The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-11-02
I II 3 DISPATCH,
TUESDAY TUESDAY MORNING. sR ;. 1854
intsrssting Letter from J.n.n.

>'-sss..ss-.s.fsOt 6dbEh Z. 1888.
'srssting Letter from Japan.
o. q Seamship Ass,ssipps- Hatodaai- yapa,,.,
e'as-i"s Aarrsa9e Lao in Jdpan-.s -.schoeI
frocesS'oas V,sa TO a Cemetery, dc.
The U. 5. steamer Mississippi arrived a. uako-
dadi on the 9th Of August, after run of three
days from simoda. An officer on board writes an
interesting letter to the New York Herald, from
which We make the following extracts:
The town contains between four and Ave thou
saad s. houses The number Of Inhabitants on the
is'and Is estimated 20 be about twenty Ave thon
sand. The most prominent objects Of ipterest ara
TIE temples, cpe or two Of which are betwsan 80
ana three hundred feet square, the roofs of which
Ate ooseie Cd over with tile The streets are quite
wide, aud run parallel with the water. they are
rolled with gravel, and are kept very clean. the
cross streets being narrower, aud closed with gate
ways OF wood. The houses are all of wood. ore
or two stories high, and are closely packed toseth
or. They all bear the marks Of having been built
great many years; few of them are painted, ,but
they are not 90 coed looking as those In Naugasa
si. the Rrouud floors being all occupied as stores
or shops tor business The roofs covered with
ciaPboards of two or three inches in width and
are secured to their places by q large number of
cobble stones, some OF which weigh fifteen or
twenty pounds. These stones answer the purnose
OF naiis aud To the stranger present quitea ridc-
ulcus sight. Around aud on top of MANY of ,fesa
bonses barrels aud tubs Of water ready in case
of fire. The citizens have several little eneines of
their own invention, which are stationary. The
police, osa maodarins. sss~sery numerous; turn
which way You will and your are sure TO come in
contact with them.
As the ship nesred the town We discovered ths
American flag flying on shore. which proved TO bc
ON the premises Of Mr.. Rice, ocr Cousul who IN
genuine Down.East Yankee, hailing from Msin.
His very aspect aud size are sufficient to jmpress
these half savages. He stands six feet and weigh,
over two hundred and twenty-five pounds. With
handsome long black whiskers and q Keen sbarp
eye. He possesses all the qualifications to enable
him to discharge the duties of his office to the SAT
i:fsction of his government. On several occasion.
the Governor of the place attempted to intsr fere
with him, but has always got the worst Of it. The
Governor is reported to be a very iarrogaut and
despotic man, and, as you will see, eudes vored
during our stay, to make the forepart of our visit
anything but agreeable. Shortly after our arri.
val, our geutIemaniy Capt. Nicholson sent him hi,
rsspects aud requested him to appoint a dsy TO
receive bis visit: The Governor feisned sickness
and would not fix on day. After some consider.
alton, be, however, yielded, and politely received
our captain, and during our sojourn showed ali
the attention due his rank. He also endeayored
to throw obstacles in the Consul's way in regard
10 his supplying the ship with provisions &c
but our six footer down Easter soon brought hin,
to terms. Since then, his ExcelIency has been
quiet.
The Governors residence is in the centre of the
city. on the top of the hill. There il nothipo
two story building about two hundred feet from the
road. 1t is approached by wide graveiled walk.
on each side of which are handsome banks. cover
ed over with green grass. In the rear of these are
rows Of pine, fir and other kinds OF forest trees
and near the gateway Of this Japanese palace is
small guardhouse. All the arms could discover
there were two old Dutch flint muskets and a two
pOunder iron cannon, on truck, the wheels of
which were one foot in diameter. This terrible
howitzer stood in the doorway, pointing towards
the road, and was all that afforded projection to
the Palace CT Hakadad
On the Sunday after our arrival accompanied
some friends to the shore, aud lapded on some
foe stone steps at the Custom House-the yerv
steps, perhaps which Golownin descended from
during his captivity, forty years ago, after bay.
ing been confined in cages aud stocks for three
years. Here we were me: by large psrty of
Custom House officials, who welcomed us with a
very polite bow Passing up the yard and out of the
Custom House gate, we were met by hundreds of ia
panese, young and old anxious to catch glimpse
at us. The alarm was soon spread all over the
town that there were strangers in town, not how.
ever. by ,hspeople, but by the dogs of which the
city is fall. They seemed to scent us out the mo-
ment We landed, and during our whole journey
through the city they followed us, and set up a
most ew tul barking. Japanese, who could talk
good English, told US that these dogs smelt strau
ger out the moment he landed. They are of
breed half wolf and half bull dog, and are worse
looking than the cayotes of California and Mex
iso.
