New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-11-04
JAPAN.

u. 5. STEAMSHIP MISSISSIPPI June 2s 1854
Before we left Hakostade, some regulations were
made to facilitate trade. The American silver dol
lar was counted as 1900 cash. or 4s great oval COP.
per cons, with square holes in the middle about the
weight Of dollar. God was relatively ten per cent
lower. They sold US lackered ware porcelain, pipes,
little curosities, and some particularly good India
ink far better than the Chinese. All these articles
were very cheap, and of frst-rate quality. In some
shops they kept various musical instruments guitars,
with three and five strings, constructed like bapjos
bamboo flutes, with seven holes and no keys, the
holes 60 large that musicians could not play Them
although the Japanese drew from them simple,
pleasant melody. Another guitar, with five metallic
strings, was played with piece Of wood held be-
tween the thumb and fore-fngcr They had clocks
about two feet long and six inches broad, hanging
the wall. There was slit in 'front.' lined by sixteen
brass butterflies the eight upper ones about half
far apart the eight lower ones. Another butterfly
moving upwards in parallel slit counted the hours
The greater distances now the hours of the day,
the less those Of the night. In winter this order is
changed as the Japanese divide the day into sixteen
hours-eght from sunrise to inset, and eight from
sunset to sunrise. The most of them possessed
dals and many had in little metal case, carried in
the girdle an ink stand, DIAL compass measure, and
sometimes small quadrant The japanese are pas
sionately fond Of music When our band went on
shore at Simoda, half the city came QUITO hear them
dilletanti corps of Ethiopian minstrels, which we
have on board, were loudly applauded by the jap
anese dgnitares. Some days AFTER while hunting in
the mountains was surprised to hear the japanese
soldier who escorted u.s. singing snatches of the negro
songs which he had heard. They often came out
funnily enough AS we had started betimes that
morning, and by O'Clock had handsome bunch of
snipes and wocdcock i determined to ascend the
mountain We stopped to rest in a village at its foot
and were Hospitality received by the Superintendent.
He furnished with horses, four guides, carrying
long hunting-knives, and three great dogs. These
last very plenty here, as in winter bears
come down to the villages in grest numbers and
bear-hunting is q favOrite amusement. big,
black old cur, who had lost ear in the service and
carried several certificates of his prowees was
soon my very good friend the Others, however.
gave significant Know.Nothng shifts, appearing to
feel little pleasure at the pres ence Of foreigner
After two hours Of ascent we reached plateau where
we left our horses Considerable charcoal 10 burned
in the woods that this range, and we followed
the narrow paths, beaten by pack-horses, for some
distance. At last we were compelled 10 make our
way through the almost impenetrable thcket but we
had not proceeded far before my one-eared friend
grow ling and bristlipg dashed out on one side. Brun
was found, but not caught for when we next saw the
dogs they were leaping and barking before hsle in
the side of the bill. We could not smoke him out
ard were obliged to descend without him. since the
japanese would not allow me to go into the hole
This is not the little brown bear but the large, black
Russian variety he might have been an ugly Gus
TONER On the way down, the Japanese tried to con-
cole me they said that this wa, not the right season
of the year; if / would como again in the winter
thew would go with me, and i could kill
at least three in day. The snow was still deep in
many places, and found in sunny spot bush OF
snow-bells. / had seen no snow since LETT New
York, although the weather was very cold last Feb
ruay in the Bay of Jeddo. AT the village we were
told that dog had stolen our game but found our
soldier on the shore beating piiiessly with his
iron rod for the theft The soldier stopped a. came
up and the thief took to his heels, glad to get on 20
easily, for theft is often punished with death IAs
iron rod is the universal weapon Of the police, who,
although they carry two swords like other military
men. can only use them on command Of their chiefs.
II 10 about l6 inches long and inch in diameter
with hook at end serving for Hit and for inc
protection of the hand from q sword stroke. iney
are very dexterous in the of this weapon as well
as in fencing generally. They have treatise on
fencing in &c volumes. lean say nothing against the
general honesty of the Japanese, for found In the
boat, at evening, even the csppers which had given
the children in the village. They would accept
nothing but some powder and shot, buttons from
nv Jacket and vest and lead pencil. The soldier
brought me bunch Of onions and garlic out of has
garden. We shot many wild ducks, and pair OF
foxes both fine specimens, which will, hope, go to
enrich the museum in Washington. The prevailing
fcgs delayed our departure for several days. From
the number of old people, however, should Judge
the climate to be healthy.
On the 7th June we entered the harbor OF Smoda
for the second time. The Imperial Commissioner
with numerous suite had arrived, and the place was
much more lively than when We lef Ii. The business
Of fixing upon common weights, measures the value