This article was in the paper a few years ago and I saved it thinking I would translate it at some point. While cleaning out some files the other day I found it again and finally managed to get it done.
It is very interesting (and salty!)
Cows were the spark that set off a heroic battle between English and the Satsuma forces on an island
普天間基地の移設問題にからんで徳之島やトカラ列島宝島の名を耳にして思い出した。宝島はアングロ・サクソ ンと日本人が初めて戦った地だ。以前、その史料を複写した記憶がある。探すと｢薩州宝島イキリス船漂泊記｣ （狩野文庫蔵）が出てきた。
Hearing of Tokuno Shima Island and Takara Shima Island part of the Tokara chain of islands, due to the problems surrounding the proposed move of the Futenma Air Base caused me to remember something. Takara Shima Island is the place where Anglo Saxon and Japanese first fought. Previously, I recall making a copy of some related historical documents. Upon searching I found “State of Satsu Takara Shima English Vessel Station Log.”
日本人は1853年のペリー来航で初めて西洋列強を意識したわけではない。日本近海には1800年ごろか ら頻繁に異国船が出現。ここで脅威をうけた藩から順次、西洋に目覚めた。まず1808年、英軍艦フェートン 号が長崎に侵入。これで佐賀藩が覚醒した。1824年5月には常陸国大津浜に英人が上陸。これで水戸藩が変 わった。同年7月には薩州宝島に英人が上陸。薩摩藩士と交戦状態になり、薩摩藩は西洋の脅威を目の当たりに する。事態を重くみた幕府は翌年、異国船打払令を出し、まずは武士階層から攘夷を意識しはじめ た。
To believe that Japanese first realized the military superiority of the West upon the arrival of Perry in 1853 would be an error. Beginning around 1800 foreign vessels frequently appeared in the waters around Japan. As the various Han experienced this threatening presence, they began to become aware of what the West was capable of. First was in 1808 when the English battleship Phaeton sailed into Nagasaki Harbour. With this the Saga Han became aware of the West. In May of 1824 in Otsu Bay of Hitachi no Kuni Englishmen came ashore. And with that the whole of Mito Han changed. In July of that same year Englishmen came ashore on the State of Satsuma’s Takara Shima island. They ended up trading fire with Samurai of the Satsuma Han, and the Satsuma Han came face to face with the threat posed by western powers. The Bakufu Government, alarmed at what had transpired issued a decree banning all foreign ships, beginning the “Jyoi,”or expel the foreigners, attitude amongst the Bushi class.
平和な宝島で英国人と薩摩人が交戦した?末はこうだ。｢七月八日昼四ツ（午前10）時、宝島西の方｣に白 い帆がみえた。翌日、半里（2キロ）沖に碇をおろし小舟で7、8人の異国人が上陸してきた。薩摩藩はこの島 に監督官である詰横目・吉村九助を置いていたので、吉村と島役人が彼らに応対。｢異国の人々の形｣は｢勇猛 の姿｣にみえ、背が｢六尺（180ｾﾝﾁ）有余｣｢鼻勝れて高く、色は日本人同様｣であった。
On peaceful Takara Shima Englishmen and people of Satsuma engaged in battle? It ended up like this. “July Eighth. Early Afternoon. 10am. Western Takara Shima.” A white sail came into view. The next day, the ship dropped anchor about a half Ri, or two kilometers, off shore and seven or eight foreign people boarded a small boat and came ashore. The man dispatched by Satsuma Han to oversee the island was Tsumeyokome Yoshimurakyujyo, so he and other government officials went to meet them. “The appearance of the people from foreign lands” was “Fierce in aspect” standing some “Six Shaku or more (180cm)” in height with “Pronounced, big noses and coloring much like Japanese.”
