Columbia gazette., 1853-12-17

in it was the Blight of Uraga, and w
could plaiuly see the town of the sam,
name at the head of it. The plymouth
and Saratoga were cast off, and I'VE ad
vanced slowly, sounding as we went
until we had advanced more than mils
beyond the point reached by the Colum-
bus and the Morrison. We were about
a mile and half from the prcmontory
when two discharges Of cannon were
heard from battery at its extremity.
and Immediately afterwards light bal
of smoke in the air showed that shell
had been thrown up. An order was i'm
mcdiately given to let 60 the anchor,
but, as the lead showed % fathoms, the
steamer bead was put in toward the
shore, and in few minutes the anchor
was dropped.
NEGOTI ATIONs-THE EXPRESS TO YEDo.
Anot her she'll was fired, after we came
to anchor, and four Or FIVE boats, filled
with Japanese, approached us. The
rowcrs, who were all tail, athletic men,
naked save cloth around the loins,
shouted Justify as they scullcd with all
their strength toward us. The boats
were of unpainted wood, very sharpin
the bows, carrying their greatest breadth
of beam we'll aft, and were propelled
with great rapidity. The resemblance
of their model to that Of the yacht A
merica. struck everybody on board. In
the stern Of each was small flag, with
three horizontal stripes, the central ono
black and the. others white. In each
were several persons, who, ty their dress
and the two swords stuck in their belts,
appeared to be men of authority.
The first boat came alongside, and
one Of the two-sworded individuals made
signs for the gangway to be let down.
This was refused, but Mr.. Wells Will
Jams, the Interpreter, and Mr.. Portman,
the Commodore's Clerk, (who is ma
tive of Holland,) went to the ships sido
to state that nobody would be received
on board, except the first in rank at Ur-
aga. The conversation was carried on
principally in Dutch, which the inter-
prefer spoke very well. He asked at
once if we were not Americans, and by
his manner of asking showed that our
coming lad been anticipated. He was
told that the Commander of the Squad
ron was an officer of very high rank il
the United States, and could only com
municate with the first in rank on shore
After a long parley, the Vice Governor
of Uraga, who was in the boat, was al
lowed to come on board with the In
terpreter, and confer with Lieut., Con-
tee, the Flag Lieutenant. The jap
anese Official, fiery little fellow, was
much exasperated at being kept in wait
ing, but soon moderated his tone. He
was told that we came as friends, upon
a peaceable mission; that we should not
60 to Nangasaki, as he proposed, and
that it was insulting to our President
and his special minister to propose it
He was told, moreover, that the Japan
ese must not communicate with any 9TH
er vessel than the flagship, and that no
boats must approach us during the night.
An attempt to surround us with cor
don Of boats, as in the case of the CO.
lumbus and Vincenues, would lead to
very serious consequences. They had
with them an official notice, written III
French, Dutch and English, and intend
ed as general warning to all foreign
vessels, directing them to 60 no further,
to remain out at sea, and send word a.
shore, why they came and what they
wanted. This Lieut.. Contee declined
to see or acknowledge in any way. The
same notice was taken to the Plymouth
by another boat, but it was at once or
dered off.
Commodore Perry had evidently made
up his mind from the hrst not to submit
to the surveillance Of boats. The dig
nifed and decided stand he took produce
ed an immediate impression upon tho
japanese. They were convinced that
he was earnest, and that all the tricks
and DELAYS with which they are in the
habit of wheedling foreign visitors, would
be used in vain. Several boats having
followed tie first one, and begun to
collect around us, the viee-Covernor
was told that if they did not return at
once, they would be fred into. One of
them went to the Mississippi, and after
being repulsed from tho gaagvay, pull
ed forward to where some Of the crew
tried to climb on board. A company {
boarders was Immediately called away,
and the bristling array of pixies and cut
lasses over the vessels side caused the
Japanese to retreat in great haste.
Theneeforth, Ill the Japanese boats gavo
us wide berth, and during the whole
Of our stay, none approached us except
those containing the officials who were
concerned il The negotiations. ! may
here remark thst our presence did not
seom to disturb, in the least, the coast