The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-04-23

nually resting themselves In order to smoke their
pipes.
there arc in nature, nor how many of them tho Ja-
paneso have, but saw various kinds of prepared
tobacco among them, from the most pleasant to the
most disgusting. They cut both the good and the
bad tobacco very small, as the Chinese do. In tho
manufacture of the better sort, they use sagi to
moisten it, and sell II in papers which weigh about
q Russian pound The Japanese consider the tobacco
from Sasma the best, then, that from NGngasaky.
Sunday, &c The worst comes from the province of
Txyngaru; it is strong, of black color, and has
disgusting taste and smell. The tobacco from
Sasma is indeed, alss strong, but it has an agreca
BILE taste and smell, and is Of bright yellow color.
The tobacco from Nangasaky is very weak, in taste
and smell perhaps the best, and Of bright brown
color. The tobacco from Sunday is very good, and
was always given us to smoke The Japanese manu-
facture tobacco well, that thought before no
friend to smoking, and even when was at Jamaica,
could but seldom persuade myself to smoke a Ha-
vana segar, yet / smoked the Japanese tobacco
very frequently, and with great pleasure. Snuff is
not used in Japan. But enough of this plant. !
could, indeed, for the pleasure Of gentlemen who
like smoking, write some sheets more on the article
of tobacco; for there nothing concerning which
we had such frequent opportunities TO with
the Japanese. The lterati, the interpreters, and
guards, all smoked, and used, too, different kinds
of tobacco, according to their respective taste or
ability Out of posteness, they frequently offered
us their tobacco and mentioned its name. In this
manner n conversation usually began upon tobacco,
which often lasted for hours together. We often
had no opportunity to speak of other more important
things, and, besides, the Japanese did not oil like
to converse upon them.
The Japanese horses are small and weak. They
resemble, in size farmers horses, but much
thinner, better shaped, and also more spirited, as
the japanese do not castrate them, but always ride
stations. The climate permits the horses as
well the horned cattle, always to eat grass; it IS
only on journeys, or after some hard labor, that a
little barley is given them. But in Matsmai and
v1Arn honl nf IN = N n
winter the inhabitants are obliged to lay up pro-
vision of hay. Among all the Japanese horses that
saw, we did not observe single white one, but
mostly dark brown. We, therefore, asked the Ja-
lanese if there were no white horses in their prin-
cipal island, and were answered that they were
very rarely met with. They have also large horses
in Japan, but the number Of them is very small.
The Japanese shoe their horses for they have
occasion to drive over ice and have no pavement
If they travel during the rainy season in mountain
Gus places, where it is slippery, they low pieces
of wood, of the size and shape of an oxs or horse
hoof. These pieces of wood are laid on the very
then iron nails are driven through the skin, with
large sharp heads, which serve instead of shoes,
when the skin is bound under the horses feet.
The horned cattle small and poor; for the
japanese do not give themselves much trouble
about feeding them, they use neither meat nor
milk.
Hemp grows in the northern provinces of Japan.
Wesaw some in Matsmai. | have already mentioned
The tree called kadzy grows in great abundance,
and is of the most important use to the inhabitants
The japanese explained to what kind of tree it
is, but never understood them sufficiently to de-
scribe it.
The Japanese possess, in several parts of the en-
pire, considerable gold and silver mines. The go
vernment, however, does not permit them all to be
worked, that the value Of these metals may not
be deprecated. The Japanese use gold and silver
for various purposes besides coin; their temples
ynfaA thncn nf
tinction wear sabres, with gold silver hits and
scabbards; rich people have gold and silver pipes;
many lackered articles such as table utensils, boxes,
screens, &C., are ornamented with gold and silver;
there is kind of gold and silver stuffs; nay, we
were told, that in the principal cities, there are
numerous public buildings with gilded roofs. In
the houses Of the princes and great people, there are
many ornaments of these metals, and the ladies fire.
qucntly wear gold and silver trinkets.
Japan has sufficient lead, tin, quicksilver, and
sulphur for the supply Of its wants. They cast not
only musket bullets, but even cannon balls of tin,
because they have had no wars for these two
hundred years; if it was with them as in Europe,
this luxury would soon cease. As for sulphur,
they have an island which is entirely covered with
it, and which, on account OF the hot springs. is
covered with constant vapor. This island is one
Of the seven wonders OF the Japanese empires all OF
which they named to us.
Having thus spoken of those productions of ia
pan which supply the chief wants of this enght-
ened people, proceed to those which administer
necessary. They the following:-
Diamonds and pearls, marble and other kinds OF
stone, the camphor tree, the varnish tree, fruit
trees, garden plants. various wild plants domestic
and wild animals, which are used by the japanese.
Japan produces precious stones, but of what
kinds we were not able to learn. The officers who
had seen the nuf-box, and other things. which the
japanese Kodai had received from the late Empress
Catharine III, and had brought with him to Japan,
said that there such stones in japan, as those
things ornamented with, but that the japanese
artists did not understand how to give them so
beautiful polish
Japan is rich in pearls, but we did not see any
remarkably large.
There are various kinds Of marble in Japan.
They showed us various articles made Of white
marble. with small blue veins and of another kind
of marble, like that with which Isaac's church, at
St. Petersburg is built They also showed us seals
made of cornelian, agate, jasper and other stones
with which am unacquainted. On the coasts of
the principalities of Nambu and Tzyngaru, there
found stones ofdiferent coors, and of the size
Of nut, which are SO washed by the waves that
they seem almost transparent, like crystal. The
japanese gave me twelve red and twelve white
stones of this kind to use at drafts, but the sailor,
whom ordered to take them with him, lost them.
Many japanese carry perfumes about them,
among which is camphor. They told us that in
the southern part Of Japan, the tree which pro-
duces it grows in such abundance, that notwith-
standing the great consumption Of it in the coun-
try. large quantities exported by the Dutch and
Chinese. There is also an imitation of camphor, in
Japan, but everybody can distinguish it from the
genuine
The japanese vanish is celebrated even in Eu-
rope. The tree which produces this juice grows in
such abundance that the Japanese lacker all their
table utensils, boxes saddles, bows arrows, spears,
sheaths, cartouch-boxes, tobacco.boxes; in their
houses the walls and screens, and, in short, every
trife that they wish to ornament. We had the
pleasure to see masterpiece in vanishing. TWAS
bottle case belonging to the governor, who sent it
for us to look at. The polish it beautiful
that we could see our faces in it as in mirror
The natural color Of this juice is white, but it
sumes any color by being mixed with it. The best
varnish in Japan is usually black or red, and al
most everything is SO vanished; but saw, also,
green. yellow, blue, and other varnsh. In varnish
ing they also initiate marble. The juice, when
fresh. is poisonous, and very injurious to those who
collect it, for which reason they employ various
precautions; but after it has stood for some time in
the open air, it loses its poisonous quality. The
vanished utensils may be used without danger.
The japanese arc clever in vanishing, that you
may pour hot water into vessel, and drink it,
without perceivng the slightest smell Of the paint.