This is the name of a great empire. There are three principal islands. One of these is very long, and very narrow; it is about a thousand miles long,--much longer than Great Britain, but not nearly as broad. Yet the three islands _together_ are larger than our island. There is a fourth island near the Japan islands, called Jesso, and it is filled with Japanese people. You know it is difficult to get into China; but it is far more difficult to get into Japan. The emperor has boats always watching round the coast, to prevent strangers coming into his country. These boats are so made, that they cannot go far from the shore. No Japanese ship is ever seen floating in a foreign harbor. If it be difficult to get _into_ Japan, it is also difficult to get _out_ of her. There is a law condemning to _death_ any Japanese who leaves his country. The Chinese also are forbidden to leave their land; but _they_ do not mind their laws as well as the Japanese mind _theirs_. I shall not be able to tell you much about Japan; as strangers may not go there, nor natives come from it. English ships very seldom go to Japan, because they are so closely watched. The guard-boats surround them night and day. When it is dark, lanterns are lighted, in order the better to observe the strangers. One English captain entreated permission to land, that he might observe the stars with his instruments, in order afterwards to make maps; but he could only get leave to land on a little island where there were a few fishermen's huts; and all the time he was there, the Japanese officers kept their eye upon him. He was told that he must not measure the land. It seems that the Japanese were afraid that his _measuring_ the land would be the beginning of his taking it away. However, he had no such intention, and was content with measuring the SEA. He asked the Japanese to sell him a supply of fruit and vegetables for his crew, and a supply was brought; but the Japanese would take no money in return. He wanted to buy bullocks, that his crew might have beef, but the Japanese replied, "You cannot have _them_; for they work hard, and are tired, they draw the plough; they do their duty, and they ought not to be eaten; but the _hogs_ are lazy; they do no work, you may have them to eat, if you wish it." The Japanese will not even milk their cows, but they allow the calves to have all the milk. If you wish to know _why_ the Japanese will not allow strangers to land, I must relate some events which happened three hundred years ago.