Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1858-02-26
From the New Haven Journal and Courier.
Japan.
UNITED STATES SHIP PORTSMOUTH,

HAKoDADI, Japan, October 1857 {
Japan is country about the history of which there
hangs so much of strange and halfmysterous interest
and which has had for few years past and still has so
many claims upon the attention of the Western nations
and especially of the United States, that cannot but
congratulate myself that have had the opportunity of
visiting it, although but hurriedy and of observing,
though to limited extent the character of the country
and people.
We had hardly dropped our anchor in the harbor of
Slmoda when boat bearing the black and white Ja-
panese flag pulled off from the town bringing to the ship
three or four officers, who to bid welcome in the
name OF the Governor, and in very good English The
bOatmen stout muscular fellows strongly built and
well proportioned and with general appearance of in
telgencc and respectability. l would describe their
costume If they had costume to describe but costume
they had none save only rag, which served to
make their nakedness apparent. And this seems
to be the case with all the common people-day labor
cr, artisans mechanics, farmers, almost everybody be-
yond the rank which would entitle him to wear sword
all go nakedthe small children frequently without
rag. In the most orrd part of the tropics that have
ever seen the common people are much more dressed
than they here in Japan, in the same latitude lit
should be remembered) with Richmond, with Phladel-
phia, with New York and Boston. In Winter suppose
they must cloth themselves, they would perish with
cold Indeed the bracing autumnal weather of October
and the thermometer at so deg has already begun to
increase the amount of dry goods which meet with in
daily walks Loose gowns, of coarse brown fabrics
fastened by girde at the waist by those who
would have considered them quite superhuous a month
ago The perfection of absurdity in costume however,
| saw in Simoda. A little, fat dusky urchn, of four
years DID, without rag Of clothing without even d
thread to tie his hair with, walking about in shower
! of rain, acith an umbrella open!
The officers handsomely dressed in lght-colored
Silks of native manufactures their upper garments were
loose and flowing and their trowsers were of an ampli-
tude quite unspeakabe. They wore thick stockings of
blue cloth, and sandals of wood straw Like all the
Japanese their heads shaven top from the fore
ho,l Ion1 4c4h Tho H. IL
Of the skull being gathered into queen, pasered to-
gether with grease, that it is solid mass and capable
Of standing alone, tied with string, and then by dex-
ferrous curve brought into horizontal position so that
the end of it shall point forward in direction parallel
with that OF the Each of them two swords
in elegantly acquered scabbards one of them long two
handled sword, and the other shorter like dirk What
with their flowing robes their rowsers and
their long projecting swords the figures of these gentle
men presented very remarkable outline.
was glad to avail myself of the first opportunity for
a stroll on shore. Our landing place at substan-
tia stony-etty, front of Custom House or Police
Office from which the black and white flag was flying
The road lead under the brow of steep hill, green
with vegetation and blooming with autumna flowers
beneath the shadow of grand old pine the
welbuilt wooden bridge that spanned mountain brook
: and so into the town.
Only two weeks before had walked about the streets
Of Shanghae, which earuy narrow, crowded. dirty
and like most OF the Chinese Streets full of OueSt stencil
es it was therefore very delightful contrast to fine
here streets broad enough for carriages, smooth well
swept and clear and free from any odorous denominations
They are regularly laid out at right angles to an
other and some of them are paved with cobbe stones
Not less remarkable is the extreme cleanliness of the
dweng-houses and stores. These fimsly built o
thin boards upon frame work, with low roofs and pa
per windows and are never than story high
They constructed with special reference to earth
Quakes, which would seem to occur as often as at th
rate of dozen or so month The houses are rare,
painted either inside or out and must therefore, after
few years, become Drowned and begin to decay from
posure to the weather. None of those in Simoda pre-
sented such appearances because they have all been bull
since the year 954 when the whole town destroyed
by earthquake of unusual violence and the Russian
rgate Diana, in harbor at the time, wrecked at he
anchorage.
inside the houses consist Of two rooms, dvd
ed by their partitions the floor is raised about eghteer
inches from the ground, and portion f it covered
with thick matting-sOmetimes in two three layers
of remarkable cleanliness and elasticity and upon th
the family sit in the day time and sleep at night
it is just much matter of course to the
. dals before treadng upon this mating, as in New
Haven, to take off ones hat before entering parlor-
The scrupulous neatness and cleanliness in which the
houses kept would delight the heart if it did moi
: move the envy, of an American Shaker was remind
ed again and again of visit which [ made to the
settlement of that remarkable fraternity at Enfield.
. We produced considerable sensation in walk
through the streets of Smoda. Wor1men rested from
! their labOrS to stare at US women rushed to the doors
aIICf Slllall CllUren lOlOWCu CdlS
from us and hid themselves dogs howlcd at and flee
mpetuousy, with abject tails. At last passed out
of the more public Streets and found way to where
Il handsome temple stood, close under the shadow O
green hills 1t building of much more elegant anC
substantial architecture than had before, anC
the carved and ornamental work of the cornces
really beautiful. Passing under high gateway, il
which hung a large and sWeet-toned bell entered
y court crowded with monuments of the dead, and
J into the temple At first it seemed to be vacant but
by and by discovered the shining bald pate of the
priest who stretched out at full length behind th
altar, with its array of gilded toys and tnsel enjoying
r. his afterdnner nap The autunnal breeze that rusteC
g the leaves the blsides all around pleasant
= and the mating the floor Of the temple soft an(
cean that felt have disposed to participate in the re
- pose of the somnolcnt eccesiastic.
o The American flag flying from large temple mile dis
tant from the town indicated the residence of Con
sui General, Mr.. H,rriss This gentleman in the lone
year that he has spent among the Japanese has not beer
idle not only has he secured to himself the respect
all with whom he in contact but he has secured t.
his countrymen important privileges in addition to thOs
provided for by the treaty the currency is equitab
eSablished the right of permanent residence in ia
pan on the part of American citizens acknowledged
- and all cases of Americans charged with crime t.
be tried by the Consul and not by the japanese author
tiles Indeed it seems not altogether improbable tha
/ before another year our ConsuGeneral will be pubic
~ received at Jeddo.
have described at as much length the brief natur
of the subject would permit, the costume of the
f Simoda and have remarked upon their intelligent AM
" healthy appearance, but have not yet introduced tn
women to the readers of the Journal and Courier Man
T. Of the younger ones-Q the japanese women ant
not the readers of the Journal and Courier) not re
ally beautiful have such an appearance OF cheerful goo
nature and robust health compensates for the absenc
=" Of beauty and if the matrons of Simoda would put
stop to the disgusting custom of staining their teeth