New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-10-17
NEW PUBLICATIONS..

J,s AS WAS ANR pS s By SssHP gG New
York. &c. Derby.
Contrary to the prevalent belief, Mr.. Hildreth
h Of the opinion that, with all the seclusion of
japan, there are few countries Of the East con-
serning which we have more ample or more au-
tAentie means of information. Ia this volume
he has attempted to embOdy the essence of
great number Of curious and instructive works,
though not well known or easily accessible BY
tAe general reader. Following the chronological
srder, he has presented the fruits gathered by
the principal travellers who have visited the
Island, making his velume library of reference
In itself for everything relating to the history
geography, politics and social condition of
japan. His principal authority of an ancient
date is Kampfer, from whose picturesque narra-
I've he has made very liberal extracts.
The first alluson made by any European writer
70 the existence Of Japan is contained in the "Ori-
entail Travels" of the Venetian Marco Polo, which
was first written in Latin about the year 1898.
The Portuguese visited the island, for the first time,
In 1912, and from that date it favorite object
efcuriosity to many European adventurers. OF
the condition of the country as described by the
esrly Portuguese missionaries, we have some
Piquant notices
The doctrine of the transmgraten of souls, one of
the distinguished tesets Of the Buddhist faith, had
not failed to confirm the Japanese in distase for
animal food which had originated perhaps from
she small number Of animals natives OF that lnsuar
eountIy--an abstinence, indeed, which even the
ancient religion Of Snto had countenanced by
denouncng az impure the act of killing any animal
or being sprinkled with the slightest drop of blood
OF domestic tame animals, the Japanese possessed
from time mmemorial the horse, the OK, the buffalo,
the dog, and the cat bat none of these were ever
used as food. The Portuguese introduced the sheep
and the goat but the Japanese, not ealing their flesh
nor understanding the art OF working up their wool or
hair took no pains to multiply them. The Chinese
introduced the hog; but the eating of that animal was
confined 10 them and 10 ether foreigners. The deer,
she hare and the wild boar were eaten by some secs,
and some wild birds by the poorer classes. The fox
was hunted for its skin, the hair of which was en-
ployed for the pencils used In painting and writing.
The animal ITSELF owing to its roguery was believed
30 DO the residence o. particularly wicked souls-an
ioea cor 6rmed by many strange stories in common
circulation The tortoise and the regarded
In some sort az sacred animals, TO be killed
Injured. Whales Of a small species were taken then
ss now, near the coast, and were used as feod as
many other kinds of fish, the produce of the sea
and rivers. Shellsh and certain weeds also
eaten In large quantities.
The coil of Japan, being of volcanic origin was in
come places very fertile; but in many parts there
rugged and Inaccessible mountains the sides of which
not admitting the use of the plow, built up in
terraces cultivated by hand. Agriculture formed the
chief occupation of the inhabitants and they had car
RED il TO considerable perfection, well understs nding
the use of composite The chief crops were
rice, which was the great article of FOOD barley for
The horses and cattle; wheat used principally for
vermi5tls; and several kinds of peas and beans.
They cultivated, also. number Of seeds, from which
cls we're expressed; likewise cotton, hemp, the white
Mulberry for the feeding of skworms, lsK being the
stun most IN use and the paper mulberry for the man
afscture of paper. To these may be added the cam
phor-iree, which grew, however. only in the south
western parts of Ximo the RhuS rerRir, which pro-
suces the celebrated Japan vanish and the tea plant
spoken Of by one of the early Portuguese mission aries
as certain uerb called CHA, of which they put as
much az walnu;shell may contain into dish of por-
eeian, and drink il with hot water" From rice thew
produced by fermentation intoxicating drink called
saki, which served them in the place of wine and
which was consumed in large quantities. yeast or
rather negar produced from this liquor was largely
employed in the picking of vegetables. Their most
useful woods were the bamboo the hr of several
kpecies, and the cedar.
They understood in perfection the arts of weaving
snks and of moldiDg porcelain, and exceed in gld-
ing, engraving, and especially in the of scqusr
vsLnsh. Ihey also were able to manufacture sword
hlsdes of excellent temper
AZ other eastern oountries the greater mobiles ex-
hibited an extreme masnihoence; but trade and the
Arts were held In low esteem, and the mass of the
people were excessively poor. Their buildings tbonOh
hey had few soGd structures of stone were nrn
epsly light erectons Of wood TO avoid the effects of
sequent earthquakes; but this and the srnish en-
poyed exposed them 10 oontagrstlons, which, IN the
ssowns' were very frequent aRd destructive. These
ewns consisted, for the moss part, of very cheap
s1acturse like most OF those throughout the East so
and celebrity. 1 W.
Their commerce was limited smos, an,;aIv % ,Sa
Interchange Of domestic products, vast nn;,hsr oS
vesels Ct rather feeble structure being emnSe5 in
nsvR siipg the coasts Of the islands which shonndaS
with deep bays add excellent bsIbors
or the sciences, whether mathematical. mxaa -.
pnrely PHYSICAL they knew but ktle. They had no.
svey, considerable number Of books treating Of rel