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    « There was soon a general flurry , for theJapanese appeared to have been waiting for their Dutch Minds to awake , to inquire if we might be visaed . Japanese officials , with pockets full of paper , pens and ink , hurried off-jolly good-natured-looking fellows , Always ready to Laugh , and ™ J&P £ ™ £ resembling more the Kanaka ^ ces of the bouth feea Islands than the Chinese we had left behind us Their dress , in some respects , was Cmnese , and their language sounding very like a nature of fhe discordancy of that most discordant of languages , andtL soft liquid sounds of the Kanaka tongue . But how thev interrogated us I—what was the ship s Ambassador titles

    name , our name , the s —everybody ' s name and ace— everybody ' s rank and business—what did we want—whither were we goingwhence did we come—how many ships were coining —where was our Admiral ? Indeed , a Russian custom-house agent , or a British census paper could not have put more astounding questions , whether in number or nature , than did these Nangasaki reporters . We were as patient as naval officers , or angels , may usually be supposed to be under such circumstances ;—answered all their questionsallowed them to see , touch , smell , and hear everything , except the . British Ambassador , who was in his cabin—and then dismissed them with a glass of

    sherry and a biscuit . The captain arid hrst-heutenant 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 , wero very well behaved , but asked exactly the same questions , and went exactly through the same 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 thej r 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 he couple the representative of the majesty of Great Britain , with some superintendent of trade ? The chief officer apologised ; 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 winch 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 Nanga-Did he

    saki ? No ; he had not tinie to do so . expect the Governor to wait upon him ? The Governor could please himself—the Ambassador would receive him if he came If the Lieutenant-Govornor 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 , merely adding that the Governor of Nangasaki hoped the Ambassador woxild kindly accept a small present which would shortly be sent , The present arrived shortly afterwards—a stout cob-built pig of three hundredweight ; and such a quantity of pumpkins I It looked at first very like a joke ; indeed , the infernal music of an animal never seen alive on board n . man-of-war , added to the comicality of the affair . "

    Tins , it must bo confessed , is first-rate , writing . We have not yot had such a Japanese book . Assuredly , wo shall get along with this ! After describing : tlio construction of Japanese houses , and that " there wns hardly one without a garden , we avo toM that , after all , the most striking thing in the city " wns that every man , woman , nnd child looked hnppy and contented . " They have learned the secret of social life in Jnpan ; that is evident . All met our officers "With afriondly smile , or a . good-natured look of amazement , at either our brilliant buttons , our shining boots , or some other phenomenon oxhibitocl naval officer

    in tho gorgeous attire of a British . The labouring portion of tho mulo population decidedly took littlo anxious carp for their raimonta pioce of cotton cloth , a yard long and six inches wjdo , constituting their general attire ; and many of tho oliildrou might have just escaped from Eden , so innocent M-cro they of any clothing . Laughing and coaxing , they came unhesitatingly up to us , bogging in their naturally pretty way , for buttons , 1 Caaul button ? ' ' Cassl button ? ' It was irroalatible , and wo gave all wo could sparo ; ' but what those little urchins woro going 1 to do with buttons , seeing they had neither rag nor ornament upon them , was a puzzle to us . Tho grown-up women wero modostly altlrod in dark-coloured garments ,

    and with what advantage to themselves . The . description of Yedo itself we are compelled to pass 6 ver , with many a pleasant incident , curious portrait , or interesting group . Everybody looked well washed , contented , merry . In the doorways women abo unded , 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 eyebrdws to insure their poor husbands against the pangs of jealousy . Not 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 nn especial quarter set apart for the dwellings of the nobles ; but their numbers or property exceeded the prescribed limits , for in our ride we constantly went past a long extent of houses , and then came suddenly- u-pou 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 property of the noble , mrich 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 , which branched off , all seemed of this in

    same character . We were not 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 xnen that theymake 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 to dila

    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 wns far less gilding about them . This peculiarity in Japanese taste was one of the first impressions received on pur 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 l

    cruisers found that the Japanese were exceedingy imitative , and had copied all that we could produce in Europe . Their instructors were the Dutch . The people , it is . added , " are an activemindecl , 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 fraud or injustice , and military rank is still held in high honour amonir 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 ,

    ibrins 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 . Their " vessels covered the seas , and spread terror along the coast of China for many thousands of li . " 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 Yedo . Up out of the sea , and out . of the mist , rose one startling novelty after another .

