[Lee]

R-

No, R - Admiral Perry didn't think he had made an error and had taken a wrong turn.

In fact, history tells us that Admiral Perry had spent a considerable effort to learn all that he could (directly) from the Dutch before embarking on his mission...to open trade with the Japanese.

However, much of what he had been told had been misleading - as the Dutch (the great seamen and canny merchants that your people are...)quite rightly did not provide him with totally accurate information as (they didn't want the trade competition which had been exclusively theirs for some several hundred years prior)to be shared with any other nations.

However, the Americans being both aware that Japan would soon be opened for trade to other nations...sent Admiral Perry.

At the time the Japanese wanted to remain closed to "all" nations - and, in doing so had always kept the Dutch merchants and seamen segrated only onto a small island off of (I don't now recall the name of the Japanese port - prohibiting the Dutch from ever venturing onto the mainland of Japan.

Thus, the Japanese who did business with them (the Dutch) eventually learned Dutch...and, having seen no other men of similar size and complexion - assumed when they saw the men of Admiral Perry fleet arrive that they were also from The Netherlands.

Perry, was not, however, the first American to arrive in Japan. His American naval successor was 'pushed' off the island by the Japanese...and, he and his crew quickly'sailed away'.

There was another American - who was a young adventurer who jumped off an American whaling ship and either rowed or swam ashore even years before Perry...his name curiously enough was Ranald McDonald (no joke) - (Not Ronald, but Ranald.)

However, the Japanese thinking Ranald was some strange foreign creature was put into a bamboo cage and was paraded all around Japan for over two years...upon being released he found his way once again home...where he wrote two volumns of his time in Japan.

In China the Dutch again with the Japanese - were once again connected. However, that more recent moment of history and relationship is not as pleasant - as it involved the murder of hundreds and perhaps thousands of Chinese then living in Tawain...

Indeed, even we also in this part of the world owe much of our own history to the Dutch - particularly for their contribution to opening trade to our very nearby island...of Jamaica.

It's quite facinating...

All the best,

Lee A.
Grand Cayman