, 1852-09-11


val depot but as they have not yet found
any use for a navy, their vessels are on'y
in The rough material, AMI oed away Tor
emergencies
The kolansa Or prison is here. The name
means in the japanese, he'll; it has one hun
dred dungeons and cages The history Of
these few cites gives fair Outline of the
whole empire. Their private dwellings are
small, but neat end ornamental, with snail
gardens; in this they excel, as they are the
very best Of honicullurists A few feet Of
ground are tVrned TO The very besleadyar-
tage, as the japanese understand, pc. fectly,
the art of dwarfng plants, trees, fruits, flow
err They use neither tables, bedsteads, nor
chairs but sit, eat, and sleep, like mJst east
ern nations, on mats.
Almost the first accomplishment learned
By them is the ant and grace of suicide the
child in the nusrery stabs itself with its fin
ger ora stick, and falls back initiative of
death the lover cuts out his intestincs be-
fore his obdurate mistress, and the latter
pours out her hearts blood in the face other
flithless lover the criminal executes him
self; and, in fact, the whole nation, from
early yonth, reyels in the luxury of suicide
Their trade is, at present, under great re-
strictions, as they only trade with the Chi
ncsc and Dutch. The latter have always
fostered, cherished, and increased the preju-
dices Of the Japanese against all othert ma
tons, particularly the French, English aud
Portuguese.
The mechanics hnd manufacturers in Jap
an excel in their different branches, and
are even far superior to the Chinese Their
silks aad cottons are excellent, and their Jap
pan ware and porcelain unequaled. Their
exports are raw and manufactured silks,
iron, steel, artificial metals, furs, teas, finer
than the Chinese, Japan ware, gold. silver,
copper, gums, medicila lal herls, roots, dia-
monds, pearls, coral, shells, ambergris, &c
Whatever goods the Japanese want, they
pay for in gold and silver.
The japanese worship the two principal
gods Xaca and Amida. At Macao there is
a sially temple, built to one of these gods ;
it is of freestone, as large as ST. Pau's, with
an arched roof, supported by heavy pillars.
in which stands an idol of copper, which
reaches as high as the roof; and, according
10 description given by Sir. Thomas Her
bert, his chair is seventy feet high and eigh-
ty feet long the head is big enough to hold
fifteen men, and the thumb is forty inches
in circumference. There is another statue
called after the god Dadio, made of copper,
twenty-five feet high, in a sitting posture.
This shows that the japanese understand the
art of working in bronze, and they are far
ahead Of Christian nations in this particular
They allow polygamy, aud they often stran-
gle heir female children, but never the
males. The nobility extract the two front
teeth, and supply them with two of gold.
The principal rivers are the Ujingava and
Askaglva-the former so rapid and wide
that bridge cannot be built over it; the
latter remarkable for its depth and perpelu-
Ia fluctuations. The chief lake, called Cilz,
is 100 miles long and 81 wide. A large val
ley exists in tho interior, filled with car.
obnic gas, and called the Valley ofthe Upas
1t is covered with the skeletons of numcr
Gus wild and tame beasts and birds. The
Emperor, it is said, often sent criminals to
the valley to bring away a precious gem Of
nestimable value, and the bones ofmen also
whithen its deadly sides.
Acidulated lakes and thermal springs are
Common throughout several of the Islands
Their great source Of opulence are their
mines of gold and silver but thep have no
anlimony, calamine, sal tmmoniac, borax,
or cinnebar, (quicksilver) These articles
are in demand, and bring high price.
Birds, and every kind of ducks and pouliy
arc plenty compton tees are abundant, and
the cedars are the finest in the world. Few
leouctrrs open so fair 6sld as the Islands
of Japan, for botanical and geographical re-
search. Il is not necessary here to enter
into detailed statistical account Of the com
merce Of Japan. A direct trade with that
empire would increase the commerce fthis
country about 100000, 700 snnualy, if not
more.
II has always been 10 contemplation with
this country to make an effort to open di-
rect trade with Japan. Commodore Porter,
as far back as ISIS, addressed letter TO
Mr.. Monroe on the subject II was intend
ed TO fit out frigate and two sloops of-war,
and place them under his command Sub
s5quent events prevented the consummalion
OF this design, but il has been revived from
time to time, without being carried OUT
Bat a few years ago, the undersigned drew
the attention of Hon. ]. Y. Mason to the
subject, by the Recommendation of steam
line 10 China, with view of incidental COM
mercid intercourse, and finally, direct trade
with Japan. ltwould require but small efforts
TO accommercial Intercourse with so shrewd a
Peopl as the Japanese, who are alive to
cog.marcial feelings. A steam line direct
from New York to the Islhmus being al
ready in existence, it is an easy matter to
continue it to The galapagos. which islands
abound in coal; thence TO the Marqucsas,
and on 10 shanghi or Jeddo.
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