The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-07-25
TWELVE SKIPWRECKED JAPANESE AT SAN
FR.lHozsCU THEIR AD YENTpREs
IRON the Alta oalnornia, June a

Prom INC Ana 'aihofnia, 'une M
The Alta OF tuesday made bref mention OF the
OF twelve Japanese nom rudderless junk by Gap
tain Winchester Of the ship Caribbean, on her voyage
from China to this port Yesterday, accompanied by
Thoro, the Japanese porter OF Wells, Fargo Co.. Mr.
Van Heed and Captain Silvey, OF sweeny Banghs we
paid visit to Captain W. who Is an old trader between
port and China, his last being his ninth round yoy
age.
The Caribbean laid out an anchorage on ciarks point
aud taking boat at Meggs wharf, we were soon along
side, and welcomed on deck by capt. w himself who
had but just yetuned from the city with the captain OF
thu Japanese junkhs first visit TO an American and we
may say civilized city VIII ever BIO memorized
from tho fact that no had daguerreoype likeness TAKEN
which lac exhibited to us with great PRIDE although cyi
IDENTIFY astonished and Dewdered as TO the means OF It's
accomplishment
The Japanese wero called upon deck, and received
Ihoso by bowling, ut the same time folding their hands
across the abdomen They are a fine looking body OF
men, differing In features, costume and habit from the
Chinese The majority arc possessed OF regular features
and several are really fine looking conspicuous among
which class are the captain and second mate The st
mate parfakcs OF the Chinese type whilst bat one OF the
crew has the eye lhcy were dressed Pc
cuiarly wearing blue cotton trowsers Chms white
cloth socks to which sandals OF straw are attached by
thong passing between tho thu ana 1ourth Toes ana
around the ankle loose wrapper style Of an outer
dress, with two or three under garments seemingly OF
similar shape folded across the breast tho whole held
together BY girde which at the same time permits the
garments to become the repositories OF tho various articles
and essential portables answering for pockets
They wear no cues but the top OF the head Is cleany
shaven, allowing an outer edge OF hair TO grow long,
which carefully gathered up over the head In Knot
permitting only the centre OF tho frontal portion con-
tnuAfion OF tho forehead TO DO exposed The hair Is
finer In texture than that OF the Chinese and all their
visagos were innocent OF beard or moustache Capt
informed us that they were OF very ceanly habits,
bathing every morning. and that during the voyage they
refused to associate with the Chinese passengers and in
using tho culinary utensils after them were very partcu
lar TO acour them thoroughly On the ship they endeay
Ored to render themselves useful and always exhibited
great alacrty in aiding In the ships sailing by pulling
at ropes &C. Although unable to use any English words
from the lntegent expression OF their copnenances GU
ring the propoundg OF qaesuons WAS evident 70 US
they At least comprehended the meaning OF many.
Previous to giving any account OF these strangers as
taken from their own lips, tho following extract from
Captain W.slog VIII best explain their condition
MAY -, at a. M, hne and clear, saw an object to
wlndward, which looked like ship dsmasted tackled
and stood towards her. and made her out to be Junk
with an old tor sail set standing towards us. When
about half mile to leeward OF the junk she lowered
her SAL and put out canoe, and came alongside with
twelve men and their luggage They all uncovered their
heads and fell on their knees and by signs asked to take
them on board, which We did, although we could not
understand their language One apparently the captain
wrote on piece OF paper in similar characters to those
OF the Chinese, but none OF the Chinese passengers
could understand IT, save the word Japan He then pro-
duced board with tho likeness OF what wo knew TO DO
ms junk ingeniousy built representing her as she ap
peared after heavy typhoon, with her rudder broke
Sent the mate on board and found her as illustrated by
her crew rudder broke mass carried away, and every
thing IN dlsorderly state her bottom covered with
said 70 be two feet long, as she had been toss
ng about for hve or SIX months we saw was mposs
Bile for her crew to take her to land She was laden with
wne OIL and barley Took seven tubs OF the former and
ten bags OF the latter as provisions for tho crew. as they
mac douuuess nvea on the same lor months
An "aoton 70 Inc apoVe particulars, capt. W. stated
snat wnen they were renewed Inc majority were covered
Win DOLLS ana were nearly han DINO rom their expo
sure.
WIN tncif eiiccts uey prought quantity OF Japanese
TOBACCO (Which unfortunately they had consumed prior
70 their ARRIVAL mere! compass violin, some little
chiha-wale, the JUNK papers, ana cat Inc compass
il IN small pox ABOUT the size OF an ordinary
nkstand the needle being IN sunken cavity IN the CEN
tre winch Is lined with SILVER fo and divided into four
equal DIVISIONS by TWO black INES with the pole marked
py character Inc needie OF iroi SNAPPED somewhat
siar " .G hour manu- oi an oa a'nloheu pun eye
Watch steei pnon WIN ronsh pIas mead the whoie
covered w1th grass SET IN prass nm. Inc exterior
euee u te poa - dviaeu ihto ."eiVe compartments
escn marked WIN Inc Japanese pmnets ana smaller
pear woou, WIN square ehd covered IKE Daho, WIN
na.,o VI ta,' .s, inoio eu,leu ~ nus
SWINGS Vi oo.ucu SiiN, which hS uen'enuu ny o,ie
u.u hcys turned N te pain OF she nano Inc hahaie
10 Joihscu ior convenience Ihs is sau 70 DO woman
instrument. Inc chlnaware was OF ORDINARY character
WIN design heitner chaste nor elegant athough some
s. uee,n !. natural lug JUNK papers were ooh'ii
Gu n couar capine faner Oh rough wofkmanship ana
ON tne interpreter inspecting them they were pronoun
ceu DO receipts invoices OF cargo, commercial letters
auu clance papers, tne attcr extraordinary documents
oimunDie WIN 8'gannc cnaFcters anu pehutude OF pa
per Inese documents the captain OF the Junk placed
IN CapMin W. nandS, with a request 10 take especial