Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1859-02-04

en- my influence IS tbe representative 81 my
country did noi 20. The Japanone hare
very few am hemenis; the principal ones
are wrestling. jugglers, and topspiaDers.
No,hing annlogous 10 theRougon Of Java,
tho Nauch girl Of India, The Amle q Egyph
the silva Of POLYNESIA, or the Fieurasts q
Paris is 10 Lo met here. A grand match
Of 100 Of tho crack wrostlers Of japan was
got up for my amusement Turn 70 Com
modoro Perys work on Japan, page 43l,
and you will End q very good lisho9raph Of
this amusement. The description be giyes
Of il is very correct, and corresponds vith
what saw, with the exception that he says
(pagO 43S) that some Of the wfestlers butt
cd each othor, and kept up their brutal
contest until their forcheads we're bosmaaT-
cd with blood" &c.
The juggers are very clover. One Of
them made two butterflies Of comuaon thin
paper He first raised one Of them up IN
the air by tho wind Of his fan, made itflut-
ter about his head, alight on his finger, bis
arm, and bis face; he next set the pair N
motion, aud Il was really wonderful 10 see
how natural the action was. They chased
each other through the hir IN circles, some
times horizontal and sometimes vertical;
they lowered over the water that was IN y
china bowl, and at last alighlsd on the rim
of the bowl. The topspiners would pro-
duce n sensation in New York.
For tho amusement Of your children, sud
especially for the amusement Of the little
lady that was SO indignant at seeing my
likeness exposed 10 the open air, ! will de-
serbia tho performance.
The exhibitor having spun Q top, placed
it on a board where il revolved with great
rapidity and steadincss; he then took il up
and laid il on its side, where it remained
without motion he then talked to the top.
and at the top; and, after making sundry
hourishes with bis fan, ho again placed Il
upright upon the board, aud lol il spun
away as merrily as ever. Another top
when lifted up By the spindle, made noise
exactly like your locust when held in the
hand. A top was declared 70 be female.
and having lot it spin awhile, he took it up,
shock il, and down fell seven distinct tops.
all Of which whrled merrily round. AM
other suddenly changed into lantern, and,
aftor whiring some time, the lamp in the
lantern was spontaneously lighted. A
piece Of sewing thread about Ave yards long
was held extended by two persons; the ex-
hibitor put top on this thread, and it ran
from one end 10 the other, always upright
and constantly revolving. The same feat
was performed on tho edge Of a sword; the
) top ran from the hilt to the point, and back
! again to the hilt will only describe one
moro feat. In the courtyard, where the
} exhibition took place, a pole some so fees
D high was planted in the ground; from q
: cross-bar at tho top Of the pole = small
. house was suspended, tlike yoaF martin
D boxes,l and from the door OF the house a
: piece Of twino hung down to the ground ;
, the exhibitor placed spinning top on the
1 palm of his left hand, and seized the twins
D with his right; then, tossing the top up in
: the air, dexterously cast turn Of the twine
4 around the lower spindle, and tho top IN
g stantly began to ascend the twine, reached
tho door, which it forced open, entered The
: the house, and then quietly laid down to
! rest In all this exhibition there was neith.
b er trick nor deception it was plain exhi'
Y bition Of skill. Yours, sincerely,
!. TOWNSEND HARRIS.
|. P.S.-The distance from Simoda TO Yod
K do is 1So miles BY land; by water il is only
: about so miles. did not describe the
e cultivation, houses, de-, saw on the route
: for all is an exact counterpart OF Simods
Q which have already described to you.