Columbia gazette., 1853-12-17

Without counting the hundreds of small
-boats and fishing smacks, between sixty
and seventy large junks daily passed up
and down the Bay, on their way to and
from Yedo.
The Japanese boatmen were tall,
handsomely formed men, with vigorous
and symmetrical bodies, and hardy,
manly expression of countenance. AS
the air grew fresher, toward evening,
they put on sort of loose gown, with
wide, hanging sleeves. As the crew of
each boat were all attired alike, the dress
appeared to be a uniform, denoting
that they were in Government service.
The most of them had blue gowns, with
white stripes on the sleeves, meeting on
the shoulder, SO as to form a triangle
junction, and crest, or coat-of-arms,
upon the back. Others had gowns of
red and white stripes, with black To-
xenage upon the back. Some wore up
on their heads a cap made of bamboo
splints, resembling broad, shallow ba-
rin inverted, but the greater part had
their heads bare,th top and crown shay
ed, and their hair from the back and
sides brought up ana fastened in small
knot. through which short metal pin
was thurst The officers wore light and
beautifully lackered hats to protect them
from the sun, with gi'ded coat of arms
upon the front part. In most of the
boats I noticed tall spear, with lack
cred sheath for the head, resembling a
numle.or character, referringto the rank
Of the officer on board.
After dark watch fires began to blaze
along the shore, both from the beach and
from the SUBMITS of the hills, chiefly on
the western side of the bay. At the
same time we heard, at regular intervals
the sound of deep-toned bell. It had
very sweet, rich tone, and from the
distinctness with which its long rever-
berations reached us, must have been of
large size. A double night-watch was
established during our stay, and no Off
GERS except the Purser and Surgeons
were exempt from serving. But the
nights were quiet and PEACEFUL and it
never fell to my lot to report suspicious
appearance of any kind.
The next morning, Yezaimon, the
Governor of Uraga, and the highest au-
thority in shore, came off attended by
two interpreters, who gave their names
as Tatsonoske and Tokoshiuro. He was
received by Commanders Buchanan and
Adams, and Lieut.. Contce. He was a
noble Of the second rank; his robe was
of the richest silkcn tissue, embroidered
with gold and silver in a pattern resem-
bling peacock feathers. The object of
his coming, I believe, was to declare his
inability to act, not having the requisite
authority without instructions from Ye-
do. At any rate, it was understood that
au express would be sent to the Capital
Immediately, and the Commodore gave
him until Tuesday noon to have the an.
swer ready. Sunday passed over with
out any visit, but on Monday there was
an informal one.
From Tuesday until ednesday noon
Iezaimon came off three times, remain
ing from two to three hours each time.
The result Of all these conferences was,
that the Emperor had specially appoint
ed one Of the Chief Counsellors of the
Empire to proceed to Uraga and receive
from Commodore Perry the letter of the
President of the United States, which
the Commodore was allowed to land and
deliver on shore. This prompt and un-
looked for concession astonished us all,
and / am convinced it was owing entire
ly to the decided stand the Commodore
took, during the carly negotiations.
We had obtained in four days, without
subjecting ourselves to single observ-
ance Of Japanese law, what the Russian
embassy under Resanoff failed to accom-
plish in six months, after degrading
subservience to ridiculous demands.
From what l know of the negotiations,
I must say that they were admirably con-
Quoted. The japanese officials were
treated in such a polite and friendly
manner as to win their good will, while
not single point to which we attached
any Importance, was yielded. There
was a mixture of 6rmness, dignity and
fearlessness on our side, against which
their artful and dissimulating policy was
powerless. To this, and to our materi-
al strength, I attribute the fact of our
reception having been SO different from
that of other embassies, as almost to
make us doubt the truth of the accounts
we had read.
SCENERY OF THE BAY-THE SURVEYING
PARTIES.
From our anchorage off Uraga, we
enjoyed charming panorama of the
Bay. It far surpassed my preconceiv-
ed ideas Of Japanese SCENERY. The
western shore is bold and steep, running
here and there into lofty bluffs of light
gray rock, but the greater part of It is
covered with turf, copsewood and scat
tered groves Of trees, all ofthe brightest
and freshest green. From Uraga to an
other and shallower blight, which makes
in nearly two miles below, the shore is
less abrupt and shows more signs of cul-
tivation. The hills behind, though NOT
above 500 feet in hight, are beautifully
undulating 10 their outlines, and dotted
With groves Of pine and other trees.
From Urara to the erd Of the promou-