Although it appears that Japan has been visited for up wards of two centuries by different European nations, and the harbour of Nangasaky, one of the best in the world, has been annually frequented, yet no plan of it has been taken, nor have even the latitude and longitude been cor rectly ascertained, until it was explored by Krusenstern in 1804. The entrance of the harbour of Nangasaky is in 43 45' N. Lat. and 230° 15' W. Long. in the middle of the bay of Kiusiu, which is formed by Cape Nomo to the south, and Cape Seurote to the north. The en trance bears 51 miles E. by N. from Cape Gotto in 32° 34' Sc!'. It is necessary to ascertain correctly the true en trance; fur, by steering on Cape Nomo, there is danger of being becalmed, or driven by the tides on the rocks, and of mistaking another entrance in Lat. 32° 40', which has not been explored. The safest course is to keep midway between the Gotto islands and Kiusiu, steering N. E. until the parallel of the entrance, and then due cast. The harbour contains three roads, all perfectly secure. The outermost is to the west of the island of Papcnberg, the second in the middle to the eastward of the same, and the inner road at the bottom of the harbour in front of the city. The outer road is well defended from every wind but the N. W. and W. N. W. which, however, never blow very strong. The anchorage is excellent, over a bottom of fine grey sand, in depths varying front 33 to 18 fathoms. The middle road is surrounded on all sides by the land, and has better anchoring ground than the inner, but not so good as the. outer road. From the middle to the inner road the course lies N. E. 4u°, and the distance is about two miles and one-third, the depth of water decreasing gradually from 18 to 5 fathoms. About half way, where the channel narrows to 400 fathoms, are placed the impe rial batteries, or Emperor's guard, as they are styled, a number of buildings without a single cannon. From the narrowness of the approach, the city of Nangasaky, if well fortified, could defy any assault ; in its present state it would fall before a single ship of force. The anchorage here is not equal to either of the other roads, the bottom being a thin clay, and the S. W..ehannel open to the sea. Krusenstern was the only person, except La Perouse, who navigated the western coast between Niphon and the Corea ; and although the state of the weather was unfa vourable to his making observations, yet he appears to have reached the northern point of Jesso, the extreme limit of the Japanese empire, without much difficulty. Of the Japanese coasts it may be observed generally, that they are in most places rocky and precipitous, presenting a chain of bold promontories, deep bays, and rugged pe ninsulas, abounding with shoals and islets ; the whole in vested with a turbulent sea, whence the navigation is in tricate and dangerous.
The climate of Japan is variable throughout the year. The heat of summer would be insupportable, were it not moderated by the sea breezes. The rainy months begin at midsummer, when abundance of rain falls, and to which is to be ascribed the fertility of the country. In winter,... the wind blowing from the Arctic Ocean makes the cold severe. Snow falls in quantities, and is followed by in tense frost. Hurricanes and earthquakes are not uncom mon, and thunder storms also frequently occur. At Nan gasaky, the thermometer was never in August higher than 98°, nor in January lower than 35°.
As the geography or Japan has not been fully illustrat ed, we can give but an imperfect account of the rivers, lakes, and mountains of this country. The largest river is said to be the Judo, or Yudo, which rises from the great central lake of Oitz, and pursues a south-west course. The Ujin, Aska, and Oomi, figure in Japanese history. This last is said to have burst from the ground in one night. Over the Nogofa and Jedogawa arc projected cedar bridges from 300 to 360 feet long. There are va
rious other rivers, f which we know little except the name. The above mentioned lake of Oitz sends forth two rivers, and is said to be 50 Japanese leagues in length, but of inconsiderable breadth. Among the mountains are volcanoes, and in the province of Figo one constantly emits flame. The principal mountain is Fits', which is covered with snow the greatest part of the year. But the courses of the different ranges have not been traced. Near the lake of Oitz is the sacred mountain of Jesan, said to be decorated with 3000 temples! The Japanese islands are divided into provinces and districts, like other civilized countries. The face of the country of Japan is agreeably diversified by mountains, hills, and vallies, and is wel! watered with rivers and lakes, the general aspect presenting a soil cultivated with industry and freedom. Even mountains and hills form no obstacle to cultivation. Agriculture being in high es timation in Japan, it meets with the greatest encourage ment from the government.* The chief produce is rice, barley and wheat being little used. A kind of potatoe is common, and several sorts of beans and peas, turnips and cabbage, abound. The rice is sown in April and gather ed in November. The sides of the hills present a singular spectacle to the stranger, from the mode of cultivation which is adopted. Stone walls support level platforms sown with rice or roots ; and thousands of these are scat tered over the mountains, affording a favourable picture of the ingenuity and industry of the inhabitants. Though the space should not exceed two square feet, a stone wall is raised at the bottom, the inclosure filled with earth, and carefully sown with rice, or planted with esculent roots. As may be easily supposed from this sate of general cul tivation, few forests are suffered to grow : these are con fined to the sides of such mountains, probably, as can be subdued by neither agricultural labour nor skill.
There are no fences used in dividing the cultivated grounds in this country ; and the fields often resemble kitchen gardens divided into narrow beds, which are se parated from each other by a deep trench, nearly as broad as the divisions which are under crop. After a certain interval the trenches are filled up with earth, so as to be converted in their turn into beds, and give the soil a rest from constant bearing. In these beds the corn is sown sometimes lengthwise, but more commonly across; and after the crop is cut down, another kind of grain is sown in the same season, between the stubble of the old crop, so as to make the same field produce twice in one year. The greatest care is bestowed upon manuring and clean ing the ground. Every kind of substance which can be converted into manure is carefully collected ; and, toge ther with urine and foul water from the kitchen, is mixed & up in a liquid state. It is then carried in large pails to the fields, and, by means of a ladle, it is poured upon the plant after it is about six inches in height. Irrigation also is much practised, wherever water can be proLired in the vicinity of the fields. The weeds are so completely clear ed away, that " the most quick-sighted botanist," says Thunberg, " would scarcely be able to discover a single plant of another species among the corn." The grain is frequently separated from the straw merely by beating the sheaves against a post or barrel ; but is commonly thresh ed on straw mats in the open air by means of flails with three swingles. There are no pasture grounds among the cultivated tracts; and the few cattle used in the country are all fed in the farm-yards. Thunberg affirms, that the soil throughout Japan is naturally barren, and has been rendered so remarkably productive only by the labour and skill of the husbandman.