Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1854-11-25
INTERESTING LETTER from JAPAN,
U. S. STEAMSHIP MISSISSIPPI,
June 2S, 1854.

Before wo left Hakostade, some reg
ula,ions were n,ado to facilitate trade,
Tho Amcricau silver dollar was counted
as 1900 cash, or 4s great ova! copper
coins, with square holes in tho middle,
about tho weight of dollar Gold
was relatively ton per cent. lower
They sold US lackercd ware, poFceia!n'
pipes. little curiosisies, and some partic'
ularly good India ink, far better than
the Chinese. All these articles were
very cheap, and of Grst.rate quality.
In some shops, they kept various musl,
cal instruments, guitars. with three and
FIVE strings, constructed like eanjos'
KEYS, the holes SO. large that our musi-
clans could not play them, although tho
Japanese drew from them simple,
pleasant melody. Another guitar ", with
i've metallic strings, was played with a
piece of wood held between the thumb
and forefnger. They had clocks about
two feet long and six inchos broad hang
ing on the wall. There was q slit in
front, lined by sixteen brass butterflies,
the eight upper ones half as far apart as
the eight lower ones. Another butter
| fly, moving upwards in a parallel slit
counted the hours. The greater dis.
,ances were now the hours of the day,
the less those of the night. In winter
this order is changed, as the japanese
divide tho day into sixteen hours-elght
from sunrise to sunset. and eight from
sunset to sunrise. The most Of them
possessed sun.dials, and many had, in a
metal case, carried in the girdle, an ink
stand, dial, compass, measure, and some
times a small quadrant.
The japanese are passionately fond
of music. When our band went on
shore, at Simoda, half the city came out
| to hear them. A dilletan.i corps Of B.
thiopian minstrels, which we have on
board, wore loudly applauded by the
Japanese dignitaries:: Some days after
while hunting in the mountains, | was
surprised to hear the Japanese soldier
who escorted US, singing snatches Of the
negro songs which ho had heard. They
often came out funnily enough. AS we
|had started be.imes that. morning, and
lby 9 o'clock had handsome bunch ot
snipes and woodcock, I determined to
ascend the mountain. We stopped to
rest in village at its foot, and were
Hospitality received by the Superintend'
ent. He furnished US with horses,
four guides, carrying long hunting,
knives, and three great dogs. These
last are very plenty here, as in winter
bears como down to the villages in great
numbers, and bear.huuting is favor
ito amusement. A big, black old cur,
who had lost an car in the service, and
carried several scars as certificates Of
his prowess, was soon my very good
friend; the others, however, gave sig
uifcant Know-Nothiug shifts, appearing
to feel little pleasure at the presence OF
a foreigner.
After two hours Of ascent we reach
cd plateau where we left our horses.
Considerable charcoal is burned in the
woods that cover this range, aud we
followed tho narrow paths, beaten by
pack -horses, for somo distance. At last
we were compelled to make our way
through tho almost impenetrable thick
ct, but we had not proceeded far before
my one.eared friend, growing and
bristling, dashed out oil one side. Bruir
was found, but not caught, for tho next
we saw Of the dogs they were lcapiug
and barking before hole in the side o.
the hill. We could not smoke him out
and were obliged to descend withou
him, since the Japanese would not al
low me to go into the hole. This is no,
tho little, brown bear, but the large
black, Russian variety; he might have
. been an ugly customer; On tho way
down, tho Japanese tried to console mo
they said that this was not the right sea
son of the year; if I would como a
gain in tho winter they would go will
, me, and | could kill at least three in
day. The snow was still deep in man,
places; and ! found in a sunny spot
bush fsnow.bells. ! had seon no snoy
, since left New York, altho' the wea
, ,her was very cold last February in tn,
r Bay ofJeddo. A. tho villago we wer
told that dog had stolen our game, ,bu
, | found our soldier on tho shore beatin,
J. a man pitilessly with his iron rod 70
I tho theft. Tho soldier stopped us
e came up, and tho thief took to his heel
. glad 10 get off SO easily, for theft is OF
j. ton punished with death.
Tho iron rod is tho universal wcapo,
of tho police, who. although they carr
two swords like other military men; ca
: only usa thcm on command Of thei
chiefs. Its about l6 inches long an,
mn inch in diameter, with hook at on
end serving for hilt and for the pro
lection off the hand from sword stroke
They are very dextcrous in tho use @
: this weapon, US we'll 40 in fencing gon