortunate isle.
Some of the other members of the archipelago, as alreadJr men- tioned incidentally, are less favoured in this respect, notably Oshima and Triomote-jima, with their dampness prevalent throughout the year.
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:28:44 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
Things are so bafl in Iri-omote in this respect as to have given rise to a local proverb to the effect that it rains thirty-fire days a month ! The deplorable unhealthiness of this island, an unhealthiness which partly extends to its eastern neighbour Ishigaki-jima, has been already dwelt on. Jannartt and February are the rainiest months in all the Further Isles; October, November, and December the driest and least unhealthy; June and July those in which malarial fever is most prevalent. All the Luchus suffer severely from those typhoons which, brewing in the neighbourhood of Formosa or the Philippines, sweep up with such destructive fury towards the south-eastern coast of Japan.
My rides about the southern half of Great Luchu were estremely pleasant. The openness of the country, which in many places allows the ocean to be seen on either side, with colours deliciously varying according to the depth of the water above the coral reefs; the fresh sea-breezes; the alternation of hill and dale; the marvellous cultivation; the picturesque blocks of coral, standing up like ruined castles scarcely distinguishable fronl the real ruined castles that bear witness to a former less settled state of society; the happy-looking grollps of labourers in the fields, all diligent and all most courteous when addressed;-these things made up a scene which it wonld be hard to match for quiet charm.
It is a curions fact, which I do nof remenlber to have seen anywhere noted, that in the Japanese archipelago the vegetation diminishes, instead of increasing, in rankness as one travels south. Ride about Yezo during the summer months, and the t,rasses and tall coarse weeds are higher than your head as you sit on horseback. Central Japan does not carry thint,s to such an estreme, the grass on the hills in sammer being rarely much taller than a man on foot. In Great Lucllu everything is much lower still. There are no tall grasses, compara- tively few bamboos, few thickets of any sort. The country is park- like; and the hills, too, being lower than those of Japan and comprising no volcanic coness but being ather gentle slopes carpeted with turf, the general eSect is something closely approaching to typical English scenery. The early naval visitors to Luchu all remarked this, and went into raptures over it. lfor my own part, while glanting the tranquil and, so to say, civilized charm of the scenery of Luchu, I do not thinli that it will bear compatison for a moment with the grander, more sotll-stirring beauty of Japan-Japan volcano-guarded, snow- crowned, and flower-strewn, where cones, as graceful as they are treacherolls, alternate with rich smiling plains and rut,ged granite peaks never trodden but hy the foot of the hardy hunter in pursuit of the antelope or the wild boar. Luchu has none of these strong contrasts. It is all dimpled and pretty and on a snlall scale; there is no excitement in it. When I had left NTafa and was stealning up the Gulf of Ragoshima, at wllose entrance the magnificent cone called
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:28:44 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
the Fuji of Satsllma keeps ̂ ,uard, while another volcano smokes lazily ahead, I felt as if I had said good-bye to soule pretty dairymaid, and nvere now re-entering the presence of an enlpress.
III. HISTORY AND RACIAL CHARACTERISTICS.
Luchuan historians, nothing daunted, carry back the annals of their country over a period of mose than eighteen thousand years; but as thfe books containing; this so-called ancient history are barely two cerlturies old, Chinese and Japanese writers still remain our earliest sources of information regardin^, the little archipelat,o. As soon as the obviously an;srthological perio.l is left behind, all three sources agree pretty well together, thollgh allowallce zllust be made for the tendency of both Chinese and Japanese so to interpret ancient events as to justify their later claims to over-lordship. Even the Japanese investit,ators of the present day, though Itlore or less scientificallJr trained in Western methods, have not succeeded in shaking themselves free from patriotic bias.
Aecordinffl, then, to the orthodox account, heaven, earth, and maxl were aIl originally in a state of chaos and confusioll. At iength, how- ever. Luchu emerged, and through the beneficent activity of a god and goddess named respectively Shiniriku and Amamiku, the rocks and soil were formed, trees and herbs planted, and bounds set to the ocean, so that mankind, who had hitherto lurked in caves or forests and had herded with wild beasts, were able to come forth and multipl+. This god and goddess had three sons and two daughters. The eldest son, Tinsunshi, that is literally, the "Eeavenly Grandson,' became the first king of Luchu; the second, called Anshi, became the first nobleman, his liet,e; while the third was the first husbandman. Thus these three celestial brothers originated the three classes of society. Of the two daughters, one is the patron goddess of all females of noble birth, the other of all peasant-women. At this time there were no books for writing had not -et been invented. Days were counted only by observing the phases of the moon, and seasons detelmined by the budding and wTitherin(r of the leaves. Rice even had hitherto been llnknown, the people feeding on berries and the flesh of birds and beasts But Tinsunshi taught them both how to grow rice and how to cook it. Ee likewise divided the island into three parts, called Eunchan, Naka gami, and Shimajiri, and these three parts each into distriets (magiri),
which divisions have remained ever since unaltered. MoreoveI, he built the royal castle at Shuri. His dynasty lasted 17,809 years, cominO to an end at last in the twelfth century of the Christian ela, as we shall see later on.
The earliest foreign mention of Luchu (the historian does not state which of the islands he means) is contained in the Chinese annals of the year 60o of the Christian era, where we read of an attempt to find out
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:28:44 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
something about the land and its inhabitants, which failed through want of interpreters. But soon after, an interpreter having been obtained by courtesy of the Japanese, an embassy was despatclled to demand peremptorily the submission of the king to the Chinese emperor. Su¢h submission being refused, an army was next sent in 611, the king's castle was burnt, and rnany thousands of men and women were carried away captive. This Cllinese account, as lvill be noticed, is both cir- cuinstantial and plausible, and is probably a true one of some attack on some island in the Eastern sea. But which island? That is the question. A thousand years later, when Ltlchuan history was filst put into writing, when Great Luchu had risen into paramount importance, and the name " Luchu" had become more or less confined to it, people
',,'..'.''.. !
_ 111 1
. - _ _ 111ll1 ,
liZ I ! N * _l
I - | _ _ | S _I _
*1 1111 1 l 1 E !_ E =l iE1E
FIG. 1.-PALACE (SI1URI).
seem to have assumed without further inquiry that Great Luchu was the place meant. In my opinion this assumption should not be so easily accepted without clear proofw Japan knew nothing of Great Luchu in the seventh century; yet we hear of the Japanese Court sllpplying in- terpreters. It is, therefore, at least possible that one of the nolthern islands, which were then called Luchu by the Japanese, was intended, or (if we giveup the Japaneseinterpreter detail) that Formosais intended; for a portion of that island, much nearer to China and far more likely to be attacked baT the ChineseS was also anciently known to the latter under the name of Luchu. The former hypothesis does least violence to the text of the Chinese historian. Indeed, it does it no violence at all; but in the absence of further evidence, the question remains an
NO. IV. APRIL, 1895.] X
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:28:44 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
as he went. Ilaving encountered a great storm, his salilors were sorely alffrighted. But Talmetomo said, " Our fate is in the hands of Ileaven; fear not for your lives ! " wherefore the port alt which they soon after lalnded wals named Un-ten, that is, ''falte healven "-the Port Melville of our English chalrts. Talmetomo wals hospitalbly entertained by the local chieftalin, whose sister malde him falther of a boy nalmed Shunten; but als he was ever ansious to return home to Japaln, he, with his Luchuan wife, twice essalyed the voyalge, being on ealch occasion driven back by drealdful tempests. The sailors suggested thalt the seal-gods disalpprovfed of a woman being in the same ship with men. So Tame-
D.-: i -.0 ,.- < tt.- i iELdut;tLi.EEV0 .. ,.02.i0.S,.E, .. i 0i i f ;
- - -. .
.... . W
.. . .E ;|. E . i . _ ,S ,.-j'.,'-.','.','-., 0S'!.', , .... ', ,.,-00S,: ,I6L -i-ElS Wt
_111 11 1s =1 _ _ _ _ _ _
| _ _l
_ _ . -
_-I * | - _ * _-I | | -
_ - _ a
s!E 11!S1 l I I l l *_
l | ! s E k .l - | | x | - | l , | . .
; l|l ! !S1|1 FIG. 2.-NASE, THE PORT OF OSHIMA.
tomo bade his wife remain behind and bring up their boy, whereupon he sailed back to Japan, and was seen no lnore in Great Luchu.
Shunten, the son of Tametorno and of his noble Luchuan wife, is represented as the Napoleon of Luchu. Seventeen thousand eight hundred years had elapsed since the tirne of Tinsunshi, son of the god Shiniriku and the goddess Amarniku, during which period twenty-five immensely long-lived monarchs had successively filled the throne. This ver- ancien regime had at last become eSete; the goarernment of the twenty-fifth king was as weak in efEect as it was tyrannical in intention; rebellion, confusion, and usurpation were rife on every side. Shunten found himself compelled gradually to assume the direction of aairs if only to restore order-first as chisf of Urazoe (which, by the w-ay, is rather suspiciously far from Unten) afterwards of all Central Luchu, and lastly of the whole island (A.D. 1187), which he ruled in such
x 2
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:28:44 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
fashion that peace and plosperity prevailed. AmonO the other civilizing agencies which he introduced, the Japanese szJllabary is s?ecially men- tioned. :E5roza hirn, accordin to the received account, the dynasty which has ever since claimed the throne of Lucllu as its heritage is lineallv descended? though I cannot make out from the hist;ory-books that this dynasty actually governed the islalld in undisputed and continuous succession. On the contrary, thele seem to have been frequent troubles sometirnes accompanied by the election of a monarch from among the people. These troubles began already in the time of Shunten's grandson? -falaines, pestilence, and otller calamities showing; clearly the +rrath of the gods, and producing popular discontent which callsed him tc) abdicate; and as this abdication was in favour of a nobl<3 of the ancient royal family, we may presume it to llave been less voluntary than the native annalists would have us believe. In other w-ords, the intruding Japanese kings were set aside, and the legitimate Luchuan dynasty was lestored. But again, in the third generation, rebellion broke out, and the Luchuall realm, with which Oshima had been formally incor- porated about A.D. 1270 was rent in pieces. This period, which is known as the Period of the Three Wingdozns, lasted fiola A.D. 1314 to 1429 from which latter time forward Luchu forlued one realm, enlarged by the annexation of the Further Isles, wllose loss of independence seems attributable to internfll feuds arnong the various local chieftains. Till then the very existence of these islands had been unknown, or at least unheededX by the Luchuans p20perX though the population would seem to have been formed of waifs and stra.5ns frolll Luchu and from Japan. Gra.ves ale still pointed out on Islligaki-jima of warriors whom local tradition lepresents as clad in what we know to have been medinval Japanese costulue. Yonakuni-jima is said to have had living on itX previous to its annes:ation by Luchtl, seventeen families who traced their deseent to tlle great but unfortunate Japanese Taira. clan, and ,raves on several of the Further Isles have yielded finds of mctgcttctmc^, the comma-shaped ornament characteristic of proto-llistoric Japan.
Thus by the beginning of the fifteenth century the Luchuan kingdom had attained its videst estent, and ranked as an ireperial power, at least in its own eyes. Governors were charged witll th>3 adlninistration of each conquered islandS Luchuan institutions and customs were established thel e, heavy tribute was levied and the conquered were not allowed to resort to tlle metropolis, the only e:cep- tion to this rule being that, if a Luchuan official had no other male heir than one born to him by a native lvoman during his telm of service beyond seas, sllch child-but not its brothers and sisters, and never in any case the mother-migllt accompany him back to Luchu. Even under this restriction several of the proudest Luclluan families are said to owe their origin to despised colonials. Nevertheless, discontents continued to arise both in the nozXth ancl in the south; llor vas the rea]
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:28:44 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
social a,nd political unification of the whole a,rchipelago under Luchua,n rule esta,blished till a,bout the year 1520, under King Shoshin.
Mea,ntime foreign troubles were brewing. China, which under Kublai :@ha,n ha,d recently failed in a,n attelnpt to conquer Japan, determined to a,dd a,t least Luchu to her empire. Accordingly, in A.D. 1372
a,n envoy lvas sent to detnand thei submission of the legitima,te Luchua,n king, which was granted an exa,mple followed a,lmost immedia,tely by the two smaller rebel sta,tes, with the result that Chinese ideas, hitherto spa,ringly received, poured into the country wholesa,le. NobleS Luchuan youths were sent to study in China, a,nd numbers of Chinese fa,xnilies were tra,nspla,nted to Luchu. To Chinese diploma,tic pressure ma,y perhaps be traced the reiunion of the three Luchuan kingdoms under one hea,d, the great king Sho Hasshi. This monarch's tolerance of Chinese dicta,tion wa,s rewa,rded by ma,ny fa,vours, pecunia,ry a,nd other, includin,:, the gra,nt of the sulna,me Sho ('4 ), .e. " Venera,ble," which his roya,l line still bears. The ca,stlei of Oluono-Gusuku, on an isla,nd in Na,fa harbour, was set apart as a " concession " or " factory " for Chinese traders, just as the Japanese set Deshima apart at Nagasaki for the Dutch at a later date; and in the wake of trade, there followed a
notableb development of theb resources of the archipeblago. The building of tenlples, fortresses, and royal pleasure-houses, the coming and going of ambassadors with numerous retinues, negotiations rebgarding com- mercial facilities, voyages as far as Canton and even Malacca such, together with an occasional rebellion in oneb or other of the smaller subject islands, are the matters which theb native anna]s now record. The good ofEces of the Luchuan kings were souletimes ebvein called in to negotiate between China and Japan-a somewhat perilolls honour,
Meanwhile Japan had not been blind to theb growing prosperity of Luchu, and mor6 than oneb prominent Japaneseb clan had endeavoured to acquire a share in that monopoly of Luchuan trade which old custom and Imperial sanction had vested in the Prince of Satsuma. But the latter was determined not only to keep what he had, but to get rnore. 'l'he refusal of theb Luchuan king to help in the Japanese conquest of IVorea by Hideyoshi (A.D. 1592-8) was made the excuse for picking a quarrel. It smou]dered for some years; but at last in 1609, Shimazu, 1'rince of Satsuma, sent his general, Kabayama Hisataka, with a hundred warships and over three thousand soldiers, who first subdued Oshima, Toku-no-Shima, and Erabu-shima, and then landed at Unten, as Tame- tomo had done four and a half centuries before. Great Luchu was conquered after a resistance of forty days, the pallace sacked, alnd the king carried oS to Kagoshimal, where, however, he wals trealted with grealt respect ralther as aln unwilling guest, to almuse whom alll sorts of entertainments were provided, than as a prisoner of war. Thence he was conducted to Yedo to do homage to the Shogun, who trealted him right royalll,y, as did the Daimyos of all the provinces through
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:28:44 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
TllE LUCH U ISLANDS AND THEIR INHABITANTS. whieh he passed on his way baek. But the interval of two years whieh thus elapsed was eunningly availed of by the Prinee of Satsuma to reorganize the adlainistration of the northern islands and to explore the southern ones b) means of emissaries, who assessed the tribute there at rates whieh have lasted to our own day. The arrangement finally agreed on, after mueh talk and mueh judieious flattery of the eaptive monareh, was that Oshima and the other northern melabers of the arehipelago skould remain the exelusive property of Satsama, but that the rest should be given hack to the Luchuan king on eondition of his paying a suitable yearly tribute and admitting at his eollrt a Japanese politieal agent, who was to esereise supevrvision over the foreign affairs of the kingdom. This Japanese oieial or his subordi- nates, disguised in Luehuan dress, took part, unknown to the foreigners themselves, in all the interviews whieh, at a later period, the repre- sentatives of western nations had with tlle rulers of Luellu. Neverthe- less, the payment of tribute to China was not vetoed, though all goings and eomings between China and Luehu were jealously watehed. XVe even find it reeorded that in A.D. 1631 the Prinee of Satsurna, happening to need rnoney, eaused a retainer of his, namecl Ijiehi, to travel to Fooehow with the Luehuan traders, disguised as one of them, and that, the profit thus earned having been very eonsiderable, the praetiee was afterwards repeated evera year. By this time the Luehuan polity had erystallized into the form whieh it ever after eontinued to wear. Next to the king, who bore the title of Usu-yanashz-me, eame the Ojz or royal kindred, the Anzu, and Sanzuktran,-these together forming the higher nobilitJ,- entitled to wear g;old hair-pins in their topknot. To them sueeeeded the We7kata (Oyakata in the Japanese pronunciation), wearing silver hair-pins ornamented with gold flowers, and ranking as a lesser nobility. The gentry, who were distinguished by the use of silver hair-pins, were divided into three elasses, ealled Pechin, Satunushi, and Chikuduny. The eommoners, ealled Nya, wore hair-pins of brass. Hereditar;y titles and oicial rank were kept distinet, though, as was but natura], the nobility and gentry formed the governing elass, the prime lainister beillg always seleeted from among the king's near relatives. In some laost important respeets the eountry really deserved the title bestolved upon it by a Chinese emperor in 1579, and still proudly inscribed on the gate of its eapital city, the title of " The Land of Propriety." There wele no lethal weapons in Luchu, no feudal factions, few if any erilues of violenee. Order was strictly preserved, and authority duly reverenced. Nonlinally severe (being based on Chi1lese precedent), the penal laws were laild in practiee. Class and fanwily considerations entered, however, largely into their esecutiotl. For instance, an assault on an elder relative was lllole heavily punished than one on a younger; and similarly nThen the rank of assaulter and assaulted differed. Not only were offences punished,
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:28:44 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
but conspicuous virtue and successflll eflGolts for the public weal were rewalded. Confucius' ideal was ealried out a govelnment purely civil, at once absolute and patriarehal, resting not on any arrned foree, but on the theory that subjects owe unqualified obedienee to their rulers, the monarchy surrounded by a large cultured class of men of birth, and the whole supported by an industrious peasantry. Trade occupied a very subordinate plaee; inde?ed, it scarcely rose above barter.