Notwithstanding the warm reception the dogs
gave US we kept on our course, the people running
out of their houses to look at US, while many OF
them saluted us with polite bow, and with an
she, o, yOu"-iu English "How do you don At
some places where we stopped for Sightseeing the
child, en- wonld take look at us, and then veil
and take to their heels We were not watched
nor followed by any spies, as on the former
visit of this ship, but were permitted to no
where we pleased-to enter their various TEN.
Piles, first taking off shoes, which is reauir.
ed of all who enter them. Most of these
edifces are handsomely ornaneuted with gold,
silver, &c, with any number of idols placed in
different parts OF the buildings, which appear to
have plenty Of worshppers, fuI We found apy
number of young and old losfug or worshippine
inside and around them. As means OF defence to
the city and harbor, they have erected at the ex.
treme right OF the city stone fort, mounting fifty
guns of small caibfe, and two made of brass, fl
teen feet in length and Of eight inch bore, with
locks similar to those used on our own guns a
pattern of them being given them when Commo-
dore Perry was here; tut should it be necessary
attack the place with a naval force, this battery
would net prevent an entrance into the harbor
owing to the fact that the entrance is 80 wide that
vessels could pass in without coming within range
OF the guns Of he fort
The two brass guns are of very handsome work.
manship, and are Kept very bright. This fort ia
garrsohed by large number Of troops, like Nau-
gasaki aud Simoda. The mandariup policemen
and troops, all carry two swords, ongl nd short
one. Their dresses IL the same as their hhor,
If the other islands. AS a general thing the nro.
pie are not SO tidy or good looking as those of the
other ports and they do not display the same in.
telligence and poiteness rs their brethren at the
other places neither do they show that disposrion
10 make free with strangers which We met wifi
at NaDgasaki This, however, is 10 be attributed.to
the fact that his Exceliepcy the Governor has a
pretty sharp look out over them.
All goods OF provisions sold have to pass through
the Custom House; for instance, went into store
and bought some smoked salmon which amounted
TO forty CENTS the storekeeper did dare to touch
my Mexican dollar, but he took the q sh and bees ed
me to follow him to the Custom House. Arriving
there, distance Of nearly half mile the officer of
customs received my dollar, gave me my balance
and fish, the trader receiving the pay from that
ofhcer-that 10, what was left after paying export
duty on one old dried up salmon that FROM it's
looks was isnoked years befJre our government
ever thought of sending the lameuted Perry out
here. This is the way all trade with Foreigners is
conducted. Even few string beans, cucumbers
and radshes have to pay that duty and be inspect.
ed by an officer before leaving the shore.
A Yankee physician has stuck up his shipgle
near tho Consui's residence. From appearance l
should judge that it did not take him long to make
his charges for bis morning calls His name IL
Bates, aud be 10 from AshfieId, Mass and very much
of gentleman No doubt, after these people leave
OF some OF their prejudices, he will have q good
practice and reap rich reward for the privAtion
he has to undergo. He 10 quite young man and
n excellent health. The morals of the people are
in rather a low state. if one can be allowed to
Judge from the manner in which they epjoy the
luxury of bathing. They have numerous bathing
houses in which males aud females, young and old,
all bath together in perfect state Of nudity, while
crowds Of spectators stand around to witness the
sport. Modesty seems to be an accomplishment
hat the ladies of Japan have not yet learned. La
dies Of rank and woman Of the lowest character,
married and single, gentlemen and loafers, bath
together, apparently as unconcernsd at the moral
effect of the scene as If they were enjoying the
sports Of picnic party. Houses of certain char
acter appear to be government monopoly, for
those disposed to visit them have to procure q
ticket, backed by . Custom House official.
Daring the past season over forty American
shaiers have put into this port to recruit and refi
ship. BY the way, Consul Rice has already held a
court, under the new treaty, and there are now
ccnnned in the cages two whalemen who have
been tried before him and sentenced as follows -
One native Of Philadelphia, for stealing rum
lsak, 10 one years hard labor; the other, native
Of New York city, named Waters tor asaanlting