The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1854-08-23

worn, Grape forming the most usual fab
ric; the poor wear substantial sort o
cotton, blue and blackish, and are pretty
well covered SO far as one can Judge
Their houses are, on the whole, in vii
lagos near our anchorage, less commo
dious than those of the Lewchewans anC
| Chinese in similar circumstance; then
roofs are covered with thatch over foo
thick; and the walls of the building arf
constructed of sliding panels, one of pa
per and another of board The floor is
raised as high as the corridor which sur
rounds the building, between the paper
and board panels, and laid with thick
mats, on which the inmates eat, work
sleep, and receive their friends. In
large apartments, part of the inclosure
| is merely the ground we'll pounded
where agricultural implements and pro
duce are stored, and the-cooking carried
on. The effects of the constant smoke
from the kitchen are visible on the black
ened rafters; and in the better sort,
cooking is doubtless carried on in an out
er building. AS the inmates do all their
work on these mats, which are usually
kept commercially clean, there are no
tables, chairs, or beds or bedsteads in
the house, rendering it very empty to
our notions of domestic comfort. In
dull, rainy and cold weather, the in
terror of these houses is still more
gloomy in our view, for the roof projects
so far over the outer panels that it in
creases the shade in the house still more
than the paper glazing. Altogether ia
panese peasants dwelling would not
please our New England farmers, and l
hope they may ere long introduce some
of the conveniences we are so much used
to in their houses.
The position of the women among
these po@r people is such as you might
expect. They are made to work hard in
the fields and houses; hoeing, wedding,
reaping, and other duties falling to them
as well as to the men, while the cares of
the house, weaving, spinning, aud such
work seem all to be theirs too. They
wear cloth or fancy kerchief wrapped
around their head in the fields, and of
ten, too, indoors The custom of shay
ing the eyebrows of married women i'm
parts an odd aspect to the counteHance,
taking away the distinct impression given
to all the features by that one; they are
not shaven until after a child is BORN
Another more repulsive fashion among
them is that of blaekening the teeth,
which is done so completely, that when
a women is most pleased and laughs the
merriest, she appears the most hideous.
You thiuk, almost, she has made au ink
stand of her mouth, [ believe this un-
graceful custom is not everywhere fash
ionable in Japan but displeasing as it
is, it is less Objectionable than that of
eramping the feet as in China.
O.. The Japanese Commissioners to-day
were in good spirits at the conclusion of
their negotiation by the signing of the
treaty; and suspect are relieved Of no
little anxiety. 1t would give us almost
an entire insight into the policy of this
insnlar empire, if we only knew all the
deliberations which have been held
among it's princes and statesmen, since
the delivery of President Fillmore's let
ter last July. They gave the American
officers on shore a dinner, tsuch; as the
small towns around could furnish, they
said, when apologizing for it's inferiority
to the one given. them on board. The
courses were only five, consisting of the
following articles, brought on in small
lacquered tables, the plates and cups al
so being mostly lacquerted were set be-
fore each one, with pair of chop-sticks
to help himself withal; tea in china
ware cups. candy tied inithe form of
bowknot, and sponge. cake, formed the
first course. Raw oysters, mushroom
and fish soup in lacquered bowls, boiled
ao,-oli c1ionc coo u-nad Onol-aH in
hard boiled eggs pressed together, and
then cut into long slips in a pretty alter
nation of yolk and white, and raw gin
ger, made up the second course. Boiled
mushrooms, boiled walnuts and sea-weed,
broom fish, large crawfish, sliced fish,
with the word (shaaI) '1ong-
svity" written on it in red, bean soup
With greens, shrimps, and sliced fish,
'ormed the third course, the previous
fishes being left standing. Fish soup,
/ kind of long yam grown to hold the
same place as our potatoes, sea-weed IN
inc threads, boiled bamboo, boiled chest
nuts, and onions, composed the fourth.
Rice boiled plain, taro, greens, and some
unknown articles made up the conclu-
sion, hot and cold Sak1 or spirits, being
3uDpllGu I'LL IuC Willie. IHC pCOplC
put little animal food, yet one hardly
Knows how they use all the wheat and
barley seen growing in the fertile fields
lear here, for we see very little of it eat
N. Everything which comes from the
water finds market, but cattle, sheep,
poultry, hogs and goats are seldom used
or food. Deer are plenty, and wild
owl, but to what extent they support
ife of man we do not know.
The articles brought from the United
States for the Emperor have given much
pleasure to. thousands of his people, es-
,ecially the miniature locomotive and
ar, and the telegraph, both of which
rave been put into operation. A large
Tariety of agricultural instruments, form
lart of the selection of presents, and
some of them may probably be initiated:
t was good plan to send these instru-
nents. By-and- bye, the japanese may
,e ready to have the telegraph and rail ;
Dad among them, these illustrations will
i've them a good idea of their actual h
Ise, and afford copies for imitation +;
The circular rail-track is $50 feet long,
nd the whole machine, locomotive, ten {
Ter and car, went round and round at
he rate of about ight miles an hour, to I
he admiration of every one. hardly
hink there are persons in the country !
rho will be able to manage it without /;
he assistance of foreigners, although we '
ear they will try to get up steam in the !
ngine. ~ @ {
The region of country near this an J.