'rO European eyes, accustomed as they are to seeing things done on a large scale, Luchuan political arrangeillents would doubtless have seemed to partake of an opera comique character. The number of the nobles was out of all proportion large, and the list of public offices and officers fairly takes axvay one's breath. A Council of State, Departments Financial, Foreign, and (Serelaonial, Emergency Departments, Boards of Agricul- ture, of Tribute, of XVoods and iForests, Offices for the Control of the Royal PantrT and the Ro) al Stables, a Censor's Office, a Eerald's Office, Offices fol the Control of Tribute to China and Japan, an Office for Famine Prevention by the Planting of Cyeads, an Office for the Control of the l\Ianufacture of Tiles for the Roofs of Houses, Offices for the Control of Lacquer, of Vegetable Wax, of Sugar, in fact of every inlportant article of export, all these existed, and crowds of others, besides governors and suboldinate officials of various minutelat graded ranks for tlle outlying islands. In leading of it and thinking of the nember of offieials necessary for the manning of departments, boards, and offices so nulllerous, one almost begins to wonder xvhether there eou]d have been any population left to govern. On the contra side, too, it must be remembered that the agricultural elass had nothing of what xve call liberty, and few rights save that to live and orork for their xuperiors. Still, ta.king all in all, the land was prosperous, and the items mentioned by the annalists shoxv that even prog;ress, though slow, xvas real; for the genezal assertion Tnay safely be hazarded that Oriental stagnation exists on]y in Occidental faney. AVe read of nemr plants, new ananufactures (e.g. tllat of poreelain fronl Japan), and new medical luethods being introduced as time xvent on. Some slight knowledge was likeBise ,ained of the existence of foreign countries other than China and Japan, by the visits of European vessels which began at the end of the eighteenth century. Father Gaubil, a French Jesuit resident in China, had translated and published in vol. xxiii. of the Lettres Edifiantes (A.D. 1781), a Chinese account of Great Luchu and its inhabi- tants; anel soon afterwards British ships began to appear in these xvaters. The shipwreck of u.ar.s. Provtdence, Captain Broughton, on the large leef to the north of lAIiJrakojima, and the kind treatment which the shipnvrecked mariners experienced both on ALiyakojirna itself and at Nafa, whither they luanaged to make their way, drew the attention of the British nax al authorities to this renlote cornels of the world. Accord- in^,ly, at the conclusion of the Napoleonic wars, it nas deterlllined to fit
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:28:44 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
out an expedition to explore and roughly survey this and other little- known portions of the East Asiatic seaboard. II.M.S. Lyra, comlnandetl by Captain Murray Maxwell, and H.M.S. Alceste, commanded by Captain Basil Hall, reached Nafa in September, 1816, and remained there and in the neighbourhood for six weeks. The British navigators established the most friondly personal relations with the natives, and wolked away to right good purpose, not only in surveying and chart-making, but in questioning, observing, and investigating generally. Captain Basil
Hall's account of this visit
t lrA | I il | | S E s qI was the first European book L2l I I I | I I - | ; jE a on Luchu by an eye-witness S | | | | | ' 1 Br h seamen having died,
B l | | 0 [j SG] nment at Amikudera, I I I ja < $ s- -t--t-0 ;; a shady sp
a l . r r E 0- -- t o--l
| 00 1 fabout two-thirds of a mile
! | jli;i see it, and found still legible - 1 2 a 7 N the inscription in which the
R i__;d1l British commander rf3corded | _ti his sense of ths favours re-
_r1 tf;- via_1\4 ceived from "the king fand _; _l inhabitants of this most hos-
irony of fate, the only part _ of the inscription no longer
r poor fellow whose memory it was intended to perpet-
_ uate. Since then, several other European seamen have
lBlG. 3.-COMMQN PEOPLE OF NAFA. been laid to lest in the same spot.
From that time forward the archipelago was visited occasionally by ships of various nations; for instance, in 1826 by Captain Beechey commanding H.M.S. Blossom, in 1844 by a French vessel which vainly endeavoured to open up a trade, and in 1845 by the British captain, Sir Edward Belcher, s.N., who surveyed some of the Further Isles. No diplomatic intercourse, homrever, was established, as the Luchuans, following their model China, always wished to avoid permanent relations with foreigners, though willing to treat with humanity- and courtesy those whom accident brought as occasional visitors to their shores. They disapproved altogether of certain persons who came to stay.
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:28:44 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
These unwelcome guests were some French Catholic missionaries, of whom the earliest landed at Nafa in 1844, and a converted Anglo- (;erman Jew named Bettelheim, who arrived as Protestant missionary in 1846. The Luchuans housed the foreign intluders, who persisted in retnaining despite frequent entreaties to depart, but heeded their preacIlirlg so little that at last, agfter .several years, both Catholics and Protestant, having convinced themselves of the uselessness of further persistence, left the islagnd of their own accord. Meantime, far more redoubtable intruders than ag few unprotected preachers of the gospel hagd agrrived. One fine dagy in 1853 the Americagn squadron under Commodore Perry, which was on its way to force open Japan, arrived at 2fafa with the object of first forcing open Luchu. The weagker party of course went to the wall, the Arrlericans established ag coaling-station at Nafa, paraded the island, insisted on being received by the king, and terrified the inhabitants gerlerally. The gain to knowledge was, however, considerable, and the Jous nal of the expedition is highly entertaining reading. Though a treaty was concluded, providing for the good treatment of American ships-ag treaty which the Enrench copied in 185a, and the Dutch in 1859 no perinaner,t political result followed on Perry's expedition so far as Luchu was concerned, and the little island kingdom relapsed into its former seclusion. The interest of the place, to missionaries and diplomats alike, had centred in its position as ag stepping-stone to Japagn. With Japan itself open, all raison d'etre for troubling agbout Luchu came to an end.
Leaving Luchu's relations with Surope and America, we must now go back a little to take up the more important thread of her relations with her nearer Asiatic neighbouls. Politically speaking, Luchuan history for several centuries consisted in an attenapt to sit on both sides of the fence, and from this attelept has arisen irl our own day the so- called " Luchuan Question," which has caused lllany heart-burninge to iE5ar-Eastern diplomats. With China on the one hand and Japan OI1 the other, the kinglet of Luchu was driven into being a sort of Mr. Facing- Both-XYays; an(l the whole nation more or less, or at antr rate the higher official class, came to have ag double set of manners one for use vis-a-vis the first of its inconveniently big neighbours, the other vis-a-vis the second. Thus the Japanese copper "cash," with whicll of late some of the commercial transactions of life had been calried on in the absence csf any native money, were always carefully Lept out of sight when the Chinese officials were by to see. On the other hand, the Chinese year-names commouly current in Luchu were ignored as far as possible in diplomatic intercourse with Japan. Even in matters of food, the poor little Luchuans tried to rnake theluselves all things to all rnen. It is, however, easy to see tllat of the two patrons China was
* The Luchuan Government more than once movecl for the establishment ot a native coillage, but the JapaIlese would not conssllt to thi3.
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:28:44 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
their favourite, notwithstanding the faet that Japan was mole nearly allied by raee. Their system of government, as has already been notieed, followed the Chinese eivil, not the Japanese military type; and they always, among themselves, employed the CIlinese ealendar, whieh to Far-Easterns is a matter of the deepest import. Humiliating memories of the Japanese eonquest in 1609, and the unweleome pre- senee sirlee then of Japanese political agents doubtle.ss eontributed to this result. The Chinese over-lordship, 3n the other lland, was rathel nominal than real, and the so-called tribute-ships despatehed annualltr to Fuehau did sueh good strokes of business undet the rose, that the Luehuans aetually requested to be allowed to send mosxe tribute to China than the amount originally stipulated !
Thus, for over two eenturies and a half, did Luehu eontinue to own a double allegianee an arrangement whieh, in the therl state of things, xvith seanty eolumuniaation and hazy notions of international law, worked fairly to the satisfaction of all three parties eoneerned. A sudden ehange was brought about by the opening of Japan in 1853. Japan, foreed by the WYestern powers frole her lont seelusion, adopted, with singularly elever foresight, the Darwinian taeties of " protection by laimiery " She herself becalne a Western power, or at any zate an exeellent imitation of one; azld, as we all know, one of the mrays in whieh Western powers display their superior eivilization is by annexing territory and tolerating notlling but eomplete, undivided submission on the part of the annesed. Aeeordingly, in 1872, the Luehuan ambassadors who had eome to eon- gratulate the Mikado on his resumption of the funetions of government, found ehanges more far-reaehing than they had expeeted. They were infolnmecl that Luehu should henceforth be eared for by the Japanese Foreign Offiee, and that the Luehuan king was to aceount hiinself a
meraber of the Japanese nobility. XVhen, a few months later, it was further announeed that the Impelial Government took over the respon- sibility of the treaties previously concluded by Lllehu with the United States, Franee, and Holland; xvhen, in 1874, Luehu was plaeed under the control of the Jalpalnese Eome Office; when finallly, in alddition to these more or less sentimental grievalnces, the Luchualns learnt thalt aln edict issued at Tokio strictly folbade their sending any Inore tribute ships in other words, trading-ships to Fuchalu, it is llO rrnaltter for surprise that the little court of Shuri was thrown into palroxysms of fealr alnd impotent ralge. A llew eTnbassy, which hald taken up its residence at 'Yokio in 1873, exhalusted itself in etforts to obtalin Jalpanese salrletion to the double suzerainty theretofore existing. Jalpaln, so they ple3aded, wals theil falther, but Chinal was their mother; alnd how could so tender aln infant as Luchu survive without the fostering calre of both palrents ? I believe thalt they even endeavoured to pelsuade the representaltives of sorne of the foreign powers resident in Tokio to take up their cause. Btlt De nlinimis ?on CU?at diploqrwatba; Luchu was too insignificalnt to be
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:28:44 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
worth listenint, to. The end of it all was that the es-king; was brought as a guest, or in other wolds >, sta,te prisoner, to Tokio, where he still resides at the Ryukyzz Yashtki, or " Luchu Mansion," no longer as a -najesty or royal highness, but as a Japanese duke. His former domains have been annexed to the Japanese ernpire-annexed politically, and a]so partially assilailated bureaucratically under the name of the Pre- fectule of Okinawa, which is administered by Japanese officials, the pro- visions of Japanese law being carried out subject to rarious prudel)t exceptions which local needs and the circulastances attending a state of transition dictate. fEnor instance, the Lllchnans are exempted fIole the conscription. They are also exempted from the franchise, which should perhaps be to them a still livelier cause for gratitude, seeing the discord which that gift has fomented in Japan proper. Be this abs it may, one thing -is certain no other nation to whola the Luchuans could possibly be subject would have granted the franchise to them, and equally certain that they lvould never have granted it to themselves.
Taking all things into considerationX more especially the gentle7 yielding disposition of the islanders, it is probable that a few generations will sufEce to o?literate all salient distinction between annesers and annexed. For my own part and without pretending to any skill in political science, I view such a consummation as most desirable. Not that I would adopt that shallow argument for annexation which is reiterated a,s commonly in Japan as it is in Europe the argument based on kinship of race and languat,e. According to such a lllethod of reasoning, England ought to be annexed to the United States, which (as the geollleters say) is absurd. Indeed, does not all history teacll us-to say nothing of plivate experience that the bitterest quarrels are those between people of the sams kith and kin ? and is not the chief advantage of a columon language the facility which it af3Sords for wounding and exasperating each other's feelint,s ? Nationality consists in the possession of a coznmon past, and the desire for a common future. It is, therefore, not on any such doctrinaixe grounds as that of racial and linguistic kin- ship that the hope to see Luchu form an integral and contented part of the Japanese empire can be follnded. This llope is founded simply on the gradual recognition of expediency on the part of the islanders. At present there is still a conservative or nationalist party, which looks back fondly to the old days of independence. I believe, hovever, that, as its members die oW, they will not be replaced by younger eIles hold- ing the sanze views, but that, on the contrary, all classes in Luchu will realize for their future guidance a fact whicll the Luthtlan rulers them- selves constantly harped on in their dealings with breig;ll powers -the helplessness and itlsignificance of their country. Luchu is very small and very weak. In these days of ubiquitous men-of-war, it is impossible for a very small and weak state to continue independent. The sole cheice lies between masters. Now, Japatl is surely a better mistress than China,
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:28:44 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
and must be a more syrnpathetic one than any Ellropean power could possibly be. She gives roads, schools, a convenient currency, sure protec- tion to life and property, The aspeet of the streets of Nafa to-day, compared with Mr. Gubbins's description written but thirteen years ago,$ shows that Japanese infLuence has greatly increased trade-the very point concelning which th<3 Luchuans were most fearful. Japan enforces no religious or social crotchets, and permits no foreign com- mercial intercourse, so that the people of Luchu need fear neithel any violent attenjpt to sul)vert their habits of life and thout,ht, nor any unequal contest with a race stronger and craftier than themselves. On the other hand, such Luchuans as care to enter the lists, to learn Japanese and dress like the Japanese, may obtain official employment on equal terins with the Japanese, there being no prejudice of race or colour to relegate them pelinanently to a subordinate position. In short, fronl every point of view, frank acceptance of incorporation with Japan appears to be the method by which the Luchuans may best secure comfort and relative importaIlce in the future. To turn back a moment before quitting the subject of Luchuan history, it may be useful to remark that from the fourteenth century onwards, the Luchllan annals are evidently autllentic All before that- even the conquest by 1'ametomo-I hesitate to accept without better confirmation than seellls to be forthcoming; but interesting evidence of genuineness of another kind colnes before us in the general similarity of spirit that subsists between the Lllchuan fabulous early history and that of Japan. The legend of the Creator and Creatress, and the immensely long (livine dynasty that preceded the rule of pureliy human kings, have quite a Japanese ring. My own eonjeetural restoration of the illeg;ible pages of the early history of this remote region would be somewhat to the following effeet: that the eomlnon ancestors of tlle present Japanese and Luehuan nations entered Japan from the south-west, erossiIlg the Korean Ghannel with the islaxld of Tsushima as a stepping-stone, and landing in Syushu, the southernmost great i:3land of Japan. This is rendered probable alike by geography, by the trend of legend, and by the grammatieal affinities eonneeting Japanese and Luehuan with Eorean and DIollgol. We know from history and fiom the testimony of plaee- names t that tlais race gradually spreacl eastward and northward, apparently arllalgamating with soine eolllparatively eivilized native
* See an excelIellt p:per, eIltitled ;; Notes Re;,ardirlg the Principality of Luchu," by J. H. Gubbins? of H.B.tI. Legatioll, Tokio, prillted in the Jour)lal of t1be Society of Arts, June 3, 1881. t See a mollograph by tlle present xvriter on "Tlle Lallguage, Mythology, and Geographic£11 Nomenclature of Japan viexYed in the Light of Aino Studies," pul)lished :Xs No. I. of the Zemotrs of the Literattlre College of the llnperial University of Japtlo, 'rokio? 1887.
