The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1854-11-16
A japanese City and Scenery.

ing from the American squadron IN the
japanese waters, thus describes one of the
smaller cities of that country: 'At noon
on the 18th of May, 1854, We anchored in
the bay of Hakotade, the second harbor
opened to US in Japan. Hakotade is an.
other Gibraltar. 1t has the same long,
low isthmus, ending in the same mighty
rock, with another city sitting at its feet
, !, The bay is six or eight miles wide, with
an entrance of two or three miles in width;
it is deep Oh for ships -of-the-line to
approach to within a mile of the shore,
and its clayey bottom, free from rocks or
shoals, affords excellent anchorage, while
it is defended from the sea by a sand
bank, prolongation of the isthmus.--
Behind the bay the land is quite level,
J but at the distance of six or eight miles it
rises into a range of hills from one to
three thousand feet high, These hills,
still covered with snow, send down sever
al streams to the bay, furnishing the best
of water fer ships. The plain is finely
cultivated, and fishing villages line the
shore. The fishermen dip their nets in q
decoction of species of willow, to give
them dusky color, and to render them
less liable to rot. We took fish plenti-
fully-one day twenty buckets, with more
than twenty fine salmon, some weighing
fifteen pounds. The naturalist shot many
rare birds-very small patridgcs, and
very large snipes, loon with knob a
bove his bill like an India goose, min
iature sea-pye, the smallest bird that
swims, and beautiful species of wild
duck, Many of the doors of the fisher
mems houses were ornamented with a
likeness of his Subterranean Majesty full
/ ly equipped, with horns and pitchfork.-
Soon after we entered the harbor We saw
a crowd of people and loaded pack horses
leave the city and pass over the isthmus.
We afterward learned that they feared we
had come to take vengeance on them for
the capture and Imprisonment in Mats
which was wrecked on this coast in lS40.
In two or three days, however, they we're
treasured, and many of the principal
men, including the Governor, visited US
on board. Most of the junks slipped a.
way on our arrival, so that there were not
more than two hundred in the harbor.-
A we'll built stone wharf with steps to 60
down to the water was assigned to u.s.
The city has, should guess, about four
thousand houses, and perhaps five times
as many inhabitants. The two main
streets are parallel, and run along the foot
&c h.
from the wharves up the mountain, cross
ing both the principal streets. one of which
is about thirty feet higher than the other.
The lower of these is almost as broad as
Broadway, and infinitely cleaner. The
houses on it are vel! built; most of them
have two stories, with shops on the ground
floor. On the cross street which starts
from our wharf, and above both the prin-
cipal streets, stands temple, which has
been assigned to US for our daguerreotype
apparatus. 1t commands a splendid
prospect of the city and harbor. A lit
tie to the west of this cross street is an
other, which seems to be the Fifth avenue
of Hakotade The manner of building
reminds one very strongly of Switxer-
land. A fat projecting roof is covered
with shingles, which are fastened by long
poles, with stones laid upon them; broad
galleries run quite around the upper story;
before the door is little wooden porch;
this, toe, with projecting gable, which, as
we'll as the pillars that support it, are o.
ten adorned with rich carving. The tenn
ples-one of which is at least two hundred
and fifty feet square-are profusely orna-
mented with carvings. Dragons, horses,
bulls and hares figure largely, but tor
toise-shells and cranes carry the day
The tortoise shell is here the emblem of
beauty. The swans of Venus become tor
toises. Great precautions are taken a.
gainst fire. Casks of water stand in the
house yards and on the roofs; fire buckets
are hanging near; fire companies are or
ganized The first captain who reaches
fire plants his standard there, and no
other company can give any aid unless at
his express desire. This insures unity of
effort; but, in spite of all this, saw ira
ces of several recent fires. One sees but
very few married women; but some young
Girls who came to our temple to be da-
guerreotyped bad pleasing faces and
charming manners. The dress of the
japanese women consists of trowsers,
with sort of tunic covering the upper
part of the person. This garment opens
in front, and is fastened by broad scarf
tied about the middle and holding the
dress together, except when the wearer
walks rapidly or runs. Then it always
becomes deranged and flies open, exposing
the bosom down to the waist. look for
ward to the time, and not very far for
ward, when our whaling feet in the seas
north east of japan, and perhaps even in
the Arctic ocean, shall find safe har-
Dor, plentiful provisions and hearty vel
come iu the harbor of Hakotade,'
s&r An eminent painter was asked
what he mixed his colors with to produce
so extraordinary an effect. IL mix them
with brains sir ln was his answer