吉村らが｢手振などにて何国のもの｣と尋ねると｢手前などはイキリス（イギリス）と申す事｣がわかり｢阿 蘭陀・長崎｣という単語は通じたが、彼らの差し出す横文字の書付は一向わからない。こちらからの筆談を試み たが通じない。手真似で｢乗組は如何程｣ときくと｢左右の手を七度振｣ったから｢七拾人乗組｣と吉村は推測 した。 彼らはさかんに浜辺の｢牛貰いたし｣と訴える。野菜などを与え｢牛はやれぬ｣というと、一度は無難にひき あげたが、翌日またきて｢是非是非もらいたく｣と手真似。英国人は、｢焼酎・麦にて製した候菓子（パンかク ッキー）・通宝の金銀・衣類、或いは小刀・鋏・時計｣を差し出し、牛と交換しろと迫る。吉村は｢あいならず ｣と言い切り、野菜や米を見せると｢米は不用。野菜は沢山もらいたく｣と持ち帰った。
Yoshimura and company used “Hand gestures and whatnot to ask what country they were from” and received a reply of “We all come from The United Kingdom. “Words like Holland and Nagasaki were understandable” to them but the document written in horizontal characters was completely unintelligible. Attempts at conversing through written Japanese also proved fruitless. Using gestures the Japanese asked “How many are aboard your vessel?”and “As he used his right and left hands to make a seven,” Yoshimura presumed there were “Seventy or more aboard ship.” The Englishmen then asked enthusiastically if “They could have one of the cows” grazing nearby. The Japanese returned with vegetables and other foodstuffs but said “We won’t part with our cattle.” This caused somewhat of a difficult time in the interaction, but eventually they returned to their ship. The next day however they returned and gestured “We would really like to obtain one of your cows!” The English then proceeded to offer “Distilled alcohol, wheat converted into a kind of candy (bread and cookies) and transferrables like gold, silver, clothing as well as knives scissors and watches seeking to trade for a cow. Yoshimura demurred with “No deal” and offered rice and vegetables. “We have no need of rice but we will take all the vegetables.” Which they did and left.
ところが、その4時間後、大砲の音がした。英国人が小船｢三艘に弐拾人余乗り込み、手に鉄砲携え、海上に て鉄砲すきまなく打ち｣ながら上陸してきた。島人は｢あわてふためき老若男女｣みな山へ逃げる。軍学者であ った吉村は迎撃を決意。流刑中の遠島人・本田助之丞にも助太刀を要請。島人12～13人も加わり、日本人十 数人対英国人20人の小さな戦争が始まった。
However, about four hours later the sound of a cannon was heard. The English had launched “Three small boats with some 20 odd people aboard, armed with rifles and firing at such a rate as there was never a musket ball not in the air.” They then came ashore. The islanders “Men, women, old and young were all thrown in to the most awful panic” and everyone ran for the mountains. Yoshimura, being a military strategist decided to return fire. A certain Honda Jonosuke who was serving out his banishment on the island was also pressed into service. In addition to this were twelve or thirteen islanders, thus began a small war between a dozen Japanese against twenty Englishmen.
しかし島人は戦い方を知らない。吉村は｢平場の勝負なりがたし｣と考え｢此上はただ静まり返り｣待ち伏せ 、不意に射撃しようと考えた。一方の英国人は捕鯨船員で戦いは素人。20人がちらばり、そのうち3人が吉村 のいる番所に接近してきた。吉村は｢三間ばかり（6ﾒｰﾄﾙたらず）｣まで引き付け、｢弐匁一分（弾丸の重 さが約8ｸﾞﾗﾑ）の鉄砲に（火薬）強込にて三人の内、頭と相見へ候ものの胸元｣に発砲。弾丸は｢胸元の真 中射通し背中に射抜｣け、その英国人は即死。残りの英国人2人はそれをみて｢一散に逃げ去｣りながら銃を乱 射。一発が吉村の｢耳をこす｣ったが大事に至らなかった。吉村は英国人の再攻撃に備えたが、11日には｢帆 かげも見えず｣英国船は立ち去ったという。
That being said the islanders had no idea how to fight. Yoshimura considered “A head on battle would not likely lead to success.” And “We need to quiet things down.” Thus he decided to lie in wait and fire upon them unexpectedly. On the other hand the Englishmen were whalers and new to fighting themselves. The group of twenty was spread out, with a group of three approaching Yoshimura’s residence. Yoshimura waited until they were within “Three Ken (less than six meters) I fired a bullet weighing two and a quarter Monme (8 grams) from a musket into the chest of one of the three seemed to be the leader. The bullet “Struck him in the center of the chest and passed through out of his back.” That Englishman died instantly. Upon seeing this the remaining two Englishmen “Ran off in opposite directions,” shooting in all directions. One bullet went past Yoshimura’s ear, but tragedy was avoided. Yoshimura prepared for another attack by the British but on the 11th “there was no sign of the sailboat.” The English ship had gone.
長い航海で英国人は新鮮な牛肉を欲し、この戦いが起きた。異国人の死骸はどうなったか。｢塩漬け致し鹿児島 に差送り｣と古文書にはある。（日本史家）
After a long voyage the English desired fresh cow meat, which ended up being the cause of this skirmish. What then happened to the foreigner’s body? “It was packed in salt and sent to Kagoshima” as recorded in an old document.