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:28:44 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
tribes as to whose afEnities llothing ean llow be aseertained, but drivint, before it and killing off an earlier savage raee, of whom the modern Ainos are the last rfemnant. A glanee at a map will show why, as Eyushu filled up, the bulk of the invaders pressed east and north:- there was lnost land in that direetion. There was also, however, some little land to the south, namelt, the Luchu Islands, dotted like stepping- stones, visible one froln the other, the whole way from the Gulf of Wagoshirea to Great Luehu. The extrelnely elose relationship subsist- ing between the Japanese and Luehuans, both as regards language and as regards raeial type, forees one to the eonelusion that a fraetion of the intruding raee took the southern route, perhaps fiom ehoiee, more plobal)ly as a refuge from defeat in internecine strife. I should ima^,ine further that there was not originally any thought of the sub- jeetion of the Luehuan arehipelago as a whole to the Japanese empire, the very idea of sueh extended units being impossible before the days of eentralization, and there being no traee of such a elaim in the ofEeial Japanese annals xvhen interpreted in their obvious sense; that walre sueeeeded wave at varying intervals, eaeh sueeessive wave of south- ward-bound emigrants subduing and partlA incorpolating those that had preeeded it, beeause the lnen from the larger and more turbulent land to the north, where lesourees and all the elemellts of eivilization were more abundant, would naturall;y overeome the weak, isolated islandels; that the legendary conquest by Ta]netomo preserves for us nder a single name the vague native reeolleetions of many sueh
oceulrenees in the distant past; and that the historieal eonquest of part of the group by the Prince of Satsuma in the seventeenth century, and the reeent formal annexation of the whole arehipelago by the 11nperial Japanese Goveruluent, show us the modus operandi of tllis southward movemellt under modern conditions, s hen improved communiUation aUnd greater po]iticat power facilitate action on a larger scale. NVe thus see, too, why it is difficult to define Luthu exactly: the reason is that the degree of s; Japonization " of the archipelago has varied frorn tirne to time, and that it we are to take languat,e and customs as our guides, it is by no naeans easy to say in each case xvhether similarity between Luchu aUnd Japan arises from original identity or from borrowing, or whether, on the other hand, differellces should l)e ascribed to origirlal unlikeness, or to the fact of one or other countrt having preserved intact features of the columon past which the other has let drop.
Whether the predecessors of the Japarlo-Luchuan race in Luchu were Ainos or not, it is impossible to say. Two place-names have been adduced by a Japanese savant, Mr. ICada Tei-ichi, in support of such a theory; but that seems very little to build on-* Far more important
* The nallle.s are So7Ra? and Hizlai on the fal-tlistant island of Wronakllni. Nat, nvhicil naeans " streal)l " in Aino, enters into the formation of numerous place-names in
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:28:44 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
is the discovery by Dr. Doederlein in Oshirna of numerous hairtr indi- viduals among the smooth gerleral mass of the populatiorl. I noticed none such myself, even among the fishelmen. But Dr. Doederlein e2cpressly says that he saw many quite as hirsute on the body and limbs as the hairiest Europeans; and his stay on that island having been lorlger than mine, and at a time of year (August) when a greater proportion of the labouring men would go naked, he is probably correct. Should the fact be really established, it would lend some countenance to the
idea that a little Aino blood
' ty'Sp
as a matter of fact, a very
i_ jf keen eye indeed for detect-
= _ i ing the inferiority of othel I_ s Asiatics to themsel-es. My-
| * !l self and my highly intelligent I I_ Japanese travelling com-
FIG. 4.-A LECHUAN GENTTLEMAN, panion were impressed in the same way, and I would ven-
ture to suggest that the peculiarities noticed by Dr. Guillemard e arose principally from diCerences of dress, coifFure, and shaving.
The Japanese type having been described once for all in Dr. E. Baelz's admirable monograph, entitled " Die Korperlichert Eigenschaften der Japaner," printed in Pat ts 28 and 32 of the Mtttheiltbnyen der Deutschen Gesellechaft fur N44tbr- und Volkerkunde Ostasiens, nothing more need be said about it here. The most prominent race-characteristic of the Luchuans is not a phtrsical, but a moral one It is their gentleness
Yezo, where the Aino3 still flourish, and also in northerIl Japan, whence they were driven less than a thousand years age. There is also a Sonat on Iri-omote jima.
* See p. 27 of his deli*,htful ' Gruise of the Malohesa.'
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:28:44 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
A JOURNEY TO TAFILET. A JOURNEY TO TAFILET. 319 319
of spirit and manner, their yielding and submissive disposition, their hospitality and kindness, their aversion to violenee and erinle. Every visitor has come awar with the same favourable ilupression Captain Broughton, whom they treated so hospitably on the oeeasion of his ship- wreek in 1797; CaptJain Basil Hall, Dr. MeLeod, Dr. Guillemard--even the missionaries, poor as was theiz sueeess, and all the Japallese. For myself, I met with nothing but kindness frorn high and low alike. The solitary exeeption to this ehorus of praise is Commodore Perry; but then the aeeount he himself gives of his haughty and masterful eonduet, of his violent threats, and eontemptuolls disregard of all international law and eollrtesy, renders it seant mattel for surprise that even Luehuan patience should have been exhausted, and that the islanders should have resorted to deeeit,whieh is the only weapon the weak ha e at their disposal against the strong. The blustering Commodole's virtuous indignation at the employment of this wea)on against no less august a pelsonage tha himself, makes most alnusing reading by reason of its uneonscious satire.
Though the Luchuans do not ilepress one as a vigorous raee, I noticed no cripples among them, nor yet any blind people. The only deformity that seemed somewllat common was hare-lip Obesity was extreinely rare.
(To be continued.)
The map of the Luchu Islands is a reduction from Japanese Admiralty Chart. The names have been translated from the Japanese by Mr. Basil t[all Chambellain.
. . ,
A JOURNEY TO TAFILET.$ By WALTER B. HARRIS.
ON Wednesday, November 1, 1893, I left Moroeco City with a small band of Moors, myself in native elothing, although my identity was known to the five men who aeeompanied me. We eamped for the night about 4 miles from the eity, to the south-east, at one of the small " nza]as," merely a few thateh huts enelosed in a " zareba " of thorn hedge, whieh give seeurity from horse-stealers, ete., at nig,ht. These " nzalas " are ereeted at intervals all along the roads of Moroeco, or rather the traeks, for roads, properly speaking, do not exist. The natives in eharge are responsible for ally theft that may take place, and in retuln for this responsibility are permitted by the native government to levy a small tax on any who may use the " zareba."
The following morning, November 2, we were off before daylight, our road proceeding in an east by south direction over the plain of Misfiwa, one of the large Bashaliks of Southern Moroeeo. During the morning two rivers were forded, the WVad Urika and the AVad el-Melha
* Paper read at the Rofal Geographical Society, I\Iollday, Decernbel 10, 1894. Map, p. 408.
of spirit and manner, their yielding and submissive disposition, their hospitality and kindness, their aversion to violenee and erinle. Every visitor has come awar with the same favourable ilupression Captain Broughton, whom they treated so hospitably on the oeeasion of his ship- wreek in 1797; CaptJain Basil Hall, Dr. MeLeod, Dr. Guillemard--even the missionaries, poor as was theiz sueeess, and all the Japallese. For myself, I met with nothing but kindness frorn high and low alike. The solitary exeeption to this ehorus of praise is Commodore Perry; but then the aeeount he himself gives of his haughty and masterful eonduet, of his violent threats, and eontemptuolls disregard of all international law and eollrtesy, renders it seant mattel for surprise that even Luehuan patience should have been exhausted, and that the islanders should have resorted to deeeit,whieh is the only weapon the weak ha e at their disposal against the strong. The blustering Commodole's virtuous indignation at the employment of this wea)on against no less august a pelsonage tha himself, makes most alnusing reading by reason of its uneonscious satire.
Though the Luchuans do not ilepress one as a vigorous raee, I noticed no cripples among them, nor yet any blind people. The only deformity that seemed somewllat common was hare-lip Obesity was extreinely rare.
(To be continued.)
The map of the Luchu Islands is a reduction from Japanese Admiralty Chart. The names have been translated from the Japanese by Mr. Basil t[all Chambellain.
. . ,
A JOURNEY TO TAFILET.$ By WALTER B. HARRIS.
ON Wednesday, November 1, 1893, I left Moroeco City with a small band of Moors, myself in native elothing, although my identity was known to the five men who aeeompanied me. We eamped for the night about 4 miles from the eity, to the south-east, at one of the small " nza]as," merely a few thateh huts enelosed in a " zareba " of thorn hedge, whieh give seeurity from horse-stealers, ete., at nig,ht. These " nzalas " are ereeted at intervals all along the roads of Moroeco, or rather the traeks, for roads, properly speaking, do not exist. The natives in eharge are responsible for ally theft that may take place, and in retuln for this responsibility are permitted by the native government to levy a small tax on any who may use the " zareba."
The following morning, November 2, we were off before daylight, our road proceeding in an east by south direction over the plain of Misfiwa, one of the large Bashaliks of Southern Moroeeo. During the morning two rivers were forded, the WVad Urika and the AVad el-Melha
* Paper read at the Rofal Geographical Society, I\Iollday, Decernbel 10, 1894. Map, p. 408.
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:28:44 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
446 446 THE LUCHU 1SLANDS AND THEIPt INHABITANTS. THE LUCHU 1SLANDS AND THEIPt INHABITANTS.
betweerl the European an(l the native races has resulted in sollle good to the latter, in Central Africa, on the contrary, nothing but harnl has come of it; and the indigenous blowth of civilization, witnessed by the various handicrafts of the people-specimens of which luay be seen in the llest room- is being stamped out I must again express regret that the wide and enlightened viesvs of his Majesty the King of the Belgians, who initiated international concert in dealinc with Celltral Africa, have not been developed, and that the aims alld views of Livingstone, the best and greatest of African explorers, have not been realized.
The PRESIDENT: Captain Hinde has taken part in an event which will pro- bably be found to be the most important since the discovery of the course of the Congo by Ml. Stanley. The Arab slave-traders seem to have been entirely cleared out of the country. Captaill Hinde's independent exl)loration is also of great geographical interest, in havin;, ascended the Lualaba and completed its explora- tion as far as the Lukuga. I am sure the uleetin{r will desire ule to rettlln him our vely hearty thanks for the interestiljg papel he has Oiven us this evenin.
NOq'E ONT THE MAP OF PART OF THE SOUTEI-EASTERN CONGO Bj8ISr NVith the work of the older explorers, whose routes are laid down on the map, has been incor- porated material supplied by Captain Hinde, ill the shape of sketch-maps made by himself and other officials of the Congo State. The routes covered by these maps are the following: Lupungu Mulenda N'Gandu; Kolomolli Goi Muyassa- Piani Solomoni Lussuna; N'Gandu Lussuna; Funda Fuanka Molenda; Lussuna-Piano Chiaba-Luliuna; routes north alld south-west of Lusalubo. The courses of the Lukuga and Lualaba from Mbuli's to Lukuna are from Captain Hinde's compass-survey, with additions from the survey made by Mr. Mohun ('Mouvement Geographique,' 1894, p. 84). The course of the Lualaba below Ltlkuna is from Dr. Lenz's survey (' htitteilullgen der 1R.1R. Geogl. Gesellsch. NVien7' 1886, hIap viii., scale 1: 1,130,000).
THE LUCHU ISLANDS AND THEIR INHABITANTS.' By BASIL HALL CHAMBERLAIN, Emeritus Professor of Japanese and
Philology in the Imperial University of Japan.
IV. MANNERS AND CUSTO.NIS OF THE INISABIIAN18. The manners and custouls of a people oSel so illimitably widei a
geld, that it will be best in this instance to pass lightly ovel points made known by earlier traellers, and to dxvell at greater length onl- on such as are new. Both Basil Hall and PerrJr, for illstance, have described the Luchuan costunle and illustrated it pictorially in their works. Their descriptions still llold, except tllat the elaborate robes and caps of office are Bo n.ore, now tllat Luclluan independence itself is at an end, atld that officials from ToktZo in E:ur(l)ean trousers and fiock- coats rule the land. In essentials the evelyday Luchuan costume resembles the Japanese, beint a loose robe {ol the men as well as for the WO1Uell. The xvearint of two large ll.lirpins by the men gold,
betweerl the European an(l the native races has resulted in sollle good to the latter, in Central Africa, on the contrary, nothing but harnl has come of it; and the indigenous blowth of civilization, witnessed by the various handicrafts of the people-specimens of which luay be seen in the llest room- is being stamped out I must again express regret that the wide and enlightened viesvs of his Majesty the King of the Belgians, who initiated international concert in dealinc with Celltral Africa, have not been developed, and that the aims alld views of Livingstone, the best and greatest of African explorers, have not been realized.
The PRESIDENT: Captain Hinde has taken part in an event which will pro- bably be found to be the most important since the discovery of the course of the Congo by Ml. Stanley. The Arab slave-traders seem to have been entirely cleared out of the country. Captaill Hinde's independent exl)loration is also of great geographical interest, in havin;, ascended the Lualaba and completed its explora- tion as far as the Lukuga. I am sure the uleetin{r will desire ule to rettlln him our vely hearty thanks for the interestiljg papel he has Oiven us this evenin.
NOq'E ONT THE MAP OF PART OF THE SOUTEI-EASTERN CONGO Bj8ISr NVith the work of the older explorers, whose routes are laid down on the map, has been incor- porated material supplied by Captain Hinde, ill the shape of sketch-maps made by himself and other officials of the Congo State. The routes covered by these maps are the following: Lupungu Mulenda N'Gandu; Kolomolli Goi Muyassa- Piani Solomoni Lussuna; N'Gandu Lussuna; Funda Fuanka Molenda; Lussuna-Piano Chiaba-Luliuna; routes north alld south-west of Lusalubo. The courses of the Lukuga and Lualaba from Mbuli's to Lukuna are from Captain Hinde's compass-survey, with additions from the survey made by Mr. Mohun ('Mouvement Geographique,' 1894, p. 84). The course of the Lualaba below Ltlkuna is from Dr. Lenz's survey (' htitteilullgen der 1R.1R. Geogl. Gesellsch. NVien7' 1886, hIap viii., scale 1: 1,130,000).
THE LUCHU ISLANDS AND THEIR INHABITANTS.' By BASIL HALL CHAMBERLAIN, Emeritus Professor of Japanese and
Philology in the Imperial University of Japan.