    South Seas , it is , however , ^ inadvisable te upon in English publications ; but it is unjust to measure their morality by the codes of Christian nations : ' suffice 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 Kscmper and Siebold , much that is strange ; but , they should remark that both these writers relate details of customs which are startling to Europeans , without- giving the causes which have brought about such a system ; and that , deplorable as the morality of Japan may be , they havo travelled to little purpose in tho far East who know not ofsocml conditions worse than this . * *

    " Huge batteries , big enough to delight the Czar Nicholas—temples—the Imperial palace—Yedo itself curving round the Bay—all for the first -time looked upon from the decks of a foreign man -of- war J The four square-rigged vessels proved to be Japanese men-of-war , and when we had brought thorn , as well as the batteribs , thoroughly under command of our guns , the Furious and the Retribution anchored in twenty-four feet water , ns well as tho little yacht Emperor , that under a press of sail and steam had been fruitlessly trying to overtake tho larger vessels , since we entered the Gulf . Shade of Will Adams ! at last tlie prayer of the earnest old sailorthat his countrymen might reap

    " It was wonderful to soe the thousand useful as woll as ornamental purposes to which paper was applicable in the hands of those industrious ana tasteful people ; our papier-inucho manufacturers , as well as the Continental ones , should uo to Yedo to learn what can be dono with paper . Wo saw ic made into material so closely resembling Russian and Morocco leather and pigrskin , that it was very difficult to detect the . difference . With tho aid . lacker-varnish and skilful painting , pnper made excellent trunks ,-tobacco-bags , cignr-ensos , Buddies , teloscope-casos , tho frames of microscopes ^ wid » even saw and used excellent Vatorpro » f coats mado of s niplo paper , which did Jcedp out tl . o rain , and wore asBupplo as tlio best mackintosh . I ho Japanese use neither silk nor cotton l . nndkorchiete , towels , ov £ «* nr « , .. anor in thoirhands serves as an excel ont of

    , wealth and advantage from commercial relationswith Japan , was about to bo fulfilled ! Two hundred and fifty-eight years hud elapsed since ho , and his halfwrecked ship , had lain nigh tho very spot in which we wero ; and now his countrymen had come in earnest , They held the empire of tho oast , and had won tho wealth of all the Indies ; and tho arms of England , and tho skill of her ambassador , had thrown down all tho barriers set up by China against foreign trade or intercourse . Great Britain , in those two hundred and twenty-live years which had

    intervened since her cossation of commerce with Japan , had carefully' paved the way to the point at which it was no longer pos ' siblo to tolerate tho oxelusivoness of nn important and wealthy empire » and an English squadron and an English ambassador woro now oil' tho capital of Jnpan , tho bearers , it is truo , of a message of good-will , but yot to show , in a way not to bo mistaken , that tho hour had arrived for Japan to yield to reason , or to bo prepared to suiT ' or , as tho court of Polrin had dono , for its obstlnaoy . "

    , ¦ ubitituto It is soft , thin , tough , a imo ya uojr colour , vory plentiful and very ohoap . I ho inner walls of many a Japanese apartment aro ioruiod of la . cr being nulling moro than painlo . l swoons : tS windows are oovorod irltli ufino translucent description of the snmo material i it ontors . largely into the manufacture of nortrly everything m a . Japanese household 5 and wo saw what soornud balls o twino , which wore nothing but long shreds of touch l / apor rollod up . If a . shopkeeper had a imrool to tlo up , ho would take a strip of punor , roll ft auiokly botweon his hands , and use it for tho purpose and it was quito as strong us the ordinary

    Tho viait to thoir shin of two Japanese mtorprcters showed how wall prcpnrod the Japancso jovornmout wns to hold intercourse ) with England ,

    Untitled Article

    ^ . n , A , t » . 20 . 1859 . 1 T H E L E A D E . B . - 967

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 20, 1859, page 967, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2308/page/19/