It is very interesting (and salty!)
Cows were the spark that set off a heroic battle between English and the Satsuma forces on an island
普天間基地の移設問題にからんで徳之島やトカラ列島宝島の名を耳にして思い出した。宝島はアングロ・サクソ ンと日本人が初めて戦った地だ。以前、その史料を複写した記憶がある。探すと｢薩州宝島イキリス船漂泊記｣ （狩野文庫蔵）が出てきた。
Hearing of Tokuno Shima Island and Takara Shima Island part of the Tokara chain of islands, due to the problems surrounding the proposed move of the Futenma Air Base caused me to remember something. Takara Shima Island is the place where Anglo Saxon and Japanese first fought. Previously, I recall making a copy of some related historical documents. Upon searching I found “State of Satsu Takara Shima English Vessel Station Log.”
日本人は1853年のペリー来航で初めて西洋列強を意識したわけではない。日本近海には1800年ごろか ら頻繁に異国船が出現。ここで脅威をうけた藩から順次、西洋に目覚めた。まず1808年、英軍艦フェートン 号が長崎に侵入。これで佐賀藩が覚醒した。1824年5月には常陸国大津浜に英人が上陸。これで水戸藩が変 わった。同年7月には薩州宝島に英人が上陸。薩摩藩士と交戦状態になり、薩摩藩は西洋の脅威を目の当たりに する。事態を重くみた幕府は翌年、異国船打払令を出し、まずは武士階層から攘夷を意識しはじめ た。
To believe that Japanese first realized the military superiority of the West upon the arrival of Perry in 1853 would be an error. Beginning around 1800 foreign vessels frequently appeared in the waters around Japan. As the various Han experienced this threatening presence, they began to become aware of what the West was capable of. First was in 1808 when the English battleship Phaeton sailed into Nagasaki Harbour. With this the Saga Han became aware of the West. In May of 1824 in Otsu Bay of Hitachi no Kuni Englishmen came ashore. And with that the whole of Mito Han changed. In July of that same year Englishmen came ashore on the State of Satsuma’s Takara Shima island. They ended up trading fire with Samurai of the Satsuma Han, and the Satsuma Han came face to face with the threat posed by western powers. The Bakufu Government, alarmed at what had transpired issued a decree banning all foreign ships, beginning the “Jyoi,”or expel the foreigners, attitude amongst the Bushi class.
平和な宝島で英国人と薩摩人が交戦した?末はこうだ。｢七月八日昼四ツ（午前10）時、宝島西の方｣に白 い帆がみえた。翌日、半里（2キロ）沖に碇をおろし小舟で7、8人の異国人が上陸してきた。薩摩藩はこの島 に監督官である詰横目・吉村九助を置いていたので、吉村と島役人が彼らに応対。｢異国の人々の形｣は｢勇猛 の姿｣にみえ、背が｢六尺（180ｾﾝﾁ）有余｣｢鼻勝れて高く、色は日本人同様｣であった。
On peaceful Takara Shima Englishmen and people of Satsuma engaged in battle? It ended up like this. “July Eighth. Early Afternoon. 10am. Western Takara Shima.” A white sail came into view. The next day, the ship dropped anchor about a half Ri, or two kilometers, off shore and seven or eight foreign people boarded a small boat and came ashore. The man dispatched by Satsuma Han to oversee the island was Tsumeyokome Yoshimurakyujyo, so he and other government officials went to meet them. “The appearance of the people from foreign lands” was “Fierce in aspect” standing some “Six Shaku or more (180cm)” in height with “Pronounced, big noses and coloring much like Japanese.”