IV. MANNERS AND CUSTO.NIS OF THE INISABIIAN18. The manners and custouls of a people oSel so illimitably widei a
geld, that it will be best in this instance to pass lightly ovel points made known by earlier traellers, and to dxvell at greater length onl- on such as are new. Both Basil Hall and PerrJr, for illstance, have described the Luchuan costunle and illustrated it pictorially in their works. Their descriptions still llold, except tllat the elaborate robes and caps of office are Bo n.ore, now tllat Luclluan independence itself is at an end, atld that officials from ToktZo in E:ur(l)ean trousers and fiock- coats rule the land. In essentials the evelyday Luchuan costume resembles the Japanese, beint a loose robe {ol the men as well as for the WO1Uell. The xvearint of two large ll.lirpins by the men gold,
* Paper read at tlle Royal Geographical Society, Jalluary 7, lX9o. Iap, ). 408 Continued from the April nlllllLer.
* Paper read at tlle Royal Geographical Society, Jalluary 7, lX9o. Iap, ). 408 Continued from the April nlllllLer.
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:30:05 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
silver, or pewter, according to the wearer's rank stuck through a topknot into which the llair is gathered, forms a characteristic difference. Young men of all classes shave clean till the age of five and twenty. Aftx3r that, they let their beards and moustaches grow, though they mostly continue to shave the cheeks. Their gait is dignifiesd, the expression of the face serious, often sad, and sometimes singularly sweet in the older men, whose appearance is most venerable. Their voices, too, are soft and low.
All Luchuan women tattoo their hands. The patterns adopted ire Great Luchu are respresented in the accompanying ellgravirlg. The
TATTOOED HANDS.
women of Oshima give free rein to individual fancy. Those of Miyako- .. ... . . llma llkewlse have a great sariety of patterns, and continue the tattooing a long way up the arm. In Yaeyama, on the contrary, it is restricted to the hands. The women of the lower classes roll their hair round and round in a tmr;St on the top of the head, and then stick hairpins through it gold, silver, or pewter (sometilnes wood), much less often tortoise- shell s on specially auspicious occasions. The silver-hairpinned ones
* The tortoise-shell hairpills seetn not to have been noticed by ally traveller, JEuropean or apanese.
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:30:05 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
also wear silver rings, the pewter dames wear pewter rings. There being :llothing to keep the roll of hair with its hairpins in place, it is apt to lop over on one side, making the urearer look as if she had taken a drop too much. Altogether the appearance of the Luchuan women of the people is little prepossessing, especially to one fresh from Japan, the land of graceful feluininity. They fasten their dress over frotn the right side as often as fiom the left, which is a. dreadful slip of manners in Far-Eastern eyes; and in cool weather they don an over-dress held together by no sash, so that it bulges out and swa.,Ts backwards and forwards in the wind. Their gait, too, is luasculine and striding,-a. peculiarity which probably arises frolYl the national custom of carrying all loads on the head. A coolie woman will carry as much as 200 lbs. in this way. The drollest sight is that of the wolnen bringing suckint,- pigs to n:larket on their heads. A disk of straw serves as a. couch to
_^ tIhNsd COIli'FURE. WOMAN S COIFFURE.
which the animal is firinly tied, with its legs sticking out fore and aft, so that it looks as if it were taking a swimluing lesson. I was looking, on one day, mrhen an intending purchaser came up. So one little pig was taken down and his points were shown ofF by his mistress, who held him up by the tail and hind legs, for a11 t;lle world as if llis swimming lesson bad progressed as far as the art of taking headers. The woman asked 812 for him. The buyer would not give more than a dollar. So Master Pig, as I departed, was being mounted again on his straw pad, screaming loud enough to raise the town. Did fashion, in her wildest flights, ever go further than in thus adding a sucking-pig to the attractions of a lady's coiff8ure ? Curiously enough, there seems to be a general prejudice in Luchu against allowing animals the nse of their legs. P;gs, when too big to be carried on the head, are slung on a pole between two lnen. Goats I saw similarly carried, and never on any occasion did I see pigs or goats driven, as we should drive them in Europe.
The market-place, which is the centre of life at Nafa., is entirely in the hallds of the womell, who show no timidity +shatever, exposing not onl) their faces, but their arm.s and even their legs. This makes {;he seelusion of their social superiol*.s all the more remarkable by
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:30:05 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
contrast. The ladies of Luchu spend their lives ill a retireluent so absolute that I never saw one during the whole period of my stay, though the rustling behind screens when I visited my male acquaiIlt- ances seemed to indicate that the females of the housellold were peeping at the foreignel frolll invisible coitns of vantage. Japanese who have spent long periods of time on the islands have recordecl the fact that they too never caught a glimpse of a Tjuchuan lady. To ask a Luchuan gentletnan after the health of his wife and daughters, or to allude to their existence in any wafr, lrould be the heigllt of illlpropriety. Rarely does a ]ady leave the house which is her lifeCong home. Should sonze extraordinary occasion cotnpel her to do so, she retires from view mJithin a closely shut palanquin. How diSelent frola the genial Japanese Prefect of Okinawa, whose very first act, on my first visit, was to call in his charming xvife, ̂ rho showed me her latest pulchases of local curios just as a European lady might have done !
The Luclluan gentlemen take refuge from the virtuous dulness of their llomes by seekin, the society of ladies of laore facile habits, the number of whom is very considerahle. These live in special quarters, and practise the arts of sillting, dancing, and conversation. Here is what a recent Japanese autlwor'¢ says about them, and his assertions xvere borne out, point b5J point, by my own inquiries made on the spot- -
" The Luchuan hetairae differ gleatly in their ways froln those of the mainland of Japan. They are frank and no fiatterers. Es-ery Japanese trader arrinring in Luchu engages one, to whom he entrusts everything, even to tlle management of his mercantile affairs; and when he departs, the girl sells to best advantat,e the articlesi confided to her charge, so tllat when her master collles back at,ain she is able to render him a satisfactory account, in wllich there is never any error or prevarication to the amount of a single penny. hIoreover, this good concluct is the result of natural inclination, not of self-seeking or of vainglorT." IIe adds that, " though generally unversed either in writing or ciphelin^,, they tie knots in cords to assist theil meinory, and thus manage witllout error calculations involving tells of thousands of cash."
These women on certain sstated occasions dance througll the streets for the benefit of the public generally. One of these festilrals took place during my stay at Nafa. It was on AIarch 8, which llappened to coincide with the twentieth day of the first llloon, the day whicll, accor( lillt, to the old lunar c.alendar, closes the New Year festisities. I rrenture to extlact the following fiom my journal for tllat day:-
" Being told in the morning that a CUl'iOUS procession and dance were -to take place, I got up early and llurried of to see it. The crowds were
* S. Ijiclli, ill the Byx7cytc EnDaDu C7li1t.
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:30:05 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
dense numbers of people on the roofs of the houses, and a few even on the roofs of the funeral vaults ! These crowds were colllposed alluost exclusively of the lower classes, dirty and perspiring. I twice saxv the3 procession pass once as a common individual, standing in the slln and jolted by the crowd; once as an aristocrat, for whoril space was cleared through the intervention of that ever-(lelightful individual, the Japanese policeman. The police treated the peo)le pretty roughly, pulling and throwing thern about like bundles; but the tortuous narrowness of these coral-wall-lined streets luade drastic measures necessary. All the actors in the procession were women, someg quite elderly the owners or duennas of ' establishments' some little girls, but most young women, all smiling and happy; not delicately fragile like the Japanese, but buxom and healthy-looking, and evidently enjoying to the {ull the amusement which their bright dresses and their dancing, or rather posturing, caused to the spectators. FiIst came a figure armed with a long stick to clear, or pretend to clear, the way; for in this the Japanese police were the real agents. Then a flat with a picture of a Cal'p swimming up-stream, the well-known symbol of successf endeavour; and immediately after this strutted a g;orgeous lion witl flowing mane and hair of red, black, green, and lilac, and a bright green face, attended by several dancing-girls in red and a woman with a gong, while behind came two woznen dressed up like men, and playing on horns which produced a sound rather like that of Scotch bagpipes.
" This closed the first part of the procession. The second part con- sisted of women pretending to ride toy horses. The third included a
number of imitation Chinamen itl figured silks, some perhaps all- representing historical or legendary characters; but the only two I could identify wele King Buns (,> iE) on foot, leadinO the sage Tai-ko-bo (i; oR t,) in a jinrikisha ! This was the sole vehicle in the whole pro- cession. But the nlost comical spectacle of all was a frail nymph of some fifty-five or sixty winters, who had got herself up like a high Japanese official of the olden time, and danced like mad. To her suc- ceeded a long train of girls and childreu, each with a scarlet or purple fillet bound round the temples and hanging down behind, ancl this closed the procession."
It did not, however, close the semi-public doings of the season. The first moon not the seventh moon, as in Japall-is the time of year when the granes of ancestors are visited, and when takes place what Europeans resident in the East term the Feast of Lanterns, which cor- responds to our Al1 Saints' and All Souls' DaysX Paper lantelns for use in these lueInorial services were among the most prominent articles fol sale in tlze Nafa market when I reached the islancl late in February.
* Here and throughout tllis paper I hase emploacd the Japanese pyonunciation of the Chinese characters. The Pekillgese prollunciation of tllis llame is 'e?l.
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:30:05 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
Probably hygienic reasorls have dictated so violent a departure from the orthodow Buddhist calendar. At any rate, it is now officially prohibited to open funeral raults and wash the bones of the dead during the hotter half of the year.
These remarks bring us to a description of the Luchuan method of disposing of the dead, who occupy a much greater portion of the thoughts of the living than is the case in light-hearted Europe. So large and ubiquitous are the Luchuan graves, so imposing and dazzling; is their plastered whiteness, that they attract the traveller's eye even
LUCHUAN GRAVE.
before he lands, remain with him constantly during his sojourn, and are the last thing to fade from his view when the ship carries him away. Luchu, proud in old days of its strict observance of Chinese etiquette? loves to style itself ;;the Land of Proprlety." But the "Land of Picturesque Graves " would be a more appropriate cognoznen. Not only physically, but morally also, these graves-funeral vaults one should perhaps rather call them, for each holds the remains of many generations
form the central feature of Luchuan life. They anay come into play even commercially; for if a Luchuan in pecuniary straits wishes to raise money, the best th;ng he can pawn is his family vault. He can
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:30:05 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
laise a good roulld sum on that? for every one knows that he must pay it back. A7ault-burial WAB introduced into Great Luchu from China at least five centuries ago. ()n the other islands lllay occasionally lae seen speciluens of the earlier-fashioned natiare graves, consisting of a circle of stones around the body, and two long stone slabs as a corer. Old ones are to be met witll in secluded districts of Oshima, nenr ones some- times in the Further Isles with the bones of the deceased sticking out. The people of Oshima now bury their dead, Japanese fashion, in small graves with tombstones not very different in appearance from our own. In Great Luchu the vault is of universal and exclusive use. Most are horseshoe-shaped, while'a fenr are rectant,ular. Perhaps, on second thoughts, a bishop's mitre describes the appearance better than a horse- shoe, the mitre proper being tlle actual vault, while the ribbands are a wall on either side. The ault is sunk, so as to make it equal with the surrounding ;round, generally coral rock; but the space in front being lower still (for vaults are mostly built on hillsides), the whole height of the front walls is seen. There is a metal door in front, and in the cOUlst there sometilues stands a stone screen. The brilliant white colour comes from the plaster used. lSormerly the dinlensions of a vault were -fixed by law, according to the rank of the family ownin; it. I could not discover, however, that any such regulation had been adhered to in practice, and I prefer to give the actual dimensioils ot' two average specimens, vhich I measured myself-
Total lleight of front ....................... ... ... ... 9 feet 8 inches. Total breadth .............. ... ... ... ... 22 ,, 2 , Length of court ellelosed by valls ... ... ... 24 ,, 8 ,, Height of opening in front ....................... ... ... ... 3 ,, 8 ,, Breadth of opening ill frollt ....................... ... ... ... 2 ,, S ,, Thickness of all stolles used ....................... ... ... ... - 16 to ]8 in.
The Luchuans have llo cemeteries, such as we see in England or Japan; neither are there in Great Luchu any glaastly sights of half-open ,raves, as in China. Each family builds its vault on its oxvn ;round; and, though the very greatest reverence is paid to the departed, there seems to be no superstitious dread of their near presence. As you ride through the country, you will see the peasant digU,ing his field right up to the wall of the vault where lie his ancestors, and where he knows that he himself will lie sorne day.
WAThen a Luchuan dies, a mosquito-net is hun over tlle body, and curtains are drawll all around, so that none may see in. The weeping relatives relieve guard, one by one, in the chamber of death. The funeral is attended not onl- by the family, but by other mourners, who, said to have been originally the servants of allied families, have in lnodern times developed into a professional class that earns a livelihood bfT simlllating transports of grief. I had heard much about these funelals both from Japanese and natives; and one splint, afternoon,
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:30:05 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
while on my way to visit that little gem of beauty, the royal pleasure- grounds at Shikina, I suddenly eame on sueh a proeession hurrying alont a country lane-the Buddhist priest in front, then the eoffin, then a train of sollle thirty persons, of wholll five O1 six were hirecl mournels, apparently females, though iluluense straw hats hid their faees from view. They were attired in coarse eloth made of banana fibre; they uttered the most disnlal groans, and tottered so that they had to be supported on either side by assistants, who, as it were, bore thern up and at the same time pulled them rapiclly along. The portion of the professional mourner's art most difficult of aequilement and lllost highly prized, is weeping copiously throatyh the nose. In the produetion of these unpleasant tears-for so by courtesy let us call them the professional mourners are said to attain extraordinary proficiency.
The eoffin, having been brought to the vault, is left shut up for two yeals. In the third year the relations assemble again, and the 1learest of kin oTash the bones with the strong spirit called alvamori, and then deposit them in earthenware urns called by the natives jishi-kami, the priee of whieh varies from 16 cents for the poorest eoolies up to S1 20c. (say 28. 3d. of English money) * for tlle tentry. A specilnen of each has been sent to the Pitt Rivers ZIuseum, and described in the Jov^nal of t71e Anthropological Instit8te. Speaking briefly, tlle urns are telaple-shapedy and decorated with such Buddhist embletns as lotus-flowers and horned desnons' heads (intended to scare away real demons). The colours- creamy n7hite, blue-green, and yellowish brown are harmonious and reposeful to the eye. As a rule, the bones of a husband and wife are placecl together in the same urn. For children, as also for adult baellelors and spinsters but Oriental cominunities harbour few such- there are urns half-size. All tlle urns of a family are ranged round the interior of the valllt on shelves, tier above tier, in order of precedence. The graves of the Luchuan kings are at the Buddhist telaple of Sogenji in Shuri. Their funeral ulns are said to be luagnificent, each costing ten times as much as that of an ordinaly gentleman. Unfortunately, I llad leserved a nisit to this place 1lntil the end of my stay, and then illness prevented me from carrying out the intention.
So far as the temple itself is concerned, the loss xvas probahly slight -Lucllu, like Norea, having passed out of the stage during which Buddhislll +^Jas powerful and its religious edifices splendid. Speaking generally, too, the whole Far-East is very little devotiollal, very little given to speculating on divine mystelieS; and Luchu fortns no excep- tion to the rule. Not only the upper classes, as is the case in Japan, but even the lower clasFses, are indiffelentists in religious matters, and almost the sole retnaining function of the Buddhist priesthood seelns to be to officiate at funerals. NafS has a sluall ancl griiny Confucian
* The Japanese silver dollar beint, on]y svorth atout half an American gold dollar.
