The eastern clarion. [volume] (Paulding, Miss.) 1837-1863, 1858-12-04
Mr.. Harris among the Japanese.


haitian to the Philadelphia Lcdger, written
during the recent visit of that vessel to
Japan. Mr.. Harris, it will be remember
ed, is our resident consul there:
The manner in which Mr.. Harris and
his secretary went to Jeddo is interesting.
The Emperor sent him a body guard Of
l2O men. and had comfortable houses put
up along the road for HIM to pass the night
in. lie also sent him large sedan chair,
carried by u bearers, and so roomy that
he put mattress into it and reclined at
full length when he was tired sitting. 1t
Is only about 20 miles from this place to
Jeddo; but the country is so rugged, and
the road so bad the first part of the way,
that they were seven days in accomplish
iug the distance. Every night they stop
ped at one of the comfortable houses,
which had beeh prepared expressly on his
arerut. and after an early breakfast, resum-
ed their road. Upon arriving at Jeddo,
they were lodged in the most commodious
quarters, treated with the greatest respect
and attention, and granted interviews
with the Emperor.
The reader Is of course aware that every
one. foreigner or japanese, who has here
l'llblt approached lllt- IlilS Dttn
required to do 80 upon his knces This Gus
tom they were determined to adhere to in
the present case: but, somehow or other,
it had never been so difficult to bell the
cat" WHO was to speak to Mr. Il
about it," that was the question. Final
| " "a japanese Douglass stepped forward
and offered TO brace his huge shoulders to
| the task. This gentleman was not the
4 4
ne was upon the most intimate terms of
both social and political intercourse with
| tho American legation He therefore
called upon Mr.. IL, and commenced
| the attack by begging that he would not
he offended at what he was going to say.
Certainly not" says that gentlman.-
| But he has an inkling of what is coming,
| and q look Of sudden and unusual gravity
| causes Douglass TO tremble. Instead there
| fore of broaching the subject-he begs
| once more that Ills excellency will not
! be offended at something which he, Doug
| lass. has been ordered to says" and then
| coughs. and looks behind him.
Certainly notv' and an increase of
| gravity in the Consular face. Correspond
| ing increase of nervousness on the part of
| Douglass Grand tableau, in which the
American eagle is supposed to dominate.
| Final desperation of Douglass, and out
| bursting of the secret.
| Mr.. Harris listened quietly and kindly
| to all he had to say. and then replied with
| his usual judgment and frmness of man,
ncr. He told him that he was anxious to
| do everything that was consistent with self
| respect to do honor to the Emperor, but
that this was out of the question, and bet
| ter not bo referred to again. "Were Nj
| pom to send Minister to my country" he
said, "he might approach our President il
any manner he saw fit. He might knee
and knock his head against the floor, ol
he might bow to him and shake hands,
There we allow every one perfect liberty
and Is 1t not right, therefore, that be al
lowed the same here?'
"Nery well! Very well ~ replied Doug
lass half apologetically. And thus wa
settled this question forever. :" remarked
Speaking Of Com. Perry, | asked hin
how the Japanese had treated the expen
sivc presents which that officer had pre-
sented them on the part the Government
three or four years back.
"Well, know IN going to surprise you
now" he replied. You know that Com
modore Perry gave them, among Othe
| things, a circular railroad, an engine anC
tender and a brass boat-howitzer-One o
the Dahlgren guns. They have a larg,
house built for the safe-keeping of thi
railroad, and every now and then take i
out, lay the track, get up steam, and theI
away 90 dozen or more high officers up
on a circular pleasure trip. Japanese erg'
pcsrS hare chdrgc Of cr1ythHg, and are neve
at loss in the discharge of their duty.
suppose that they will soon have a tracl
laid from Kanagawa to JeddO, but dOub
if the railroad will pay in any other par
of Japan; the country is too broken. A
for the 'boat-howitzer,' they have had on
thousand cast exactly like it, and mount
edthem in the forts oftheir different ports
And now here is something else that will
surprise you. Upon both fourths of Jul,
that havo passed horo, and once upol
Washington's birthday, they fired a SO
lutte of p guns with these howitzers. MI
Heuskins and myself attended, with tn
American flag flying, and the people eN
hibited the greatest good feeling and er
thusiasm. One might have almost imat
ined them Americans"
What have they done with the electri
telegraph that was presented them?"
: asked.
Little or nothing, | think. But al
not certain. They are making astonisl
ing headway, however, in the grounC
work forfuture intercourse with the world
Mr.. Harris speaks most Interestingly
the feats of the iugglers, and of the the
e tiers Of Jeddo. as well as of extensive store
He saws that the Prince of Cinano, (Cinan,
no-Kani) to whose particular care it seen
+ ! the Emperor confded his comfort an
= I amusement, fancying that he was havin
dull time in the immense house that ha
been appropriated to him, called up SON
4 of his iugglers to perform before hin
and help him pass it. One of thel
was the Anderson" of Japan. His fca
were so wonderful that | am almo
0 afraid to write them. | wish it distinc
i | " understood therefore that | am on
9 repeating what Mr.. Harris told us, an
d what We consequently believe. Here al
some of his feats:
g No. /. He took an ordinary boys to
g spun it IN the air, caught it on his han
s. and then placed it (still spinning) upc
u the edge of a sword near the hilt. The
hedropped the sword point a little and Il
s, top moved slowly towards it. Arrived
/, the very end. the hilt was lowered in tuI
:, and the top brought back. As usual, Il
D. sword was dangerously sharp.
No. > was also performed with the to
?, He spun it in the air and then threw Il
lt end OF the string back towards itwith su'
accuracy that twas caught up and wouI
itself already for second cast. BY Il
=. time it had done this it had reached |
e. hand and was ready for another spin.
No. 3 was still performed with the to
Of There was an upright pole, upon the t.
e, of which was perched little house wi
n. a very large front door. The top was spu
N made to climb the pole, knock open t
Il said front door, and disappear. As W,
lie as remember the hand end of the stril
-, se was fastened near the door, so that Il
he was almost a repetition of the selfwindi
feat.
But feat No. 4was something even me
astonishing than all this. He took t