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    what to themselves No. *™ *™. 2"- 1859.1...

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    A Cruise M Japanese Wateks. By Capt. She...

    « There was soon a general flurry , ^ for ^ e Japanese appeared to have been waiting for their ; I > £ tg » friends to awake , to in ^ ixe i ^ vq might bevxsited . Japanese officials , with pockets full ofpape - P ^ and ink , hurried off-jolly good-natured-looking fellows , always ready to laugh , and in appearance resembiing n / ore the Kanaka races of the bouth Sea Islands than the Chinese we had left behind us . Their dress , in some respec ts , was C mnese , and tneir language sounding very like a mixture of the Srdancy of thlt most discordant of languages , and the soft liquid sounds of the Kanaka tongue UI 1 L 1 LUC BK 11 . U 1141 "" "" - - lAclim what thship

    * ,. ' o But how thev interrogated -us . ' — was- e s name , our name , the Ambassador s tides-everybodv ' s name and age—everybody ' s rank and business—what did we want—whither were we goingwhence did we come—how many . ships wore coming —where was our Admiral ? Indeed , a hussian custom-house agent , or a British census paper could not have put more astounding questions , whether 111 number or nature , than did these Kangasaki reporters . We were as patient as naval officers , or angels , may usually be supposed to be under such circumstances ;—answered all their questionsflowed them to see . touch , smell , and hear everything ,

    except the Jhitish Ambassador , who was in Ins cabin—and then dismissed them with a glass of sherry and a biscuit . The captain and first-lieutenant had hardly congratulated themselves that , at any rate , that portion of the pleasure of visiting Japan was over , when another boatful of reporters arrived , tumbled up the ladder , were very well behaved , but asked exactly the saine . questions , and went exactly through the saine farce as the first party had done . They were , we learnt , duplicate

    reporters , whose statement served to check and correct those of the first set of . inquirers . Directly they left ; us , a two-sworded official arrived—two swords in Japan ,, like two epaulettes in Europe , indicate an officer of some standing . He introduced himself ¦ through a Japanese interpreter , who spoke English remarkably well , as " a chief officer , " had an official communication to make . Would he sit down—would he be pleased to unbosom himself ? Could he not see the Ambassador ? Impossible !

    What ! " a chief officer " communicate with an ambassador ! "We were truly horrified . The chief officer must be simply insane did lie couple the representative of the . majesty of Great Britain with some superintendentr of trade ? The chief officer apologised > f he was very properly shocked at the proposition that he had . made ; he saw his error , and , what was more to our purpose , the Ambassador assumed a size and importance in his eyes which it would have been difficult to have realised . The * ' chief officer '' then put his questions—Did Lord Elgin intend to call upon the Governor of Nangasaki ? No ; he had not time to do so . Did he expect the Governor to wait upon him ? The Ambassador

    their beautiful hair neatly dressed , and , but that their nails -were dyed , there was a general appearance of beauty about them , combined with much grace in the figures of the younger ones . The Japanese officials and gentry were very well dressed , and in their attire displayed considerable dandyism , according to their own fashion . But in their dress , as well as in their houses , in Japan , we noticed the prevalence of sombre colours , and the absence of that vulgar colouring and tinsel-work so common in ' China . Here the out-door dress of the

    ladies , and that of the poor girls at . the tea-gardens , and the wives of the tradespeople , was quiet in colour , however fine the texture might be ; and amongst the official dresses of the officers , black , dark blue , and black and white patterns , were the most general . Their houses and temples are likewise painted less gaudily than elsewhere in the East , and there was far less gilding about them . This peculiarity in Japanese taste was one of the first impressions received on our visiting Japan , and , like many first impressions , proved to be correct . "

    We wish we had space to describe the two bazaars—the Dutch and the Russian , but capital as are the materials ,, we have not the space . Our cruisers found that the Japanese were exceedingly imitative , and had cop ied all that we could produce in Europe . Their instructors were the Dutch . The people , it is added , " are an-activeminded , intelligent race , obedient to their own laws ; and obedience to them is the only limit they know when they serve or oblige the European . Two hundred years of peace have not made them scorn the sword as the best arbitrator of frauxl or injustice , and military rank is still held in high honour amoiicr them . '

