The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1847-03-20
Number 81.

course oecohe poWeress before opposition of
such a character. Suicide is said TO be COM
mon among this nation. 1t was evident during
the visits fthe American ships, that the Japa-
nese were not DESTROYS Of exhibiting TO their
visitors any refined specimens of their artjstieaI
or manufacturing skill, or of giving them an
exalted opinion of the productions and resour-
ces the country The presents lett on board.
as described in our last, were all of aninferior
order, and not calculated to awaken any COM
m erca avarice OF the few articles of curios-
ity procured, nothing whatever was purchas-
ed. Some few things were left as if forgotten
The uniform of the officers that boarded the
Columbus, was OF a singular description, resem-
bling somewhat female attire, according to A
merican ideas rather than military or even
male costume. ESQ fair aud youthful were some
of these gentlemen, thai were it not for the two
sw ords they each wore, they would have read
lily been mistak en- for women. The military
wore metallic armor, protecting the BODY and
limbs 1t was richly Japaned and very flexible.
On the back of each individual were the ar
mortal bearings of the chief or clan to which
he belonged. These were painted in circles,
and exhibited much intricacy OF design and
heradic knowledge.
In one of the drawings of these, which thro'
the politeness of DR.. GuiElon we were permitted
to examine on board the Columbus, we notic-
ed as the centre symbol perfect Roman cross
This is the more singular as the cross-has been
for centuries at Japan an object of national
contempt The japanese officers exhibited the
greatest senstiveness in allowing the Ameri-
cans to look at their swords, the blades of
which were of exceeding keenness and deIica-
cy, .ivalling in appearance and quality, the
best Damascene There is saying among them
that Japanese arms and valor are nseperably
united, and they cannot part with the former
without a dlminution of the latter. 1t was
with evident reluctance, therefore, that they
allow the blades of their side arms to be seen
at all, and no indncement could have procured
one, They all carried two, one a large two
handed weapon, the other smaller and intended
for closer quarters. In poteness, the japanese
gentlemen were not to be excelled. They
generally, while on board, eat of their own
fooo, but were gratfied with wines or liquors.
On the first night of arrival, the vsiters mani
tested strong desire to sleep on board but be-
ing given to understand that such liberty was
contrary to the rules of the ship, they good ma
turedly left. The progress of the Columbus and
Incennes along the coast wasfully telegraph
ed TO the capital, and every measure for their
reception probably decided upon before their
arrival. The Japanes were anticipating the
arrival of the French when the mericaa squa-
dron left. Either from design or want,of better
means, the Japanese exhibited but barbarous
management in their method Of watering the
ship. The nei.hboriug inhabitants seemed to
be ordered en- mass 10 supply the vessels, and
they came Oliver much as the natives here
DO to similar work.
Hundreds of boats of all kinds were put in
requisiton by the lower orders. The water
was brought off in pals, buckets, tubs, or what
ever containers each family could supply, each
boat at first bringing but small quantity. No
Junks Of over sixty or seventy tons were seen,
and these carried one large main mast, with
one sail. All the boats had heraldic flags sim
classes he boats were propelled by souls,
The boatmeH are represented as fine, athletic
race, possessing uncommon!y good muscular
oPcments throughout, which is owing to
their manner OF standing TO propeL their boats,
By which exercise all the muscles are equally
Brought into play. The rich are said to &C
custom their children to coarse raiment, that
their pride or vanity MAY not be sti lulated BY
too tlne an appearance. The saips lay not very
Tar from the shore, near battery, about four
miles from point, round which, at distance
OF 10 miles, lay Jeddo, or as they pronounced it
! Yedo. The Government continues under two
distinct heads, an ecclesiastical and civil, tho
the former is, we believe, rather puppet in
the hands of the latter 1t is purely despotc
aud the exclusive policy rs no doubt solely
that OF the rulers The cummnn people would
undoubtedly be pleased with foreign inter-
co lrse, but the authorities could not maintain
their present sanguinary disposition, were the
country to become free to foreigners and their
commerce. Saouid any dissentions arise in
the empire, party may be found to invoke
foreign interference, and in that way Japan
may DC opened to the void. The Japanese
ladies' are said to be well educated, and to visit
freely in society, without the restraint that is
on the sex in China. We give these particu-
lars as we have gathered them in conversation,
so any information from this unknown land is
OF interest to readers generally The most au-
thentic Information is derived from the Dutch
authors, who accompanied the embassies over
land from Nangasacki to Jeddo. In China, es-
pecially at the Northern cities, the American
squadron received marked attention and hospi-
l tality from the Chinese authorities. There ap-
pears to be general impression in favor of the
/ Americans along the whole coast, probably
from the fact that, while their commerce is
valuable to the Chinese they have suffered
nothing from them in war.
NovEl IDEA.-A sailor of rather irreligious
Z turn Of mind. during a storm at sea, concluded