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:30:05 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
teluple conllected with the college in which a srnall nurnber of young mell were forlllerly trained as Chinese interpleters, and where instruc- tion is still given in the Chinese classics. There are no others in the ar¢hipelag;o. The Buddhist temples are few in numbers small, and mostly deserted. Of Shinto temples ploperly so-called, I saw none excepting a shrine on the Namlllin Point at Nafa, ereated by the Japanese, and a similar one at Naze in Oshima. Certain secluded and mostly abandoned holy places standing in groves correspond, however, lo tne Shinto temples of Japan-that is to say, that they are neither Buddhist nor Confucian, but dedicated to native ancestral spirits, and marked of b a straw lope symbolical of worship. There is generally a
stone in such sacred spots, llnder which sozne ancient worthy's bones are said to rest. AVe have here, in fact, a very primitiere sc)rt of hero or ancestor worship, wllich has remained undeveloped on account of the anspirituality of the race and the intrusion of Confucianisin.
Nor, because a nation is practically without religion, need it be without numerous minor sllperstitions to which a se3ni-credence is attached. To this the crematoria for scraps of paper at many street corners bear witness. The idea, borrowed from China, is that a certain sanctity attaches to the written word, and that scraps of leaper bearing any writing must not be lightly thrown away, but should be decently cremated. The Luchuan crematoria for papel are, however, quite small things, abollt 4 feet high not large elaborate structures such as Mr. Archibald Little describes in his ' Gorges of the Yang Tse.' I also came in contact with a superstitious idea relating to the washing of dead men's bones according to the custotn described above. Happening one day to ride past a vault lvllere this ceremony was going on, I distnounted and made tonards the spot. The people betan to scatter, and my two grooms implored nle not to l3roceed, because, said they, if I did, the dead luan's spirit, once scared away by a stranger, would never come to rest again. Of course I gave up the idea of witnessing the ceremony; for what was the satisfaction of mere curiosity compared with the distress of a fanlilJ, alleady in mourning? On some of the Further Isles (Yaeyatna), the natives laave a practice of going out into the .woods to pray against the ravages of wild boars and of rats. Also they neither fish nor collect edible seaweed for a xvhole lalonth before harvest-time, for fear of causing a tf phoon. A superstitious feeling everywhere displayed is the fear of bad results likely to follow from being phototraphedl No doubt the Luehuan laind, plolerly exploled during years of eontinuous residenee and familiar inteleourse, Brould furnish a quantity of similar items to the student of superstitions and of folk-lore. I found, too, that even the edueated still ente]tained notions, boIrowed froul Ghina, of dragons and other unre;l monsters, wlliell, however, belong rather to imperfectly developed seienee than to supelstition propelly so called.
Quainter still than the funeral eustoms of the Luehuans, is their
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:30:05 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
usage with regard to weddings. After the " middleman " the marriage broker as lle might be termed has negotiated tlle preliminalies, and proper presents have been sent by the bridegroom to the bride's familJr, the proeeedints are as folloxvs: Tho bride is eseorted to the man's house at one or two o'eloek in the morning, under guard of her relations, tlle objeet of these pleeautions of titne and eseort being that the aSair may not be bruited abroad, and exeite impertinent euriosity in the neighbourhood. She and the bridegroonz exehange eups of sake (riee beer), after whieh she is at onee led honle again. This brief eeremony is repeated three nights running, after whieh she remains three days with her parents, while the bridegrootn is earried ofl: by his friends to hold high revel. The objeet of this step, so far as the man is eoneerned, is that he may, on the very threshold of matri- mony, prove his independenee of vifely leading-strings, while to the woman it gives an opportunity to display freedom from jealousy, which is eonsidered the worst of all feminine vices. After three days spent in this manner, the bridegroom goes home, being joined by the blide, who keeps house with him for another period of three days, at the expilation of whieh the bride goes to her parents' home, whither the bridegroom follows her. Her relations await his arrival xvith a pestle, painted and ornamented to represent a horse, on wllieh lle rides in, while all the boys of the neighbourhood greet his advent with drums and tomtollls, and anything that will make a noise. A grand fatnily feast then takes plaee, after which the happy eouple return home, and the long wedding eerernonies are at last eoneluded. 'the lllalried life begun in so original a fashion is said to be laostly harmoniolls, as the wives yield to their husbands in all things. Should the husband die, the vvTidow almost always remains true to his rtlemory, whieh is an item of feminine devotion mueh prized in Far-Eastern lands, where, though a widower luarries and makes himself eomfortable again as a matter of eourse, widows are eneouraged by publie opinion to remain desolate.
S^veet potatoes forlll the staple food of the Luchuan people. The rich eat rice, and pork, and beef, and fish, and other things many, the ,eneral eharaeter of their cutsine being moulded on that of China. The poor, espeeially in years of seantiness, eke out their sweet-potato diet with a kind of sago obtained by soaking and pounding the heart of tlle Cyeas revoluta, a small tree wllich reselables the sago palm,* and which, as alteady mentioned, is allowed to grow evelywhere where no better tIse can be made of the soil. Numberless stolies are current concerning the unwholesomelless of tllis sago that it gives bad breath, that it distends the stomach ntithout feeding the system, that people
* The Luchuan name is sotztsi, the Japanese sotetsu, both being corruptions of the (:lwinese & 23Jt which sneans " reviving iron," in reference to a lzopular idea that this tree is benefited by sprinkling iron near its roots,
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:30:05 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
sometimes fall down dead after eating it, etc. Tllese tales doubtless require careful sifting and considerable discounting. The foundation of truth in them may be sought in faulty prepa,raUtion of the sago by ma,ny of the peasants each household manufacturing its own supply- a,nd in bad cookiny, the usual Luchuan plan being to make it into dllmplings, sometimes pure, sometimes mixed with pounded sweet pota,toes a dish which may well lie heavy on any but the stoutest stoma,ch. Prepared in the European fa,shion, Luchuan sat,o is quite palatable and perfectly innocuous. The Luchtlans eat their food with chopsticks after the Chinese method; but as they call tllem by the JaUpanese name of 71as7li, it is at least possible that these useful implements reached them via Japan. There is an aUlcoholie drink called awamoqi, which resembles Chinese scxm-shu, aUnd is made of rice and millet. Tea; is in general use, as elsewhere in the Far-East, but will not grow on the islaUnds despite attempts to aUcclimatize it. The poor make their Tery inferior tea go further by boiling mut,wort with it, which is supposed to strengthen the digestion.
The Luchuans sit cross-lebged a la turque, not with their knee3 under them like the Japanese, nor are a,ny but the best houses ma,tted in Japanese fashion. Rather aUre their aUrchitectura,l a,nd household arraUngernents Chinese in style, the walls being of stone, the rooms srnall, low, and rarely rising to more than one storey, and the tlool being dirty. Each house is surlounded by a stone waUll-generally cozal-which ensures privacy, but sadly obstructs ventilatioIl; and through a maze of these little low dwellings the narrow street, or rather lane, winds its tortuous way, sometimes muddy, sometimes paved with ilregular stones more or less flat. There is less filth in the streets than in China, Ltlchu in this respect, as in so many others, staUnding half- way between China and Japan. In the middle of the town is a market- place. There are no vehic,les of any kind, nor any public lighting. XE'rom time to time packhorses come a,long, and then pedestriaUlls must be on the look-out; for the absellce of a sidewa,lk ancl the extreme na,rrowness of the streets may eause eollisions. Such is the generaUl aspeet of a Luchuan towtn improved, however, at Nafa by the greatel eomfort and cleanliness whieh the residence of numerous Japanese offieials and merchants has introdueed; and made picturesque at Shuri? the eapital, by the splendid position of the city on a rocky lleight, erowned by the antient eastle of the Luehuan kings, now the head- quarters of a Japanese garrison of 137 men. The royal apartments llave, it is true, fallen a saerifice to praetical military needs; but the massive stone walls remain intaet. In olden days, far back in the Middle Ages, when Great Lucllu was torn into three petty kingdozns, and the art of svar +ras still remembeled, many eastles (g?szk?, as the Luehuans eall thelll) studded tlle lalld, beint, mostly realed on natural eminenees of col al rock by the petty lords and chieftains of each
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:30:05 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
distt iet. Buills of several such castles still remain, lendint, ,reat picturesqueness to the landscape. The peasants' huts ill tlle countrf are mostly put toCether of reetls, lvith a straw thatch, and are very poor-looking, tllou^,ll tlleir meanness strikes olle as less unendurable
nder so mild a slSy and amid scenery so tranquilly charllling tllan lvould be the case lvere tlley transported to a t,re- er clime. I no+shel e sas any actual be(rars.
A fexv pigs form an indispensable adjunct to every rural abode. Under the olcl natisre ,overnment, indeed, tlle rearill;,r of piCs and ,oats oras enforced l)y la+s on every llousehold. The pitrs are kept in a dis- ,ustintr,ly dirty fashioll, and are fed partl) on es-crements, so that it seems a mockerA to add xvhat is nevertlleless true so far as mana plaees are eoneerned tllat tlleir styes are made of coral. Large open grassy spaees, often appearint, as ,lades in the forest, form a characteristic a(ljunet to Luchuan >7illages X llich pelplexed the early foreigll visitors. Callecl " race-colllses," these spaees also serxre a variety of other purposes. Here lbice ib laicl out to dry, and the villa(re eouncil meets-or nlet in old days-goods were bartered, justice ras adminiastered, resvards and punishments meted out, festivals eelebrated. Nothil, cxaetly sinlilar to this institution exists either in Cl-lina or Japan.
Ill piquant contrast to sotlle of the natie ways, ale those ovidences of AVestern cisilization whicll modern Japanese offieialdolll everywhere callies with it-the pillar post-box, for example, and the telephone from Nafa to Shuri. Al£o at the entrance of each ̂ illate there is noxv xvritten 1lp the nulllber of inhabitants and the number of cllildren of school age- a del ice not used in Japan itself, but resorted to llere mrith the object of sllaming parents into sendint, their cllildrell to scllool. Cl'o get the girls sent there has been found vely difficlllt in tlle Furthel Isles almost illalsossible. 'l'he following table may interest sortle readers:-
U3IBI.R OF rE-l<LIt' SCIlOOLS AN-D CHILI)BlS- OF SCHOOL -&GE.
(Deceml)eq 31, 1891.)
Xllmber of S unll)er of clli'dren NuTnber of cllildrerl 5'unlber of children Oissisions. Eclsools. of scllool atr,e. v} ho attended. xvho did not attend.
NOTI',-'the alJo e statistics do not includc tlle Middle Scllool or tlle Norlsz.ll Scllool. The ^{uu llacll in t]lc lattcr arc a11 ol)lic,c(l to dr(ss Japatnese (i.e. European) f:.lsllion.
S7o. T. ME-, 189o.] 2 Ir
/
TiII LUCHE ISL.XNDS AND THEIR ISHABITANTS.
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:30:05 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
Tlle Japanese laugu£sge is taught as a subject cltlrin; the first tear of schooling. Aftel tllat, it is used as the vehicle for instruction in othel subjects. I heard, howeser, many complaints as to the illlpelfect acquisition of the ruling tongue, and follnel by personal experience tllat fexv as yet understand it away fronl :N'afa, ancl tllat even in Wafa itself, and among men holdint official posts, tlle linowledge of Japanese is still lvofullJ ilnperfect and supelficial. Here? as in otller countlies, a ieav hours' schooling; cannot at once outweigh llollle influence, xvhich is per- petually pulling in the opposite directioIl. The Lechuan accent in Japanese, though very Inarlied, is not llnpleasing. It remillcled llle of the Korean accent.
No olle xvalks in Lucllu, exceptiIl,g tllose +ho cannot aSord s()me less fatiglling method of locomotion. WAitell-to-clo folks al^rays talte a Acag --a closed chair borne on a pole by twro coolies, anel resembling the Chinese palanquin ratller than the A.ayo of Japan-or else tlley go oll horseback. I generally preferred the latter alternative, as the kagu -shakes one and hides tlle vie^r. Tlle dilllinlltive Luchuan ponies llase alreadybeen melltioned. Thetr ale invaluable little beasts, their endurance and docility making llp for theil Lilliputian size. TheJ are not shod ill any way, the llletal horseslloes of Europe and the stralv hor£eshoes of Japan being llere eqtlally unknown; yet they find theil +vay no less nimbly thansul-ely up and dolvnthe wretched tracks slhicll in Luchu slo duty folz roacls, ancl in wllich, at evelAr luoment, coral crags stick up tllloull the soil like pins and needles. No wonder nobody xvalks lvho -is not forced to it ! In some distriets of Japan, especially in the islancl ef Yezo, wlaere the horses are drisen intrains of tsxenty or thirty-, all are either leaders or followers, one Qeader to lllany io]lowels; and shoulel you get (as. of course, yoll generally do get) a followea, llothing will induce the obstinate animal to move unless he sees another horse imme- dixately in front of hin. This disagreeable state of things does not exist in Lllchu, where the; pollies are accustomecl to going ,singltr. Travellers rould, 11owever, do well to take theil o55 n saddles, as the native woode fisaddle is extremely uncomfortable.
I have said that communication is bacl in Luchu There is incleed one broad and eseellent road joining; the port of Nafa to Shuri, the capital, distant-so the official mile-post states, fol modeln Japanese officialdom is nothing if not precise-1 ri 11 cho 26 ken 2 feet anel 1 inch (!), say 3 miles Enblish. A road a few miles long is also now being made from Shuri to a village on the east coast called Yonabara. With these exceptions, there exist in Great Luchu only the patl<s above described, and in the hilly northern portion of the island eve these are absent. European accommodation of cour£e esists nowhere, and there are Japanese inns only at the ports of Nafa and Naze. There is not even any accommodation for strangers at the capital, llone of
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:30:05 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
I stated at thc beninning of this paper that the Goverllor and the es-ChiefInspeetorof Police in Luellu mere alllont, thtse svho laboured nwost kindlJT for my enlightenluent. Questions of praetieal administra- tion naturally eropped up from tinze to time in eon+ersation? and it was interesting to find eonfirllled by their long experienee and b- the nanimous testimony of e-very Japanese offieial I talked with, and every
Japanese book on Luehu that I read, Captain Basil Hall's assertion as to the traetableness of the natives and their *eedoo from erimes of violenee-more especially as CrnmoSore Perry llad put this praise to^,ether nvitll much else down to tlle .seore of " romanciny " on the part of tlle early English explorers. Petty lareeny, every one agreed, was the onlv decidel Luehuan failin(r? and, for the rest, the land had been ruled in old days "bJT the lwlere wavint, of a fan." Even now there is but olle gElUl ill the whole arehipelato. One day the good-natured old Governor said to me, " We will take to-day at random, and see holv many people thele are in ,aol, a.nd what they are in gaol for." The result of the inquiry aras as follows :-
PrWISOD;ERS 1N NAF.\ G /-)IJ MAl.CH 12, 1SS2.
Breakint prison nnd calloealnlent of crilllin ils ... ... 3 - i S
Anoidance of ,nunisllrnetlt ................. ... ... ... ... 1 1
The cause of the solitary mulderess's clime xvas jealousy. Two +omen had quarrelled about a man---the reverbe, perhaps, of what trenerally llappens in Europe.
Thecause and this is lllore important of Luclluan lawt-abi(lingness may be sou^,ht partly in mild ,overnlIlent for many centuries; partly ill tlle custom of wearing no weapons, such as those ssvords which the Japanese, till quite recent tears, could not resist the temptation c>E *lrawingat the slighte3tpron0cation; partlyand chieSyinanaturally good-telllperel, quiet, even timid disposition. 1 llis speaks scarcely less clearly than does the nature of the Luchuan langllage to the probable abeence of any admis:ture of MalazT blood in tlle lace. Alopos of the gtols, it luay tAe lllentionel that tl-le Japalaese autllorifies cause the
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:30:05 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
queues of elilllinals to be eut of and their faces shave3, Japane*;e {'dShiOn, in hole3 of bringing about the abandonlllent of tlle national Luehuan eoiffure for men. Tlle eSeet, llowee er, has teen just the3 zeverse, as no one likes to be mistalien fol a gaol-loird. In tllis instanee there was eertainly an excess of zeal.