    They are , verily , a marvellous people . The story of a contest between them and a Spanish galleon is indeed thrilling . The Japanese is . as brave as he is happy , and apparently invincible . " Under the seductive appearance of the Japanese Capua ( Nangasaki ) are fierce and bloody feelings , which a single spark may rouse into action . " Altogether , we have in these vivid pages a clearer idea of the place and its inhabitants than in any we have previously consulted . Japan is pronounced by the natives ^ . Nipon , forms one of three large islands , and gives its name

    to the empire . The records of the courage and daring of the Japanese vikings ( for such in the old time were they ) , read like those of the Danish invaders of Britain . Then : " vessels covered the seas / and spread terror along the coast of China for many thousands of ii . " The wonders that these marauders did were many and strange , but our limits permit us not to enlarge on their deeds , though valiant and duly narrated . Pages of delightful description take us to Ycdo . Up out of the sea , . and out of tliG mist , rose one startling novelty after another . " Huge batteries , big enough to delight the Czar Nicholas—temples—the Imperial palace—Yedo itself for the first time

    Governor could please himself—the would receive him if he came . If the Lieutenant-Governor called on Lord Elgin , would his Excellency receive him ? . Yes . —This was all the chief officer had to say ; his mission was a special one ; he begged to wish us good morning , meroly adding that the Governor of Nangasaki hoped the Ambassador would kindly accept a small presont which would shortly be sent . The presont arrived shortly afterwards—a stout ccb-built pig of throe hundredweight i and such a quantity of pumpkins ! It looked at first very like a joke ; ihdcod , the infernal music of an animal never seen alive on board a man-of-war , added to the comicality of the affair . "

    This , it must bo confessed , is first-rate writing . We have not yet had such a Japanese book . Assuredly , we shall get along with' this ! After describing the construction of Japanese houses , and that there was hardly one without a garden , we are told that , after all , the most striking thing iu the city " was that every man , woman , and child looked hnppy and contented . " They have learned tlio secret of social life in Jnpan j that is ovident . All met our officers " With 11 friendly smije , or a good-natured look of amazement , at either our brilliant buttons , our shining boots , or some other phenomenon oxhibitod

    curving round the Bay—all looked upon from the decks of a foreign man-of-war The four square-rigged vessels proved to be Japanese men-of-war , and when wo had brought theni , as well as the batteries , thoroughly under command of our guns , the Furious and the Retribution anchored in twenty-four foot water ,, as well as the little yacht Emperor , that under a press of sail and steam had been fruitlessly trying to overtake the larger vessels , since wo entered tho Gulf . Shade of Will Adams ! at last the prayer of the earnest old sailor , that his countrymen might reap wealth and advantage from commercial relationswith Japan , was about to bo fulfilled ! Two'hundred and fifty-eight yoars had elapsed since ho , and his halfwrecked ship , had lain nigh tho very spot in which we were ; and now his countrymen had come in

    and with what advantage to themselves . The description of Yedo itself we are compelled to pass over , with many a pleasant incident , curious portrait , or interesting group . Everybody looked well washed , contented , merry . In the doorways women abounded , who had succeeded in making themselves as ugly as sin , in spite of their good eyes , glossy hair , and a jocund look . They were married women , who had sacrificed their teeth and eyebrows to insure their poor husbands against the pangs of jealousy . K " ot a beggar was to be seen . Some Buddhist priests were serenading a house , in hope of reward .. Take the following : — _ - . . * * ^ ¦ . ' ^ . _ . ^ . . ' ^ . '

    "We had been told that there was an especial quarter set apart for the dwellings of tho nobles ; bat their numbers or property exceeded the pre ^ scribed limits , for in our ride we constantly went past a long extent of houses , and then came suddenly upon an interval of paling or wall which enclosed the establishment of some Japanese baron and his many retainers or serfs . Herds of these fellows would collect and stare at us , and pass their remarks , all of which we were told were made on the erroneous supposition that we were Chinese traders , people whom the Japanese hold in utter contempt . These serfs or slaves are the propertyof the noblemnch in the same manner as in Russia .

    , and are turned to similar profit . It was strange to find a nobleman living in the heart of a great city , surrounded by these retainers , and it recalled to mind the feudal days of our own country , to which age , indeed , much that we saw in Japan carried back our thoughts . At a small bridge thrown over a canal or creek , which we crossed , the suburbs commenced , the boundary being merely conventional , for there was no change in the number of the houses and streets . Instead of shops , every house —and they were quite of the better order- ^ was a place of entertainment ; tea-house and restaurant succeeded one another in endless numbers ; and up the streets , whicli branched off , all seemed of this not in

    same character . We were long discovering that this was the particular quarter in which all the courtesans of Yedo are by law obliged to reside , — not as a mark of disgrace , or because they are considered outcasts ; for , far otherwise , the law acknowledges this course of life as the legitimate resource of the penniless . They are said to be the best educated and most polished women in Japan , and some of them have obtained historical eminence for their beauty and talents . Marriages are constantly made from amongst them , and it is the generally received opinion amongst the Japanese men that they make the best housekeepers , and their society is not shunned by any one , whether ladies or gentlemen . The social errors of Japan , and elsewhere in the

