Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1874-06-20
WILLIAM ADAMS,
The First AnglO-SaxOn In Tan.n-

J
Yokosko. 1t is at the head of lit
tie land-lOcked harbor, and has the
most beautiful surroundings imag-
Unable. The scenery of the whole
bay on either side of this little inlet
reminds one of the Thousand Is
lands" in the st. Lawrence river, on
ly the shore line and the group of
islands rise more abruptly and much
higher out of the water, and are
covered with a richly varied tropical
vegetation. The islands and the
main land, are all crowned and COW
cred with evergreen trees. In the
distance to the west of the Wakomi
range of mountains is painfully seen,
and towering above all other points
IS tusi-yama, the highest mountain
IN Japan. Yokosko is a town of the
old order of things. Here the Jap
anese have their naval station, with
eapacious machine shops, foundries
and docks. Across a lesser inlet is
the old village of Hemimura, a fish
ing town, and as old for aught that
is known as the fisheries of Japan.
On hillside above the village is the
temple of To-kosau. 1t is Buddhist
temple, and has the carved stone
lions and dragons and shaven-beard-
ed priests, gilt images of Buddba,
and lesser deities. 1t is like all tenn
pies in Japan, embowered in beau
tiful grove, and there is enough of
the beautiful in its surroundings to
incline any heart to worship the giver
of such beauty. From this temple a
winding path leads up to the crest
of high, rounded hill, from which
is spread before you picture of in
tense and varied beauty-the wide
sea, studded with green islands, the
long, high shore-line with deep in
dentations of inlet and harbor, lofty
mountain ranges and deep valleys.
Here, in the grove crowning hill,
midst fir, cypress, palm and bamboo
trees, is the grave of William Adams,
the first Anglo-Saxon in Japan. He
must have been a remarkable man.
In the whole history of the Orient
no other stranger has arrived at such
position and power, or exerted such
an influence over strange people.
Adams was native of the county
of Kent, England. His occupation
was sea-going. He served in the
English navy In the olden days of
the ''Virg1n Queen" and held the DO
sition of master of a vessel in the
wars with Spain. He must have been
with the bold buccaneers who hunt
ed Spanish treasures and merchant
ships on every sea. While on shore,
in a little village surrounded by the
green hills of Kent, he had met
blue-eyed, fair-haired Saxon girl.
They loved, plighted their troth,
and after he had taken voyage or
two they were welded. Between
the sea and shore several years pass
ed happily and prosperously. Two
children, boy and a girl, were
theirs;' both were the image of the
mother, with the same glimmer of
gold in their hair, and the same blue
of the Kentish sky in their eyes.
But times grew bad. The wars had
ruined trade. English ships lay idle
in their harbors. Holland, Spain and
Portugal had then the trade of the
world. Adams received an offer
from the Dutch East India Company
to pilot squadron of five merchant
vessels to Asia. He bade farewell
to England and his fair-haired wife
and children, and repaired to Hol-
land, whence he set sail in 1898.
After nearly two years of untold
hardships, with only one ship left of
the five and only five able-bodied sea-
men, in the greatest distress for want
of food and water, they sighted the
coast of Japan. On the 18th day of
of April, 1000, they made harbor
in the province of Bungo, in the
southern part of Niphoa. The people
focked around the ship. BY signs
Adams made their wants known.
The sick were taken on shore and
tenderly cared for. Soldiers were
stationed on the ship to protect the
cargo. Four or FIVE days elapsed,
when some Portuguese arrived from
Nagasaki, where they had trading
station. They alone, had, of all the
European people, since the wonder
full accounts of Marco Polo, found
the islands of Japan. The Portu-
guese had come to the Orient as ira
ders and missionaries. Between
them and the Dutch there was every
reason for rivalry. They were war
ring with each other for the trade
and wealth of the Indies. One was
Jesuit and the other Protestant in
religion. The Portuguese having
been sent by the Prince of the pro-
vince of Bungo, they represented
that the Dutch were pirates IN COM
merce and heretics in religion, and
should be heheaded for either and
crucifed for both.
This being more responsibility
than the Prince wished to assume,
he referred the whole matter to the
Tycoon, whose capital was then at
Osaca, eighty miles north. The Ty-
coon sent at once for Adams. On
the way Adams ascertained the feel
ing of the Portuguese, and what they |
were ANXIOUS to accomplish, and he |
also saw by the headless trunks and
suspended bodies, how frequent cap
itaI punishments were in Japan and
for what slight offenses they were IN
use. Iyeyas was the Tycoon ne
was the first of the Tocagawa tainl-
ly, which ruled after him $50 years.
Through $500 years of written 't5 his,
tory he is considered their "Aitred
the Great by japanese historians
When in the presence OF the Tycoon,
Adams found mild-mannered, un-
1,ratending man, who questioned him
thoroughly of England and Holland,
of their commerce and trade and
their wars, and especially of their
object in coming to Japan.
After the interview, which lasted
several hours, Adams was placed in
He was kept there 43
days and nights. With the visions
of the ghastly, headless trunks and