Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-07-23
JAPAN.

The steps lately taken by our Government in re-
lation to the rich but little known island of Japan
gives value to every thing concerning its people and
their condition and character. The annexed brief
article therefore, possesses some interest, although
III furnishes no great amount of information:
FROM THE LITERARY WORLD.
Three volumes Of travels, of light entertaining cha
racter, have just been published in London translation
from the German Of +. Gerstaecker, a gentleman Of
Lively, enterprisng turn Of mind with good share of
energy, dash OF sentiment and evident inclination for
the marvellous His book is the story of five years
Journey Around he czd starting the ed of March Of
some year. the date Of which is unfortunately omitted
an the Weser making the port of Rio Janeiro then
accomplishing an OVERLAND o~ from BqenQs Ayres to
Valparaiso the Pampas and Corilleras and reach
ing San francisco in early stage of its rapid growth
California, in 1880 is described with sr-t in what will
prove vastly entertaining sketch hundred years he.ce
The Sandwich and Society Islands the no. aes of
y. ussSssscAer ....-.1lcs; from Tahiti to Sydney,
with halfdozen chapters Australia and at the end
Of the pilgrimage, entertaining section Java An
item or two of travellers gossip at Batavia the
rival Of the annual Dutch ship from Japan may be enter
tanning ct this time We should mention that there is
deal Of the American rockng Western spirit about the
book the author having in fact served apprenticeship
at time of his life, among the "bhoys" He tells
that he once to North America comparatively q
youngster, unable to speak the language and conse
quenty obliged take up with the first work he could
get. So he became g first fireman and deckhand then
cook board the Mississippi and Arkansas steamers ;
up corwood in Tennessee and worked at the silver
smith business in Cincinnati farmed in Missouri
barkeeper and finally keeper in Louisiana store
keeper awhile in Arkansas and after having become
familiar with the language and habits hunted four
SAP rlra
la Fave and Ozark mountains and White and St. Francis
river swamps, for BEARS DEER and turkeys" After this
comprehensive education he found difficulty in gra-
duating in the Dggings and the Bush.
The toxic" is, it seems the of the sale
opened at Batavia the arrival of the Japan ship The
goods offered for three months being first exhibited
the Governor and ladies of the court then eagerly
bought up by the fashion the town. when the
is eventually sent to Holland The goods consist Of the
famous vanished wares porcelain, and bronze, Silks
playhings, &C. The varnish is poorly initiated by the
Chinese. 1t is extraordinarily composed that it al
lows boiling water its surface without injury; the tea
cups, made of WOOD and covered with it, fitted for
use accordingly" The Grape shawls are beautifully
woven and coored; in three days not Of them
left. Indeed. " hundreds have hard time at Batavia
when the Japanese ship arrives. The whole commerce
of Java is an exchange of goods money received.
The Emperor of Japan is an independent sovereign
accepting no presents The King of Holland sent him
he the Emperor of JAPAN made present the King Of
Holland he could So for he the Emperor of Japan
but this being quite another thing, he would
it. TO show his Exceency the Governor of the Indies
his continual grace, he sends him annually dozen Of
thick wadded gowns very useful for climate like Bata
via which are put up at auction just regularly they
are received"
The Dutch at Decima Ia small island or part of the
main isle of Niphon, connected by bridge not to be
passed without authority made comfortable by the
Japanese authorities Those who stationed at De-
Gina, as well those who come there with the
nual vessel, get while they stay, wife each, for which
he has to pay certain rent annually but he leaves the
station he must also leave his Japanese spouse and if
she have children they are japanese, and not permitted
to follow the father
Mr.. Gerstaecker became acquainted with DR.. Mohnike
who passed three years at Decima, and of the
ambassadors sent to Jeddo the pilgrimage which takes
place triennially He is r. M. could tell great
deal if the Dutch Government would allow him to write
about such things" That parsonage however, showed
him books and prints Struggled of the country
for the Japanese Jealous of such expectations
Numerous persons executed after another Ger
man, 5eboid who had been in the service of the Dutch
Government Mt Decima, and collected great many such
forbidden things on the sly, had left Japan.n
Mr. Gersaecker thinks the Emperor will refuse to
ceive the American expeditions "or if he does grant
them interview, he will dismiss them again without
promises" If the Americans do force an entrance
upon point and do not take the whole island they
viii be walled in in short time and permitted to see
very little of their neghbors Still the islands are too
small to resist for any length of time renewed attacks
and his Majesty viii have to yield first his country and
then his crown just about willingly the California
Indians, or Skhs, Australian blacks; or in fact all
other countries overrun by strangers and enemies"