A Pox-Maggoty Harbourmaster
“You suppose,' Vorstenbosch blinks at Snitker, 'that my integrity is for sale? Like some pox-maggoty harbourmaster on the Scheldt extorting illegal fees from the butter barges?” (II)
This scene, serving as the reader's introduction to Jacob de Zoet, describes the sentencing of the corrupt Dutch official Daniel Snitker at the hands of the new Chief, Unico Vorstenbosch, who nominally intends to root out all the traitors and smugglers within the Dutch East Indies Company (later, the reader learns, this is a self-serving tactic to save the most smuggling for himself). When Snitker tries to bribe Vorstenbosch into alleviating his sentence, he replies with this quote, highlighting the disgusting nature of bribery and likening Snitker to one who lives in these moral slums.
Dutch Bacon
“Jacob's pale and freckled skin is frying like bacon.” (III)
In this passage, Jacob is terrified that his smuggled Psalter will be discovered by the Japanese interpreters, which would have unpleasant consequences for him. In this panicked, feverish state, Jacob is highly attuned to all sensory oppression, and the blazing sun only adds to his discomfort. This humorous simile emphasizes the effect of the harsh sunlight on Jacob's pale Dutch skin.
A Broken Pump
“The clerk's heart pounds like a broken pump." (III)
Interpreter Ogawa Uzaemon has just begun speaking to Jacob, and the latter is certain that his Psalter has been discovered. Accordingly, fearing the worst yet not absolutely certain, Jacob's active imagination causes his heart to beat irregularly, like a broken pump. This simile captures the feeling of the moment, an unpleasant sensation that is mercifully revealed to be unfounded.
Spreading Like Wildfire
“The story spreads like wildfire; ev'ry apothecary in the land's howlin' f'the miraculous elixir, eh; an' here comes you with eight crates!” - Arie Grote (III)
In this scene, Arie Grote (one of the Dutch traders on Dejima, and the one with the best idea of how to make the quickest money) is trying to convince Jacob to capitalize on his recently acquired mercury by telling him of the popular belief that the 'mercury cure' can heal any illness. The simile "spreads like wildfire," while cliché, fits into Grote's character while emphasizing the speed at which the story traveled across Nagasaki.
A Hunting Dog
“The silent observer twists his head, like a hunting dog listening to the sound of its prey.” (IV)
This scene, the first one that sees Jacob entering the official court of Nagasaki, concerns the precarious trade negotiations between the Dutch trading company and the Japanese empire. At the very end of the chapter, Jacob notices a mysteriously intriguing man sitting among the Japanese, characterized by fierce intelligence and aloofness. This man, later introduced as Abbot Enomoto, fits this description, and the simile of the hunting dog listening for its prey is especially apt considering Enomoto's exploitative nature and shrewd mind.
