The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1852-05-08

| japanese saw that ii was impossible for the
| Russians TO get their boat aiioat and had prev-
| ously aSccrancd that il cona incd no arms they
| became confident and advanced against them
with drawn sabres, muskels, and spears. The
| Russians surrendered and were carried 10 the
same tent in which they had held the conference,
! but neither OF the commanders with whom they
| had communicated were now there. Their
| hands were lied behind them, and they were
conducted into an extensive but low building.
! resembling barrack, situated on the opposite
| side OF the tent towards the shore. Hclc they
were bound in the cruelcst manner. The ia
panesc appear to conform to some precise rcgu-
latiOn in binding their prisoners, for our unior-
| tunae adventures were all tied in exactly the
same manner. long cord proceeded Fl ON the
| iasicnlngs. which required only TO be drawn to
make the elbows come in contact, with the
greatest pain, and TO tighten a Moose about the
| neck to such degree as TO produce stangula-
| ton.
After remaining in painful suspense for the
| space otan hour, the Russians were led outside
the fortress, each having his cord hrII by Il par
| t!cuIar conductor. and an armed soldier walking
| by his side. On ascending hill they saw their
| ship under sail, when they lost all hope of ever
again bcholding their country Incy were or
dercI 10 move on. and when they had proceeded
about mile and half they heard a cannonad-
ing, and could easily distinguish the guns of
their sloop from those of the castle. But they
could not in reason expect any fortunate result
| from the contest.
Captain Golownin was 50 tightly,bound, par
| iicularly about the neck, that before they had
Travelled far he could hardly breathe. His face
| was swollen and discolorcd; he was almost blind,
and could not speak without the greatest diff
Guilty. The japanese could not be prevailed
upon by any cnlrcateS, made by signs, nor
through the Interpreters to loosen his cords, I'M
| til he fell senSeleSs on the ground. when they
eascd him Il little, and he was able to proceed
| Alter journey of six or seven miles, the
"nardS, with their capllves. arrived at Il small
! Village, situated on the Straits which divide
/ kuna>chlcr from Matsmia. The prisoners were
/ conducted into a house. where boiled rice was
offered them, but they felt no desire to taste food
of any kind. On their declining TO cat. they
were taken into another apartment, in which
| they were laid down close to the walls 80 not
! to touch each other. The ropes by which they
! hal been IT, were attached to iron hooks, driven
| lnto the wall Tor that purpose. AT the approach
| of twilight on the following morning. they re-
commenced their journey in boats. and ear y in
| the morning on the l2lh Of July were landed
near small village on the coast Of the Island Of
AlatSmai. Hence they were conveyed in boats,
By trolling, in sonth-rasterly direction, cxpc-
itanIs of the various VILLAGES through which they
passed, and in a day or two were dragged over
land in these same boats, for the distance OF n
mile or two, 10 Il small stream emptyng itself
into large lake. Along this lake they sailed
fora night AMI day, when tIavcl by walking
was resumed.
After overcoming many difficulties and suffer-
ing much, the unhappy Russians al length
reached the vicinity of Chakodadc, their dcs-
tined place Of Imprisonment.
When the prisoners al length entered the City,
the concourse Of people was so immense that
their guards had great difficulty in clearing n
passage for them Having proceeded >horl
distance along a narrow street, they were con-
Quoted down cross road which led into the open
fields. Here. upon risin" ground. they first
hehrid the building which was destined to be
their prison. This was not very prcpoSscsslng
in It's appearance and upon arriving within the
enclosure of the Court. the Russians felt as
though they were shut out forever from the
world.
Although treated with severity by the Gov
eminent officials during the first days of their
conln"mcnt, our caplives hal many cvilrnces
Of the Kindness of the japanese people. Even
their attendants and guards would perform acts,
when opportunities occurred, evincing sympathy
for their miSiOrtuneS.
or course, The first idea of Captain G0lownin
was flight, but he was soon satisfied that that
could not be accomplished easily and abandon
ed for a time at least, all intention Of making
the attempt.
Two days after their arrival, Captain Colow
mn and his companions were conducted with
} great pomp to the castle of the city, to appear
, before the Governor. Hence, after being pes
: tered with lnnumerable questions, badly trans
lated by the Interpreters, they were rcconduclcd
; to prison. On the morning OF the 2Sth of Au-
gust they were again ordered in the presence OF
the Governor, and after this. their visits to the
| Castle occurred every day or two. They were
greatly annoyed with questions as at first, and
were given to understand by the Governor, that
their captivity was in retaliation for Chwostofl's
| attack upon some ofihe islands. The Russians
endeavorcd to convince the japanese that this
was done by the American company's ships,
mere merchantmen, and was not authorised by
the Emperor. But their efforts proved nctec-
tual.
About month subsequently to their last in
tcIvlew with the Governor of Chakodade. the
Russian prisoners were compelled TO take their
departure from that city, and proceed TO Mats
mia, the capital Of the island bearing the same
name. Their road lay along the bay, close to
the shore; and after a journey Of two or three
days, they halted at a village about Two miles
distant from the great city, where they were met
by party Of soldiers and crowd of people.
} Here their escort arrayed themselves in their
best attire, and they then entered this place with
the same iormalites as had been observed at
Chakodade; the number of spectators was, how
ever, considerably greater. Having proceeded
through the town, they entered a large open
space, crowded with men, who stood behind
ropes which had been extended there for the
accommodation ofthe procession. Thence they
assembled a hill, passed along the rampant which
encompassed the citadel, and entered a court
yard, which was surmounled by high wooden
fence, entirely new. Here they met detach-
mrnt of troops, and were conducted into a dark
ediiice like barn, and the three officers were
shut up together in a cage. and the sailors and
AlcXe, the interpreter, were confined in an
other.
The Russians were frequently examined be-
InIe The hnnIl IicnI uI NnIs,rin tLn