The Sun.
London, England, 1861-02-28 00:00:00

THE NUN BEGGAR.

" Those who are charitably disposed may well satisfy
their hearts, for the race of beggars is legion. One tribe of
these have their heads shaven, and to it belong some of the
most comely damsels in Japan, who are of the order bikuni,
that is, nuns. All of these girls are attached to some one
of the many nunneries at Meaco, or elsewhere, to which
houses they pay a portion of their earnings, by begging
and otherwise, as an acknowledgment. The greater part
of them are the daughters of poor parents, so that when I
say, further, that none but those who are handsome are ad-
mitted into the order, it will serve as another proof of the
ungodliness and immorality of these people, whose inno-
cence has been so much overpraised by the Jesuit fathers,
and others of later date, who have written letters, but
therein have unfairly said nothing of these things, nor that
some of them are bred up as courtesans, but, having served
the time for which they were apprenticed, buy the privilege
of entering into this religious order, there to spend the re-
mainder of their lives and beauty ; and the following is the
fashion after which they pursue their calling
" They live two or three together, and make an excursion
every day a few miles from their houses, when they watch
for people of rank who travel in norimons, tangos, or on
horseback, and, facing one of these, they accost him, sing-
ing rural songs; and thus they procure so much money,
that although their heads are shaven after the fashion of
their order, they are enabled to dress themselves in caps or
hoods of black silk, with a large hat and rich quilted gowns,
that the loss of hair is not noticed."

Would space permit we might cite many curious
traits of the Japanese character, but we must
conclude after safely disposing of Melichor. He,
of course, falls in love, is a dozen times on the
point of being crucified or put out of his misery in
many ways, he is mixed up in various political
conspiracies, and is either saved by one party or the
other, as his fate directs, but in the end he
settles at the Dutch factory at Nangasaki (this is
a fact, an individual of that name who landed in
Japan in company with Will Adams was at the
Dutch settlement at the period referred to in the
tale), and after attending the death-bed of his
friend he returned to his own country. Such
is our tale, and for novelty of scene and character
must prove highly attractive to all.

The Archbishop of Canterbury has consented to
preach on the morning of Sunday next at St. Matthew's
Church, Spring-gardens, in aid of the National Society for
promoting the education of the poor in the principles of the
Church of England.
MURDER OF AN AMERICAN CAPTAIN. The
American ship General Parkhill, Captain Pyke, sailed from
Liverpool on Monday last for Charleston, and had pro-
ceeded as far as Holyhead, when a disturbance took place
on board between the officers and men, the cause of which
has not as yet transpired, but which, melancholy to relate,
terminated in the captain being stabbed to death, and the
chief mate being severely injured, he having received no
less than five wounds. The ship returned to port last even-
ing, and on the news of the affray reaching the Prince's
Landing-stage, information was immediately despatched to
the Central Police-station, when Inspector Carlisle and a
body of police went on board, and brought the crew (eleven
in number) on shore, and lodged them in the main bride,.
well.--Lii pool .Post.