吉村らが｢手振などにて何国のもの｣と尋ねると｢手前などはイキリス（イギリス）と申す事｣がわかり｢阿 蘭陀・長崎｣という単語は通じたが、彼らの差し出す横文字の書付は一向わからない。こちらからの筆談を試み たが通じない。手真似で｢乗組は如何程｣ときくと｢左右の手を七度振｣ったから｢七拾人乗組｣と吉村は推測 した。 彼らはさかんに浜辺の｢牛貰いたし｣と訴える。野菜などを与え｢牛はやれぬ｣というと、一度は無難にひき あげたが、翌日またきて｢是非是非もらいたく｣と手真似。英国人は、｢焼酎・麦にて製した候菓子（パンかク ッキー）・通宝の金銀・衣類、或いは小刀・鋏・時計｣を差し出し、牛と交換しろと迫る。吉村は｢あいならず ｣と言い切り、野菜や米を見せると｢米は不用。野菜は沢山もらいたく｣と持ち帰った。
Yoshimura and company used “Hand gestures and whatnot to ask what country they were from” and received a reply of “We all come from The United Kingdom. “Words like Holland and Nagasaki were understandable” to them but the document written in horizontal characters was completely unintelligible. Attempts at conversing through written Japanese also proved fruitless. Using gestures the Japanese asked “How many are aboard your vessel?”and “As he used his right and left hands to make a seven,” Yoshimura presumed there were “Seventy or more aboard ship.” The Englishmen then asked enthusiastically if “They could have one of the cows” grazing nearby. The Japanese returned with vegetables and other foodstuffs but said “We won’t part with our cattle.” This caused somewhat of a difficult time in the interaction, but eventually they returned to their ship. The next day however they returned and gestured “We would really like to obtain one of your cows!” The English then proceeded to offer “Distilled alcohol, wheat converted into a kind of candy (bread and cookies) and transferrables like gold, silver, clothing as well as knives scissors and watches seeking to trade for a cow. Yoshimura demurred with “No deal” and offered rice and vegetables. “We have no need of rice but we will take all the vegetables.” Which they did and left.
ところが、その4時間後、大砲の音がした。英国人が小船｢三艘に弐拾人余乗り込み、手に鉄砲携え、海上に て鉄砲すきまなく打ち｣ながら上陸してきた。島人は｢あわてふためき老若男女｣みな山へ逃げる。軍学者であ った吉村は迎撃を決意。流刑中の遠島人・本田助之丞にも助太刀を要請。島人12～13人も加わり、日本人十 数人対英国人20人の小さな戦争が始まった。
However, about four hours later the sound of a cannon was heard. The English had launched “Three small boats with some 20 odd people aboard, armed with rifles and firing at such a rate as there was never a musket ball not in the air.” They then came ashore. The islanders “Men, women, old and young were all thrown in to the most awful panic” and everyone ran for the mountains. Yoshimura, being a military strategist decided to return fire. A certain Honda Jonosuke who was serving out his banishment on the island was also pressed into service. In addition to this were twelve or thirteen islanders, thus began a small war between a dozen Japanese against twenty Englishmen.
しかし島人は戦い方を知らない。吉村は｢平場の勝負なりがたし｣と考え｢此上はただ静まり返り｣待ち伏せ 、不意に射撃しようと考えた。一方の英国人は捕鯨船員で戦いは素人。20人がちらばり、そのうち3人が吉村 のいる番所に接近してきた。吉村は｢三間ばかり（6ﾒｰﾄﾙたらず）｣まで引き付け、｢弐匁一分（弾丸の重 さが約8ｸﾞﾗﾑ）の鉄砲に（火薬）強込にて三人の内、頭と相見へ候ものの胸元｣に発砲。弾丸は｢胸元の真 中射通し背中に射抜｣け、その英国人は即死。残りの英国人2人はそれをみて｢一散に逃げ去｣りながら銃を乱 射。一発が吉村の｢耳をこす｣ったが大事に至らなかった。吉村は英国人の再攻撃に備えたが、11日には｢帆 かげも見えず｣英国船は立ち去ったという。
That being said the islanders had no idea how to fight. Yoshimura considered “A head on battle would not likely lead to success.” And “We need to quiet things down.” Thus he decided to lie in wait and fire upon them unexpectedly. On the other hand the Englishmen were whalers and new to fighting themselves. The group of twenty was spread out, with a group of three approaching Yoshimura’s residence. Yoshimura waited until they were within “Three Ken (less than six meters) I fired a bullet weighing two and a quarter Monme (8 grams) from a musket into the chest of one of the three seemed to be the leader. The bullet “Struck him in the center of the chest and passed through out of his back.” That Englishman died instantly. Upon seeing this the remaining two Englishmen “Ran off in opposite directions,” shooting in all directions. One bullet went past Yoshimura’s ear, but tragedy was avoided. Yoshimura prepared for another attack by the British but on the 11th “there was no sign of the sailboat.” The English ship had gone.
長い航海で英国人は新鮮な牛肉を欲し、この戦いが起きた。異国人の死骸はどうなったか。｢塩漬け致し鹿児島 に差送り｣と古文書にはある。（日本史家）
After a long voyage the English desired fresh cow meat, which ended up being the cause of this skirmish. What then happened to the foreigner’s body? “It was packed in salt and sent to Kagoshima” as recorded in an old document.