The plineipal industly of Luchu is suz,ar-planting. In fact, the oslands may be £aid to live by their sugar, as do tlle three steamer eom- panies X-ho export it to Japan. Gre(tt Luchu far exeeeds all the other slands in its produee of sugar. In 1891,)40,000 easks, eaeh eontaining
130 "catties," e wele exported; in 1899, 200,000. In 1893, only 70 of the previous tear's erop was expected. But as priees fllletuate greatly
fiom 2T9,, eents Ol 3 eents pel eatty in 1892, to a-l-2o or O-13y eents per catts at the beginnintr of 1893 a redueed erop need not alwa) s entail deele.lsed profits. The proeess of manufactule is as priluitive as ean +^rell be imat,ined. A lont pole, often a mere roughly-trimmed tree- trunk, fastened to the top of arl iroll or ^rooden roller whicll turns two other lollers by lllean3 of eot,s, is pulled round and round l)y a horse Ol bulloeli, ulp;ed to this wolk by one or two men with stieks, while txvo other luen feed the mill with sugar-eane. The juice thus expressed is boiled on the spot, alad then pouled into tubs to solidif. 'the Luchuan sugal is of a xely dark colour and coarse quality. ZIost of it goes to Osaka, in Japan. The manufacture of sugar in Luchu dates froln tlle seventeenth century, having; therl been learnt from the Chinese.
Besides sugar and a very strong spilit called ctloamori alreadt nentioned, as re.embling tlle Chinese sam-s7lu Luclzu also produces
voven fabrics of several kinds, whicll are lliOhly prized in Japa1s, lllostly for sllmmer xveal. Each islalld llas its speciality-tlle tsumugi from IVume-jima, a silk fabric llaving light spots or stripes on a very dark ground (an inferior kind is macle in C)sllima); tlle cotton kasuri - blue from Great Luchu, brown from Yaetama; fhe llempen 7losojofu, in a blue and a white rarietA, fIom Miyakojinla; the bas1lofu from iOshillla, made of banana fibre. It is not likely that any of these vsrould suit tlle European taste, nor do the primitive lllethods emplot ed permit of any bllt small quantities of these various stuSs beinO produced. ;trerage prices are-
1 ters (abotlt 2S feet) R9tl7;8/t-tSIt7n?lf b ... ... ... ... $3-25
In Tokio one llas to pay about clouble; and choice pieces, even in Luchu itself, lange llluch higller, especialltr tEle 7-Lcsc}jcofu, this fine Zlenlpen falvric lDeislb a special favoutite. So esquitite +\-tts tlle care
* Tlle Japallese catt\ is approsimately cflui^alelst to 1?. lb. as-oirlltlpois.
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:30:05 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
46-) 46-) TIIE BIOuRAPHY OF SIR B&RTLE FRERE.-REX Ih\\r. TIIE BIOuRAPHY OF SIR B&RTLE FRERE.-REX Ih\\r.
bqstoeved ill former days on the manufacture of 7losojofu, that a sin(rle liece of 98 feet long sometimes occupied tllree years in tlle weavingt as tlle best wolk could only be done in dry oreatller. Sucll pieces would be sant as tribute to the Government of Great Lucllu. It shotlld be added tllat lllucla of tlle cotton used in the IJUChUan 111anUfaCtUre of ;6tSU?^i iS imported fi om Japan .
The scarlet lacquel of Lucllu is celebrated in tlle lleiR,hbouring colllltries, and may be reco(rnized bJ, the ricll brilliarlee of its colour, also often by its raised decoration in otller and duller hues, tlle subjects beillg mostly flowers, especial]p the chrJrsantllemlln. Hogs' blo()d ellters as one ingredieIlt into the basis of tlle less good sort. Purple is a colour very frequently elllployed for tlle decolation. Formelly scenery alld firures rvere also illtroduced, and large llandsollle pieces thus adolned could be obtained; but tllis is now ralely tlle case. Indeed, the +srllole art llas deteriolated owing to tllat dollble curse of our times - estiibitions, alld the demand for quantity and cheaplless. The best sllop in Nafa, +rllen I visitecl it, xvas filled with abortions in the shape of llideous large red lacquel breakfast cups, saucers, and even spoonsN all of Europeall shapes, perpetlated for expolt to Anaerica in connection +vitll tlae Cllicat,o Exhibition. How llumi]iatinr (is it not?) to see that in art, as in manners and in morals, the AVest canllot touch the East
it]lollt corrupting and depravin(r it ! Howex er, tllat iKs not our present >;abject. Take tllem all in all, the prodlletions of Luchu, whether
atural or lllanufactured, are not very illlportant. Some of tlle articles oSt needful to civilized life slle llas to import xvood, for instance,
lllllell of xYhicll fol boat-building pllrposes colnes from Japan, as alreadAr illcidenta]]5- mentiollecl.
(To be contix2ued.)
THE BIOGRAPHY OF SIR BARTLE FRERE. REVIEW.
By Sir FREDERIC J. GOLDSMID, K.C.S.I.. C.B.
A ttANIFESTI,Y superior intelligence and sin^,ularly attlactive manner +rould llave lllade Sir Bartle Frere a welcome conlpanion in the choicest of social circles, llad lle never been called upon to take part in affairs of state as a ruler or adsiser of llis felloor-men. AYhen he became a
ecot,nized statesnlan, entrusted witll the dischart,e of high official duties, his illtellectllal and social powers coukl not fail to strengthen ancl illlpart lustle to his position; xvhile at no tillle of llis career could it l)e alleged that leadership in any way atfected the Christian charity and consideration inherent in his nature. Such a lllan is emineIltly a
.
;3 ' Tlle Lifc and C*(rresl)ondellec of Sir Ba1tle Frere, Bart., ..c.U., F.R,S., etc.' Br Jolln AIartilleau (Joll1l tItlrray: l89o).
bqstoeved ill former days on the manufacture of 7losojofu, that a sin(rle liece of 98 feet long sometimes occupied tllree years in tlle weavingt as tlle best wolk could only be done in dry oreatller. Sucll pieces would be sant as tribute to the Government of Great Lucllu. It shotlld be added tllat lllucla of tlle cotton used in the IJUChUan 111anUfaCtUre of ;6tSU?^i iS imported fi om Japan .
The scarlet lacquel of Lucllu is celebrated in tlle lleiR,hbouring colllltries, and may be reco(rnized bJ, the ricll brilliarlee of its colour, also often by its raised decoration in otller and duller hues, tlle subjects beillg mostly flowers, especial]p the chrJrsantllemlln. Hogs' blo()d ellters as one ingredieIlt into the basis of tlle less good sort. Purple is a colour very frequently elllployed for tlle decolation. Formelly scenery alld firures rvere also illtroduced, and large llandsollle pieces thus adolned could be obtained; but tllis is now ralely tlle case. Indeed, the +srllole art llas deteriolated owing to tllat dollble curse of our times - estiibitions, alld the demand for quantity and cheaplless. The best sllop in Nafa, +rllen I visitecl it, xvas filled with abortions in the shape of llideous large red lacquel breakfast cups, saucers, and even spoonsN all of Europeall shapes, perpetlated for expolt to Anaerica in connection +vitll tlae Cllicat,o Exhibition. How llumi]iatinr (is it not?) to see that in art, as in manners and in morals, the AVest canllot touch the East
it]lollt corrupting and depravin(r it ! Howex er, tllat iKs not our present >;abject. Take tllem all in all, the prodlletions of Luchu, whether
atural or lllanufactured, are not very illlportant. Some of tlle articles oSt needful to civilized life slle llas to import xvood, for instance,
lllllell of xYhicll fol boat-building pllrposes colnes from Japan, as alreadAr illcidenta]]5- mentiollecl.
(To be contix2ued.)
THE BIOGRAPHY OF SIR BARTLE FRERE. REVIEW.
By Sir FREDERIC J. GOLDSMID, K.C.S.I.. C.B.
A ttANIFESTI,Y superior intelligence and sin^,ularly attlactive manner +rould llave lllade Sir Bartle Frere a welcome conlpanion in the choicest of social circles, llad lle never been called upon to take part in affairs of state as a ruler or adsiser of llis felloor-men. AYhen he became a
ecot,nized statesnlan, entrusted witll the dischart,e of high official duties, his illtellectllal and social powers coukl not fail to strengthen ancl illlpart lustle to his position; xvhile at no tillle of llis career could it l)e alleged that leadership in any way atfected the Christian charity and consideration inherent in his nature. Such a lllan is emineIltly a
.
;3 ' Tlle Lifc and C*(rresl)ondellec of Sir Ba1tle Frere, Bart., ..c.U., F.R,S., etc.' Br Jolln AIartilleau (Joll1l tItlrray: l89o).
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:30:05 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
534 534 THE LUCHU ISLANDS AND THEIR lNHABITANTS. THE LUCHU ISLANDS AND THEIR lNHABITANTS.
worked out from barometrical readings taken in conjunction with station barometers at Northwest river and on the island of Anticosti. The elevations already determined are marked in blue on the accompanying map.
A more detailed report on the country and its resources is being pre- pared for the Geological Survey of Canada, along with a map of the Labrador Peninsula, on a scale of 25 miles to an inch, which will allow the geographical features to be shown with greater completeness than is possible on the maE) to accompany this paErer.
.
THE LUCHU ISLANDS AND THEIR INHABITANTS.a- By BASIL HALL CHAMBERLAIN, Emeritus Professor of Japanese and
Philology i:n the Imperial University of Japan.
The Luchuan theatre is among the things which apparently no previous traveller had seen, and yet it has an interest of its own for the student of Far-Eastern culture, showing as it does something similar to what the Japanese stage vras at an earlier period of its development. In fact, the present Ltlchuan dralnatic performances stand in the position of a rustic first cousin to those medieval Japanese lyrical dramas, called N no Utat and No Kyogerz, which I described and translated specimens of some thirteen years ago, in a little work entitled ' The Classical Poetry of the Japanese.' The inner form of the "house" is sometimes the same-a square stage with seats for the audience round three sides of it while to the left, at the back, a sort of gallery or bridge leads to the green-room. The chief difference is that the front of the stage has an upper storey with a windovv. Whereas the Japanese No theatre is patronized chiefly by the aristocracy, who alone can understand the obsolete poetic dialect in which the pieces are written, its Luchuan poor relation attracts the lower classes. The spectators squat on rather dirty matting, which is stretched anyhow on the uneven woodell boards, the back part being raised a little to enable those behind to see. People eat and smoke and come and go, and children play and cry, unmindful of the actors. Tickets for the whole day cost ollly three or four cents at the lower-class theatres, except in certain reserved places. The first time I went I could not gatller any very definite impression from the mixture of much singing and dancing and little dialogue, except that the play was taken fronl the ancient native history, for the title was stuck up on a placard on the stage. But later on, a better oocasion offered-a party to a theatre of higher standing, joined in by one of the young Luchuan princes and by the leaders of Nafa society, both native and Japanese. The thoug;htful kindness of ollr host had supplied us
* Paper read at the Royal Gcographical Society, January 7,1895. Map, p. 40Ss Coneluded from the May ntlmber.
worked out from barometrical readings taken in conjunction with station barometers at Northwest river and on the island of Anticosti. The elevations already determined are marked in blue on the accompanying map.
A more detailed report on the country and its resources is being pre- pared for the Geological Survey of Canada, along with a map of the Labrador Peninsula, on a scale of 25 miles to an inch, which will allow the geographical features to be shown with greater completeness than is possible on the maE) to accompany this paErer.
.
THE LUCHU ISLANDS AND THEIR INHABITANTS.a- By BASIL HALL CHAMBERLAIN, Emeritus Professor of Japanese and
Philology i:n the Imperial University of Japan.
The Luchuan theatre is among the things which apparently no previous traveller had seen, and yet it has an interest of its own for the student of Far-Eastern culture, showing as it does something similar to what the Japanese stage vras at an earlier period of its development. In fact, the present Ltlchuan dralnatic performances stand in the position of a rustic first cousin to those medieval Japanese lyrical dramas, called N no Utat and No Kyogerz, which I described and translated specimens of some thirteen years ago, in a little work entitled ' The Classical Poetry of the Japanese.' The inner form of the "house" is sometimes the same-a square stage with seats for the audience round three sides of it while to the left, at the back, a sort of gallery or bridge leads to the green-room. The chief difference is that the front of the stage has an upper storey with a windovv. Whereas the Japanese No theatre is patronized chiefly by the aristocracy, who alone can understand the obsolete poetic dialect in which the pieces are written, its Luchuan poor relation attracts the lower classes. The spectators squat on rather dirty matting, which is stretched anyhow on the uneven woodell boards, the back part being raised a little to enable those behind to see. People eat and smoke and come and go, and children play and cry, unmindful of the actors. Tickets for the whole day cost ollly three or four cents at the lower-class theatres, except in certain reserved places. The first time I went I could not gatller any very definite impression from the mixture of much singing and dancing and little dialogue, except that the play was taken fronl the ancient native history, for the title was stuck up on a placard on the stage. But later on, a better oocasion offered-a party to a theatre of higher standing, joined in by one of the young Luchuan princes and by the leaders of Nafa society, both native and Japanese. The thoug;htful kindness of ollr host had supplied us
* Paper read at the Royal Gcographical Society, January 7,1895. Map, p. 40Ss Coneluded from the May ntlmber.
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:31:11 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
foreigners (that is, the Japallese and me) with a Japanese version of the libretto, so that we could easily follow what went on. There were twenty pieces in all during the day. As before said, they reminded me of thfo Japanese lyric dralnas and their comic interludes. In all the plot was simple, founded in the former class on some pretty little legend, and partaking in the latter of the nature of burlesque and practical joke. Some of the stories were familiar Japanese friends; for instance, that of ' The Elves and the Envious Neighbour,' so charmingly translated by Mitford in his 'Tales of Old Japan.' Others were original. Palt of each play was sung by an invisible chorus, and in- variably there was dancing. Sometimes the dancing was itself the piece de resistance, and was very rhythmical and pretty, much of it posturing, none of it so rapid and violent as the ballet-dancing of Europe. As a rule, the dancers numbered four, or some rnultiple of four. The musical instruments used were the banjo, the flute, and the drum. These were really played, not deafeningly banged, as is the case on the Chinese stage; and the music seemed a deglee nearer to that of Europe than either Chinese or Japanese music is. It was, however, monotonous enough, certain short phrases being repeated to satiet. Wllat I have here called a " banjo ? iS known in Luchu as the jansising, and is covered with the skin of a large snake. From this Luchuan jansising the better- known Japanese shamisetz was derived in the seventeenth century; but it is not impossible that the Luchuan instrument itself may be com- paratively modern, and have been influenced vid Fu(;hau by a Spanish or Portuguese oritinal. The music played on the jamisen and shamisen is decidedly less Oriental in character than that performed on other Lllchuan and Japanese instruments.
With the Luchuans of the higher class, the composition of Chinese and Japanese verses is a favourite pastime, and as Japanese versifiers some of them attain to high excellence. Poetry in the native tongue is mostly left to the rustics, each Luchuan village chelishing certain stanzas that have been handed down in praise of the limpid stream, the monu- mental tree, the pure air, tr whatever other special perfection may, in the patliotic conviction of the inhabitants, justify the claims of their par- ticular home to be the fairest spot on earth. Besides these local patriotic poenls, there are also, of course, love-songs in the vernacular for what language could long exist without such ? The favourite Luchuan stanza consists of four lines, whereof tlle first three have eight syllables, and the fourth has sis syllables, an alrangement differing fiom any adopted by the poets of China or Japan.
