Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-02-14
From the Honolulu Friend, November l.
IsnE aAlsaar Hrnrnn In rAalA.

! From the Honolulu Friend, November l.
/ Interesting from Japan.
Several shipwrecked Japanese being at Honolulu
we requested one of them, who has acquired an ex
Icellent knowledge of onr language, to make US q
visit accompanied by of his countrymen, lately
/ brought hither We shall first introduce our rea
ders to the interpreter, John Mung. This person
with four others, was taken, ten years ago. from a
desolate and uninhabited island, where they had
been cast, and where they had lived for one hun.
dred and eight days on sea fowls. They were
brought to Honolulu by Capt. W. H. Whitfield, Of
the Pacific. Four of the number remained here, one
having died. John Mung was taken by Capt. W. tc
the United States, where he learned the cooper's
trade, and enjoyed good opportunity for going to
school His education is highly respectable. He
has been one whaling voyage, and them with the
ing his expectations, he to the islands, in
dulging the long-chershed hope that he might OBJ
passage to his native shores tits his ambition
to command junk, and navigate, her with compass
and quadrant, and show his Japanese countrymen
that the IS outside barbarians' understand naviga-
ton-which science he has acquired sufficient for all
practical purposes. Would that his fond wish might
be gratifed
On Mr. Mungs arrival at Honolulu, he learned
I that there was fresh arrival of his shipwrecked
countrymen and for whom he is prepared to act as
interpreter. By his aid We learned the following
facts respecting the Japanese, taken from Junk, by
Capt. Clark, Of the Henry Kneeland, the 22d of
April, in IS deg north latitude and 155 deg. east
longitude.
Teenzumoly was the name of the junk, command
ed by Capt Husky with Mr.. Kekuzero for mate
There were thirteen, all told, board the junk
We may as well state Kekuzero, the mate has fur
nished us the minutes from his 81 og,n and we have
no doubt that he has noted down the facts in true
japanese nautical style. But to proceed, MIR Mung
acting interpreter and Mr.. Kekuzero debating to
him. The Teezumolly was owned by soldier or
,&oI &c
small island southwest from Niphorn. The name
| of the island-our was too dull to catch the
sound, although part of the name we aver was
Nipung|. The two is twice the size of Honolulu
| the people are farmers and fishermen only two
junks were owned there, but plenty of fishing
boats rice is the principal product besides all kinds
of vegetable products. Both junks were owned by
the Hon. Mr.. Soumung. The Teenzumolly had
taken cargo of rice to Yeddo, discharged the same
received payment partly in silver and partly in pa
per money Eve have seen specimens of both for
the paper money, it appears as well as any ever
saw and started on her homeward passage, ordina-
ry of only three days. but overtaken by adverse
winds Their supply of water was exhausted at the
] end of sixteen days, and their rice at the end of
twenty-six. They were then reduced to some refuse
fsh-scales and occasional showers, but by the
ciful of Divine Providence all were preserved
until at the end of sixty days, their junk rudderess
and dismasted, fell in with the H. Kneeland, Capt.
| Clark, who took them all on board his vessel and
supplied their wants. They cherish the most CRATE
full feelings towards Capt Clark and his ships COM
pany. Subsequently, Capt. Clark delivered six of
them to the Russian authorities at Petropaulaski,
under the promise that they should be returned to
Japan. Two were taken by Capt. Sherman, of the
Nimrod, and two by Capt. Divoll of the Marengo.
There is an impression abroad that Japanese if
taken back to their country, will be put to death
We are positively assured BY Mr. Kekuzero through
the interpreter Mr. Mung that this is not the fact
He asserts that should any vessel take them back to
their native village the inhabitants would rejoice
hail the vessel, and would put on board supply of
fresh recruits, without charge. We hope soon to
learn that some man-of-war merchant vessel or
whole ship, is bound thither the benevolent err
rand of restoring these unfortunate persons their
country and home. Referring to their home lea,s
to the remark that seven of these married. and
their families reside in the village where their junk
| was owned.
Our Yankee propensity of asking questions, was
wonderfully excited in interview with Mr.. Ke-
kuzero, for we found that he could furnish much
valuable information respecting the Japanese islands,
and the customs of the people The Following facts
we record respecting his native village containing
sixty idol temples, which. according to his account
are full of goods. Every temple is presided by
priest, who acts erofcio as school teacher. The
children of ALL both rich and poor, attend school
together, and nearly all the inhabitants can read
and write The people all taxed for the sup
port of the temples-every farmer paying about five
bushels of rice per acre. We asked - how do the
| laws punish the thief!' Our informant replied :
For the first and second offence the thief is imprs-
oned, but for the third his head is cut straight Off
! " How do they punish the murderer!'' -. His head
cut off direct" were the words of the interpreter
AS for marriage, a man is allowed but one wife
but if she does not please her husband he send
her back to her fathers house. with the consent of
the old people otherwise the husband must support
her.
Touching the ideas of future state we learned
that the bad people believed to 60 to bad place
after death, and the good to good place. When a
person dies record is made of his name, and it is
hung up in the house of his friends, and the house.
hold have stated periods for praying to the spirits of
the departed. In Japan there six principal
sacred days, including New Year, which occurs in
January
| SU1c1DE.--Mr. J. L. Parker, who kept store in
the McRae buildings, on Person street, found,
on Thursday afternoon last hanging by the neck to
door in the second story of the house, perfectly
dead. A Irvine string, doubled round his neck,
and extended the ton of the door and then fs=