    South Seas , it is , however , unadvisablc to _ dilate upon in English publications ; but it is tmjust to measure their morality by the codes of Christian nations : suflSce it that infidelity on the part of married women in . Japan is almost unknown ; but that polygamy , concubinage , and prostitution , are the custom of the people . Those who have any curiosity on such a subject will find , in the works of Kpemper and Siebold , much that is strange ; but , they should remark that both theso writers relate details of customs which are startling to Europeans , without giving the causes whicli havo brought about such a system 5 and that , deplorable as the morality of Japan may be , they havo travelled to little purpose in the far East who know not of social conditions worse than this . * *

    "It was wonderful to see tho thousand useful as well as ornamental purposes' to winch , paper was applicable in the hands of those industrious anil tasteful people ; our papier-macho nuinufaelurors , as well as tho Continental ones , should uo to xcclo to loam what can be done with pupo * . Wo saw it mado into material so closely resembling llussian and Morocco leather and pig-skin , that it wii 3 _ very difficult , to detect tho diu"eronco . With tho md of lnokor-varnJsh and skilful . painting , paper mado ¦ exoollent trunks , tobacco-bags , cigar-cases , « wu »| os , teloaoopo-easos , tho frames of microscopes 11 ami » o even saw and usod oxoollont watorproo m > its made of simp 0 paper , whicli did koop out tho rain , and woi'cassunnlS as tho best mackintosh . The . 1 apanoso use nStffiilk nor cotton hnudkorol . loft . tovrola . I , , , mnor in their hands sowos as an excel ont

    subatituto It is soft , thin , tough , of a palu youow coloi r very plentiful and vory ohoap . Tlio inner wau " of many a Jopanoso apartment aro formed of mi or being nothing more than painto . l swoons : B windows are covered with a flno translucent description 6 f the same material : it enters largely into tho manufacture of noarly everything in a Japanese houBohold ; and wo saw what soomodballs of twino , which wore nothing but long ftliroas of touffh paper rolled up . If a ehopkoopor had a Diircol to tio up , ho would talco a strip of paper , roll It quickly bqtwooh his hands , and uso it for tho purposo , and it was quite as strong na the ordinary

    earnost . They hold tho empire of the cast , and had won the wealth of all the Indies ; and tho arms of England , and the skill of her ambassador , had thrown down all the barriers set up by China against foroign trade or intercourse . Great Britain , in those two hundred nncUwenty-flve yoars which had iutorvonod since her cessation of commerce with Japan , had oarofiilly paved tho way to tho point at which it was no longer . possiblo to tolerate tlio oxclueiveness of an important and woalthy ompiro j and an English squadron and an English ambassador woro ' now off tho capital of Japan , tho bearers , it is truo , of a message of good-will , but yet to show , in a way not to bo mistaken , that tho hour liad arrived for Japan to yield to reason , or to bo propared to suflbr , as tho court of 1 ' ekin had done , for ts obstinner . "

    Tho visit to their shin of two Japanese interprotors showed how well prepared the Japanese jovermnout wns to hold intercourse with England ,

    in the gorgeous attire of a British naval omcor . Tho labouring portion of tho nuilo population docidedly took llttlo anxious care for their raimentu piece of cotton cloth , a yard long and six inches wide , constituting their general nttiro t and many of the children might huvo just escaped from Eden , ao innocent were they of any clothing . Laughing and coaxing , they camo unhesitatingly up to us , bogging in their naturally pretty way , for uuttons , "Ccvsul , button ? ' ' Casal button ?* It was irresistible , and wo gave all wo could spare ; but what those lUtle urchins woro going to do with buttons , Boeing they hud noithor rag nor ornament upon them , was a puzzlo to us . Tho grown-up wojnon fvoro modostly attired in dark-coloured garments ,

    What To Themselves No. *™ *™. 2"- 1859.1...

    No . *™ *™ . 2 " - 1859 . 1 THE LEADER . 967 ' 1 ^~^~ im ^^^—^^ m iff W ^ JPM ^ BSWBW ^^^^^***^^^ - — .. ^ fc ^*^ - ^ . ^*^^^ ^^^ " ^^^^^^ ¦ ' ' ' \ ¦

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 20, 1859, page 19, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_20081859/page/19/