Picnics form anotller favourite amusement of the upper and middle classes, as noticed long ago both by Basil Hall and by Perry. Horse- races of a primitive type are also in voOue. Besides these, tllere would seem to be those games of chequers, chess, and others, wllich are common to the whole Far-Eastern region, and, indeed, to the civilized world at
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:31:11 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
large; but such speeially European games as billiards and cards, though now firmly domiciled in Japan (indeed, the Japanese soon learn to play billiards better than Englishtnen do), have not yet innraded the little southern archipolago. Of children's sports, the ouly one I took much hotice of was kite-flying.
Enery spare moment of my stay at Nafa was devoted to an earnest study of tlle language, and this it was which kept me so much tied to that city; for one of the two interpreters whola the Governor's kindness lent me for part of each day proved a most intelligent guide in this matter, and as such was not lightly to be parteR from by one the chief object of whose visit was philological inquiry. The language had never been graralnatically studied before. The only so-called helps were a very stilted Japanese-Luclluan conversation book published for use in the Government schools, and a short vocabulary by Lieut. Clifford appended to Captain Basil Hall's work; * the latter a fearful and wonder- ful production mere "pidjin," in fact, and of no practical assistance. This is not the place to enter into details. Such will be published later on in a more appropriate place. Suffice it here to state that the Luchuan language proves to be related to Japanese in about the same degree as Italian is related to French. Thouah mutually quite unintelligible, and though there arse considerable divergences both in the phonetic system and in the details of the grammar, the structure of the sentx3nce is practically identical, as is the case with French and Italiall, and a study of each languaffle throws vivid light on the other. The verb, which is tlze most important part of speech in all languages of the Mongol type, retains archaic characteristics in Luchuan which had already disappeared from the earliest Japanese known to us that of the eighth centuly after Christ. An unfoltunate result of the political overshadowing of Luchu by its two great neighbours, China and Japall, has been the habit of using the Chinese and Japanese languages for literary pulposes, almost to the exclusion of the native tongue, wilich neither the Chinese ideographs nor the Japanese syllabazy are well fitted to express. The Luchllans halre no perfect written system of their own. There existed, however, till recently, and perhaps still linger in the Further Isles, two rough methods of recording thought for certain practical purposes, of which no notice has hitllerto reached Europe. One of these is the ideographic writing of the islands of Yonakuni. The following signs for common objects of b-arter are in use: t
* Dr. McLeod's volume on Luchu gives the same ill an abridged form. t The small characters between the picture-writing and the English translation
are a translation into Japanese.
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:31:11 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
The interest of these sylnbols to the student would be greatly enhanced if he felt himself justirled in deeming thel:n the result of really original thought. 'l'hat the inhabitants of so remote an islet should, without assistance from the great world, have solved for thenlselves the problem of reptesenting ideas to the eye, would be astonishing indeedv But we cannot with safety jump at such a conclusion. It is more natural to suppose that the islanders, though unable to read Chinese, had heard of the existence of the Chinese ideographs, and had even perhaps seen specimens of them, and that, the idea being thus suggested, they began to work it out practically for themselves. This is lelldered probable both by what has happened in other parts of the world, wllere a vaguet knowledge of the European alphabet has produced native scripts some- what resembling it, and by the form of one or two of the Yonakuni ideo- graphs tllemselves, especially that for person 7, which recalls the Chinese JV. Numbers were indicated in an original manner. For instance, whereas a rough circle meant " one egg " or 4' eggs " in gelleral, as figured abolre, " ten eggs " was written (), and " twenty eggs " 5.
The other kind of writing peculiar to Luchu, and known as Sho-chu- ;!1lllllllllllllllllAll ma, had a wider importance. It.
2@1 lllsAillllill,llljlll was current in the rulal distlicts. IO,OOO 11e1S' l 1!l ll ly| 1ln i l 1 N of Great Luchll and in the Furthel
H e Hi X r Isles, especially Miyako - jima
Thousand sililltililX 1 8,ooo g1l 24< ;1§ 1 among those incapable of writing 11ll 1 \175; ilil l i lil2; 11 1 the Chinese character. Ther ' w i [jt figures composing it used to be
ilill\ Yill, ; Li l 700 1s! l 1> {1\tPll illscribed with charcoal or any Hundred: < 0 ! 1'6 +nt1l 1 t1 1 19 111; li other available material on sticks
!iltill \ tti tt iIl!f:l
Il9;;:lFRS?GII\! whlch served as local financlal
Ten iJ t 80 ;it !i:;] and assessment of taxes and z ther (liilllllilllill'elll : L ; * kindred matters. Thus most of 1 i L^l l them represented numbers. I
One Wjil,lfl 6K7Uan + ;19. li reserve for the Jourrlal oJ he kl iT ' Anthropologzeal Instttute a detailed
Hundred 1) \M| l !tAkl 7°° ilj: 1qlF "11 ! d]scusslon of slx speclmens of I I! I!;,IlIK;IIIII IIIITNIIIIIIIIII 1LIL I Sho-cht6-ma preserved in the An-
Fifty ! 5 v 50 Affion tJi 11 91 llul | thropological Instituie of the Mon = j !+ | Science College ot the Imperial
rjtinill!t al f 1t1ti111 V!lflil l I: Unierersity of Japan, but am en- \il;l ivl li.lllllli lillll;lilllil 1l abled lueanwhile, through theF 1!: l 1 lilt eKjl 1l(ll n kindnessofthecurator,Plofessor \ 1; 1l lX l1 II 1 !1 1lll Illl pllll 1 }1t Tsuboi Shogoro, to submit to the ii11Ef 1 Iltilljil!ilbil; V Pcoyal Geographical Soeietya fac-
\ .1 llllS;llls simile of one of theIll. The larger figures to the right are alone original, the sIllaller ones to the left. being a Japanese (Chinese) interpretation added afterwards.
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:31:11 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
The system possesses, as will be observed, different forms for the numerals, according to the article counted. Thus " a hundred," as app]ied to the smaller money value calleeR non, is represented by a dot; but when a hundred of the larger denomination kwan has to be written, we find the dot surrounded by a circle. The most noticeable features however, is the mutilation of +, "ten" (the current Ghinese and Japanese ideograph for that number), to denote 4'five," which latter appears sometimes as X (i.e. half ten), sometimes as Y or P (i.e. ten with one limb missing). The numbers between " five " and " ten " are formed by the addition of dots or lines to " five." The ideograph for "eight thousand kwan" esemplifies both these characteristics of the- system, it being a compound of the ideograph for " myriad >? cut in two, and of that for " thousand " increased by the change of one transvelse line to three, that is, 8000 is represented by half ten thousand (i.e. a000) + 3000. Similarly 700 is half a thousand (i.e. aOG) + 200* lVIost of the specimens of Sho-ch?i-ma are larger than the one herewith pre- sented, and are more fully inscribed. Some of the larger sticks havew their four sides apportioned as follows: -one for the money account, one for the rice account, one for the firewood account, and the fourth for the natne of the villat,e, which ltltter is inscribed in Chinese characters. In these the name of each housellold liable to contribute is indicated by a penuliar mark of llis own.
To end this part of the subject, it should be stated that the Luchuans are also credited with having used kllotted cords (quipos) for keeping accounts in very ancient days. It is, of course, well known that their
eighbours the Chinese did so.
While Great Luchu has been brought into close relations with Japan for nearly three centuries past, the Further Isles hase remained much more isolated. The first titne any of the natives reached Tokio was in December, 1893, when sozne of them came to present a petition to the Diet on sozne matter ¢onnected with tasation. AIr. Kada Te;-i¢hi's and Mr. Tashiro Yasusada's printed accounts of these islands show thc manners of their inhabitants to be sufficiently similar to those of Great Luchu to warrant applying the same description to both, unle;s one were to go into sery minute details-same food, same houses, same religion, £axne territorial divisions. A like reinark applies to Oshima on the north, mJhere the tattooillg and peculiar coifure of the w-oznen is as Luchuan in character as is the vegetation that stamps its cachet on the physical aspect of things. Note, however, the following pectl- liarities communicated to me by officials of long experience in the Further Isles. Owing to the lu2zuriant forests on sozne of these islands, the people there burn nvood to cook their food with. Aniinal food, too, is more abundant, especially chickens. hIuch tobacco is gronvn there, Yaeyama alone having earported 40,000 lbs. in 1893. The woznen wea}^
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:31:11 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
a dress called kakam, somewhat resembling the hakama, ol divided skirt of the Jal?anese, secured at the waist by a string which runs round it as in pyjama trousers. Above this they wear a sleeveless tunic. The females of the lower class ale intrepid riders, sitting sideways on the saddle after the Fjuropean fashion, a whip in one hand, and their rnarketings slung over the back in a basket. When a w oman is plegnant, she occasionally eats doC's flesh. Iminediately after delivery a fire is lighted in the room, however hot Inay be the weather, and both nother and infant ale placed as close as possible to it for the space of a
week. Also the friends and relations assemble, and luake loud music all night and every night with drums and other instrurnents, so that the poor creatures cannot get a wink of sleep till dayliCht coznes. It would seem that this barbarous custom was also forluerly observed in Great Luchu, though it has now there fallen into de3uetude. According to a Inost circumstantial account which I received from the Japanese Mayor of Shuri, infants on Yonakuni are carried on the mother's back in a sort of sling called tstkumyic,, which is hung round the mother's
eck as in the accompanying figure. My somewhat long-winded infor- mant wa2ed quite eloquent over the advantages of this arrangement, which, according to him, deserved to be known and imitated not only in Japan, where women inappropriately carry their babies on their back andthus cannot suckle them, but all c)ver theworld. Strange to say, another friend, Mr. Tatnura Kumaji, who has lived on the Further Isles for seven rears, declares that no sueh custom has any existence ! This is, however, the only Luchuan itelll as to which I have found authorities differ. The above few particulars concerning the Further Isles must nsuffice fol the present. I only note them in case of my being prevented from carrying out a therished plan of again visiting Luchu, and making a lengthened stay in each of the principal islands.
I found social life at Nafa and Shuri very pleasant. The upper classes there have not much to do; they read little, and mOlte about little, dso that they have plenty of time for entertaining each other. It so hap- pened, also, that the Governor and the Chief Inspector of P.)lice, who are the two principal officials of the archipelago, were leaving, and I shared -in some of the entertainments that were given in. their honour. I was sitting alone at Iny inn on the evening of March 11, when a message caxne from Prince Shojun (or Matsuyama, as the Japanese commonly style him), thild son of the ex-king, to say that he wished to see me. I went, accompanied by the Inspector of Police, to the place indicated a tea-house in Nafa and found the prince attended by two of his nobles naxned Ie and Tama-Gusiku. There was no formality about the con- versation, which was carried on in Japanese, of which language the prince, who was paltly educated at Tokio, is a perfect mastel. One of his attendants, too, spoke Japanese fluentlr; the other could only say afew
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:31:11 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
words. A good deal of the talk had reference to the visit of my grand- father, Captain Basil Hall, in 1816, of which a local record is still pre- serlted. A day or two later I paid visits at the houses of my host and his attendants. The exterior of such Luchuan mansions is not striking, and the gate remains always inhospitably shut. Once within, however, the ViSitOl' finds himself in an atmosphere of courtesy nowise inferior to that of Japan. The disposition, too, of the apartments, with their mats and ornamental hanting scrolls, recalls Japan, and every one sits on the floor, more japontco. But a curious Eeculiarity is the presence in the court just outside the reception-roorns, which are of course open to the outer air in this delicious climate, of cages containing fighting cocks that keep up an unpleasant crowing. The charming female servants of Japan are absent their place being taken by men, who, with deep obeisancesn bring in tea and somewhat dubious cakes. Nowhere was a wornan to be seen, though many were the heads of men and boys peering round colners and over screens as we passed in and out. After this there were many cornings and goings, days spent together at the theatre, and so on. Our grandest field-day was one Sllnday, when, after military games by the soldiers of the Japanese tarrison svho are quartered in the castle of Shuri, we-that is, tlle Prefect, the Chief Inspector of Police, the military Commandant, another officer, and I -were bidden to a grand feast in Japanese style by Prince Shoten (also called Naka-Gusiku from the narne of his estate), the ex-king's eldest son, whom we found attended by his brother Shojun and two or three of the principal nobles. Unfor- tunately our delicate, amiable-lookint, host, whom I took to be about thilty years of aga, could speak no language but his own. So, as our Luchuan was neithel copious nor fluent-indeed, the ouly word some of the party knew was chur-ka,, which means " a pretty girl," and is generally among the first expressions new-comers to Luchu learn-all we could do was to smile and pledge each other in innumelable cups of sake (a Japaneee liquor made from rice, and tastillg rather like weak sherry). The younger prince, however, and some of the others were ready to chat away in the most unconventional manner; and the party went off right merrily, an tsthetic diversion in the middle of the proceed- ings being caused by the entrance of an artist, who drew in sepia what- ever subject was proposed to him by the guests. There was also some composing of verses and writing of scrolls by the assembled company.
The perfactly Japanese character of this whole entertainnlent-food, collversations manners, everything--might have led one to suppose that our Luchuan hosts knew of no other way of living. The only ull- Japanese faature was that aach of us was invitad to partake of a thimbleful of a serfr strong Luchuan liquor out of a tiny cup of pure gold. Quite another vista, however, was opened out a few days later, when a charming old nobleman, narned Yonabara, bade ns to a feast in the Chinese style. No more squatting on the mats this time, but
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:31:11 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
stiff-backed chairs a la chtnoise. No mole of the familiar 3apanese fisl and rice and seaweed soup, but richer and more complicated Celestia] dishes served in twelve courses with an elaborate menu in Chinese. This bast was intende,d to be an exatt counterpart of that whieh it was the custom to offer to the Chinese alnbassadors who used to come, and present the congratulaticns of the court of Peking on the accession of each new Luchuan sovereign. Some of the robes then worn were brotlght ollt golgeous red and green silks. But as it was only play this time and not reality, our hosts did not don these lobes themselves. Some e2atremely bewitching singing-girls were present to help on the feast with native music, and these the son of tile house playfully dressed up in the gorgeous Chinese robes, producing a charming eSect.
Two or thre3e days after this dinner in Ghinese ambassadorial style, the day of parting came, when the Prefect, the Chief Inspector of Police, several oflicers of the garrison, and myself elubarked on board the steamer Mutsu Maru, that was to carry us home to Japan. Our late host presented us each with an ode in faultless classical Japanese. The lines addressed to myself ran as follows:-
Onozukaq a Kami ya qnamoq an
Watatsumi no Nami-ji mo kaze no Kim i no nxani- nzan i.
Which, being interpreted, means- Surely must The Gods protect thee, Inclining to thy behest Both the breezes and the Bave-path Across the ocean.
The deck was crowded with friends corne to say farewell; and as we rounded Naulmin l'oint, this castle-like coral rock was seen to be alive with people waving adieux to us with their green parasols, after the peculiar Luchuan fashion. The last impression I received of Great Luchu was frore its white, glistening grave-vaults on the green hill- sides. Then night fell, and in the brilliant snoonlight island after island rose up in clear-cut olltline as nze sped rapidly nolthward ove a sea of glass.
APPENDIX. OX THE NAME LUCHU.
l'he etymology of the word L?lchu is obscure, and so far as orthography is con- cerned, both native * and Euro)ean spelling exhibits a remarkable variety of usage.
* The Chinese are responsible for the native spellings, their system of writing being authoritative in Luchu as in Japan.
