The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-03-10
Views from the Far East.

Extract of letter from an officer IN Me United States
ship V'ncsnnes family N Washington, dated
| g CANTON, October 81, 1916.
Since sending my last letter, (for have written ma
ny) we have visited many ports. First, went to
Annoy one Of the five ports open o Foreigners it is We
ry poor and is certainly the most filthy place was
in the result OF which is that last year. twenty thousand
persons died with the plague Yet they not be miss
eds the houses still appear too fnl for elbow room and
free circulation Of air m The English have consulate
here-we have none. The next place we visited was
Shanghai the most promising Of the five ports it is stu
aed in the midst Of the tea districts and WILL is thought,
s sf @ q reaS
their imported goods which is great considerations is
very healthy also, Ice is abundant; many splendid
the seeses Of splendid European pa S e IN I the
visited it. We went upin one Of the China boats, from
ever felt, six Of us damned into hole that would not
conveniently contain two and afraid to go out of the
shade afforded by this kind Of house for fear OF sun
this black hole OF Calcutta, from five in the morning
to four in the evening and when we were released by
our arrival at Ningppo, we were nearly dead'from ex
hauston However, we managed to dress ourselves aud
sally forth Ningpoo is decidedly the finest Chinese
town have mot saying great deal for m the streets
are broad and kept clean the houses large and airy
the people, too have different appearance from those Of
Cantonbeing clean, contented, and polite; AS You are
aware, this place taken by the English, and in an
four Or five thousand Of them were slain II was here
ALSO that they made their first attempt at propellers for
their junks they had two wheels side which were
made revove by crank Of some kind rugged inside
they managed 10 get five miles hour out OF them.
81 went over from Ningpoo to Chusan, the island Ia
ken by the Engsh and held until within the last
three months. The Chusan group are considered the
finest portion of land Of the empire, and is, heard the
! brhrght Of the Emperors favorite daughter,
From Chusan we joined the Columbus and sailed for
Japan where arrived about the 18th of July AS soon
made the land we heard guns fired along the coast
and when got to the entrance of Jeddo bay we found
number of boats awaiting us we were soon over
halp hxth tho
ways stern ladders and every other place OF ngcss 10
the ship They Were nearly all armed with sword and
long dagger-boh as sharp as razors-and in fne order
They endeavored by signs to get anchor; but the
commodore withstood their entreates for tme but
finally anchored about thirty miles from the city The
country is mountainous but fertile and highly cultivated
The allest mountain have ever seen is in Japan This
race resemble the Chinese somewhathey much more
manly and ahlelca mans Importance not being IN pro.
portion to his corpuency the with the Chinese
North American Indian Their dress consists of fancy
silk shirt and pants the latter tying round the ankle the
foot is covered by black cloth buskin; they have also
surcoat of brghcoored cloth without sleeves and richly
embroidered with gold or silver wire their hat like
round tray than anything else can compare tomosl
beautifully acquered Their currency is both silver and
copper; the former is square CON- worth about forty
cents. endeavored TO get a piece, as well as other
things, but persuasion bride would tempt them to
part with the most trifng article. Whenever attempt
made they would draw their hand across their neck
sgnfying that their heads would pay the penalty Of any
such procedure suppose you have learned from Com
BIS dispatches that the expedition complete fail
ure. They gaze everything we wanted, and told us
to go away The boats that had served guard us
ed outthere were about $50 OF them, averaging about
twelve men TO each. Com b., when the from the
Emperor was brought by of his high digntaries in
stead of letting HIM board the Columbus
jumped into his barge about o'clock in the morning
and pulls to his boat when he arrives the sentry beckons
him off; the commodore, nothing runted, dashes and
Jumps up the side; the sentry very cooy gives him
shove and throws him fiat his back in the boat the
time pointing to his sword The commodore left in
high dudgeon. The affair afterwards arranged to
the entire satisfaction of the commodore
1T is decided that we proceed Immediately home, by
the way of Cape OF Good Hope and you may expect to
see me almost as soon you receive this. Am de-
lighted"