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:31:11 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
3iach of the combinations £ GL, JS A, R St, R iG, 3 Mt i iR which give the same Chinese sound Ltu-K'tu, or Ltu Ch'tu, and even tX g which sounds rather differently, has the authority of ancient and respectable authors. l'he eawrliest of these various forms, iR ll, which occurs in the Chinese annals of the seventh century, lneans literally " a floating hornless draCon," and is explained by reference to the likeness in shape of Luchu to a young dragon floating on the surface of the waves. The Chinese were quite capable of bestowing such a name on the archipelago or one of the islands composinffl it; and the identi- fication of Luchu by the Japanese with the Rya6-gu " , that is, "Drat,on Palace," or palace of the sea-god of their mythology, which is supposed to lie somewhere below the waves, points to a cognate idea. I incline to think, however, that all the combinations of characters employed to write the sound Ltu-rtu, or Ltu-c7b'tu, are but attempts to represent phonetically syllables whose original signification had been forCotten before the introduction of the art of writin. The name may possibly be a survival from days when a race different from that now dominant there tenanted the archipelago. One thing alone is clear, namely, that the word L?ches is not Luchuan. Neither is it Japanese; for the use of the letter Z (with its equivalents zr and d) at the beginning of a word i8 contrary to the phonetic rules of both these kindred tongues. rl'he characters now generally adopted are C,& ig, which the Luchuans pronounce LDuchu, while the Japanese call them Ryuky . The staIldard English spellings, Luchu, Lewchew, or Loochoo come to us from the prollunciation current in North China Liu-ch'itb, accordinC to Sir Thomas NVade's system of transcription while the French Liou-@iou represents the pronunciation of South China (Lit6-k'iu). Early Spanish and other voyagers wrote the word in an astounding variety of ways Leqt6eos, LeguWo, Liquejo, Loqueo, Liu-BSiu, Lieou-ECieou, to which later compilers have added Lieuchieuz;, Lieakieu, Lewkew, L7ltschz6, Liow-tcheow, Lwe-kioe, etc., until the student feels perfectly bewildered. All these spellinvs, however, widely as they may differ to the eye, can be traced to the fairly uniform pronunciation of Chinese inter- preters. Here in Japan, durinC recent years, some Europeans of strong pro-Japanese leanings have adopted the Japanese pronunciation, and spell Ryukyu or Ri?4ktu. They have not even shrunk from the perpetration of such EnClish and Latin (?) adjectives as Ri?4ktuan and Ryukyvanus! For my own part, I fail to see the advantage of mising; up politics in such matters, and I adhere to the spellings lioochoo or Luchu, not as beinC the best imaainable if we now had to write of the place for the first time, but because they are those which hase been most generally employed by English writels and cartographers for nearly a century past. l'he Royal GeoCraphical Society prefers Luchu, the British Admiralty charts varr between Lachu and Lz?4 Eiu, the Japanese Admiralty chart No. 34, probably out of sdeference to English usaCe, has Liu lTiu.
Curiously enough, the Luchuans themselves make but scant use of the name b) which their country is known to the world at large. They have, as already ex- plained, separate designations for each island, the chief island beinC almost irlvari- ably spoken of as Uchina, a name of which the Japanese Okinawa, used officiall to denote the whole archipelago exclusive of the northern sub-groups, preserves a more archaic form. The characters employed to write it are i , the meaninffl of which is "sea-rope," given so tradition asserts -- on account of the likeness in shape o£ this islalld to a bit of rope floatinC on the waves; but whether this popular etymoloCy has any serious claims to attention may be doubted. Another ancient Japanese, and perhaps also native, name for the archipelaCo is Uruma, which seems to be preserved in Baderuma (that is, " Estreme Uruma "), the southernmost and
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:31:11 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
544 THE LUCHU ISLANDS AND THEIR INHABITANTS-DISCUSSION. 544 THE LUCHU ISLANDS AND THEIR INHABITANTS-DISCUSSION.
nearly the furthest of the group. Of this name Uruma, no etymology is forth- coming.
In spelling the other Luchuan place-names that occur in this paper, I have con- sistently followed the Japanese pronunciation, chiefly because that is now the dominant one likely to survive in charts and in postal and telegraphic usaCe, partly also because the Shuri (Great Luchuan) pronunciation is widely departed froul in the Further Isles, and one u-ould, therefore, be involved in a maze of difficulties if one endeavoured to give the local pronullciation in each case. The Japanese pro- nunciation, on the other hand, is uniform and easily ascertained, and the ortho- graphy, now a]most universally employed by resident Europeans for transliterating it, agrees almost exactly sith the system recommended oy the Royal Geographical Society. The sole difference is in the use of a line over certain vowels (e.g. o, tb), to mark, not tontc accent, but long quantity, the distinction between long and short quantity being absolutely essential both in the Japanese and the Luchuan languages.
Before the reading of the paper, the PRESIDENT said: The paper we are assembled to hear this eveninC, on the Luchu Islands, is by one well able to give us valuable and good geotraphical infornlation. Mr. Basil Hall Chamberlain is a most eminent linguist and philolofflist, especially as regards the languages of the far East; he is also a sound geographer. I regret we shall not be able to welcome him here this eveninffl, but l am glad to say Major Darwin has kindly undertaken to read the paper for Mr. Chamberlain.
After the reading of the paper, the following discussion took place:- Mr. SEEBOHM: MY only claim to speak UpOll the Luchu islands is that durincr
the last ten years I have been in correspondence with collectors of birds in Japan, and I have received several collections from these islands, and have nvritten several papers upon the birds of this group of islands. There are one or two very interest- ing facts connected nvith them. The main islands which have been visited have been the northern and the central groups; the southern group is practically unknown ornitholoCically, and I must say that the visits have beell very cursory, and I don't think we know anything like the full numbers of birds which are to be found there. Up to the present time there are no fewer than twelve species of birds which have already been discovered, and which are peculiar to the Luchu Islands. One of these, perhaps the most interestinffl, is a very handsome woodpecker, and this has been considered so extremely distinct from every other species that our great authority UpOll the woodpeckers has created a genus for its reception. Now, the geographical interest of these facts lies in this, that although the islandt have beerl described this evening as having been partly of coral formation and partly volcanic, it is quite evident, from the bird-life upon them, that they must be extremely old. On the British Islailds we have ouly one species of bird which is peculiar to them, and this is so extrenlely closely allied to a species in the north of Europe that it is very little evidence in favour of the separation for any long time of the British Islands fros the Continent. Now, the existence of a bird generically distinct on the Luchu Islands shows that they have been for a very long time separated from the nlainland. I am sure that we have listened with very great interest to the most valuable and important paper which has been read to us this eveninC, and we must all express our great thanks to Major Darwin for the excellent way in which he has read it.
Admiral Sir JOHN HAX-: AS a visitor to the Luchu Islands fifty years ago, I should like to express my great gratitude to Mr. Chamberlain for this most valuable paper. I do not wish to detain the Society, but I should like to point out how little change has takerl place in the Luchu Islands since Captain Basil lIall, the grandfather of the present writer, visited thelll to the present time; and, looking to
nearly the furthest of the group. Of this name Uruma, no etymology is forth- coming.
In spelling the other Luchuan place-names that occur in this paper, I have con- sistently followed the Japanese pronunciation, chiefly because that is now the dominant one likely to survive in charts and in postal and telegraphic usaCe, partly also because the Shuri (Great Luchuan) pronunciation is widely departed froul in the Further Isles, and one u-ould, therefore, be involved in a maze of difficulties if one endeavoured to give the local pronullciation in each case. The Japanese pro- nunciation, on the other hand, is uniform and easily ascertained, and the ortho- graphy, now a]most universally employed by resident Europeans for transliterating it, agrees almost exactly sith the system recommended oy the Royal Geographical Society. The sole difference is in the use of a line over certain vowels (e.g. o, tb), to mark, not tontc accent, but long quantity, the distinction between long and short quantity being absolutely essential both in the Japanese and the Luchuan languages.
Before the reading of the paper, the PRESIDENT said: The paper we are assembled to hear this eveninC, on the Luchu Islands, is by one well able to give us valuable and good geotraphical infornlation. Mr. Basil Hall Chamberlain is a most eminent linguist and philolofflist, especially as regards the languages of the far East; he is also a sound geographer. I regret we shall not be able to welcome him here this eveninffl, but l am glad to say Major Darwin has kindly undertaken to read the paper for Mr. Chamberlain.
After the reading of the paper, the following discussion took place:- Mr. SEEBOHM: MY only claim to speak UpOll the Luchu islands is that durincr
the last ten years I have been in correspondence with collectors of birds in Japan, and I have received several collections from these islands, and have nvritten several papers upon the birds of this group of islands. There are one or two very interest- ing facts connected nvith them. The main islands which have been visited have been the northern and the central groups; the southern group is practically unknown ornitholoCically, and I must say that the visits have beell very cursory, and I don't think we know anything like the full numbers of birds which are to be found there. Up to the present time there are no fewer than twelve species of birds which have already been discovered, and which are peculiar to the Luchu Islands. One of these, perhaps the most interestinffl, is a very handsome woodpecker, and this has been considered so extremely distinct from every other species that our great authority UpOll the woodpeckers has created a genus for its reception. Now, the geographical interest of these facts lies in this, that although the islandt have beerl described this evening as having been partly of coral formation and partly volcanic, it is quite evident, from the bird-life upon them, that they must be extremely old. On the British Islailds we have ouly one species of bird which is peculiar to them, and this is so extrenlely closely allied to a species in the north of Europe that it is very little evidence in favour of the separation for any long time of the British Islands fros the Continent. Now, the existence of a bird generically distinct on the Luchu Islands shows that they have been for a very long time separated from the nlainland. I am sure that we have listened with very great interest to the most valuable and important paper which has been read to us this eveninC, and we must all express our great thanks to Major Darwin for the excellent way in which he has read it.
Admiral Sir JOHN HAX-: AS a visitor to the Luchu Islands fifty years ago, I should like to express my great gratitude to Mr. Chamberlain for this most valuable paper. I do not wish to detain the Society, but I should like to point out how little change has takerl place in the Luchu Islands since Captain Basil lIall, the grandfather of the present writer, visited thelll to the present time; and, looking to
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:31:11 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
o45 o45 UPON A VISIT TO TSAVO AND THE TAITA HIGHLANDS. UPON A VISIT TO TSAVO AND THE TAITA HIGHLANDS.
he wonderftll changes in Japan, one is surprised that the change has not spread over the subsidiary group, to which Japan will shortl-, if it does not now, elaim entire bsuzerainty. I had very little opportunity xvhile there of examininC or seeing much of the country; I travelled a little way, but llot far. The admirable roads struck us all as marks of civilization. One would hardly have expected such a massive build- ing as that in which the Prince of Luchu was concealed, like the Shogun of Japan, always invisible; it was a building of such massive structure that it would have required very heavy artillery to take it. However, that was not necessary, as they showed us the greatest possible civility, and were more than kind; but I must confess that that kindness was not extended by the ladies, who, although they may have seen us, did not take the opportunity of allowing us to see their charms. I thought, as one who had visited Luchu, it would be unfhir if I did not thanl Mr. Chamberlain for his paper.
The PRESIDEXT: I am much obliged to Admiral Sir John Hay for havinC told us he has been to Luchu, for very few naval officers have the opportunity of sisiting these islands. I am sure we have all listened to Mr. Chamberlain's paper with great interest; it is comprehensive, and when you have the opportunity of reading it you will find it exhaustive -such a paper as one would expect from the grandson of our old associate, who first gave us in our boyhood an account of these islands. Mr. Chamberlain's grandfather, Captain Basil Hall, the first modern writer on the Luchu Islands, was one of the earliest members of the Raleigh tClub, which was the forerunner of this Society, and one of its luost active members. He was also a member of the first Council of our Society, and I think that the occasion of this paper by his grandson being read before the Society should be taken as an opportunity for commemorating the great debt which geoCraphical literature owes to Captain Basil Hall. That gallant officer and scientific seaman obtained for his books a place in the classics of British literature, through his admirable accounts of many distant lands, and throut,h the thoroughness, elegance, and finish of his style. When I was a midshipman, and it was my all night in, I uzed to take Captain Hall's 'Fragments' into my hammock with me and read rthem by the light of the zentry's lantern. I think you will all feel it is an interesting coincidence that we should find his grandson following in his footsteps, -in writing so graphie and lucid an account of the very islands the account of nvhich served to build up the literary fame of his grandfather, Captain Basil Hall. NlVe all, of course, rerret that Mr. Chamberlain should not have been with us this -evening, and I am sure that you will all join with me in a cordial vote of thanks for his valuable paper, and also a vote of thanks to Major Darwiu for his kindness in taking so mueh trouble in preparing it and reading it to us.
UPON A VISIT TO TSAVO AND THE TAITA HIGHLANDS. By C. w. HOBLEY.
WHAT follows is a short account of a journey to Tsavo and the moun- tain district of Taita, in the latter part of the year 1892. The start was made from Mombasa on September 21, with a small caravan of about 2o men all told. The ordinary route to the interior was taken by way of Mazera, Mwachi, and Taro. As there was at this saason no water between Taro and Ndara, a distance of about 50 lniles, a halt of one day was made at Taro in order to send Qn water ahead into tlle
NO. TI. - JUSE, 1895. 2 o
he wonderftll changes in Japan, one is surprised that the change has not spread over the subsidiary group, to which Japan will shortl-, if it does not now, elaim entire bsuzerainty. I had very little opportunity xvhile there of examininC or seeing much of the country; I travelled a little way, but llot far. The admirable roads struck us all as marks of civilization. One would hardly have expected such a massive build- ing as that in which the Prince of Luchu was concealed, like the Shogun of Japan, always invisible; it was a building of such massive structure that it would have required very heavy artillery to take it. However, that was not necessary, as they showed us the greatest possible civility, and were more than kind; but I must confess that that kindness was not extended by the ladies, who, although they may have seen us, did not take the opportunity of allowing us to see their charms. I thought, as one who had visited Luchu, it would be unfhir if I did not thanl Mr. Chamberlain for his paper.
The PRESIDEXT: I am much obliged to Admiral Sir John Hay for havinC told us he has been to Luchu, for very few naval officers have the opportunity of sisiting these islands. I am sure we have all listened to Mr. Chamberlain's paper with great interest; it is comprehensive, and when you have the opportunity of reading it you will find it exhaustive -such a paper as one would expect from the grandson of our old associate, who first gave us in our boyhood an account of these islands. Mr. Chamberlain's grandfather, Captain Basil Hall, the first modern writer on the Luchu Islands, was one of the earliest members of the Raleigh tClub, which was the forerunner of this Society, and one of its luost active members. He was also a member of the first Council of our Society, and I think that the occasion of this paper by his grandson being read before the Society should be taken as an opportunity for commemorating the great debt which geoCraphical literature owes to Captain Basil Hall. That gallant officer and scientific seaman obtained for his books a place in the classics of British literature, through his admirable accounts of many distant lands, and throut,h the thoroughness, elegance, and finish of his style. When I was a midshipman, and it was my all night in, I uzed to take Captain Hall's 'Fragments' into my hammock with me and read rthem by the light of the zentry's lantern. I think you will all feel it is an interesting coincidence that we should find his grandson following in his footsteps, -in writing so graphie and lucid an account of the very islands the account of nvhich served to build up the literary fame of his grandfather, Captain Basil Hall. NlVe all, of course, rerret that Mr. Chamberlain should not have been with us this -evening, and I am sure that you will all join with me in a cordial vote of thanks for his valuable paper, and also a vote of thanks to Major Darwiu for his kindness in taking so mueh trouble in preparing it and reading it to us.
UPON A VISIT TO TSAVO AND THE TAITA HIGHLANDS. By C. w. HOBLEY.
WHAT follows is a short account of a journey to Tsavo and the moun- tain district of Taita, in the latter part of the year 1892. The start was made from Mombasa on September 21, with a small caravan of about 2o men all told. The ordinary route to the interior was taken by way of Mazera, Mwachi, and Taro. As there was at this saason no water between Taro and Ndara, a distance of about 50 lniles, a halt of one day was made at Taro in order to send Qn water ahead into tlle
NO. TI. - JUSE, 1895. 2 o
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Fri, 5 Apr 2013 15:31:42 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
