Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-01-21

Vi Ine Nlsit % Ao"hsEND HARRIS, ESQ., Unlteo
States Consul for Japan, to Yeddo, and the pre-.
sentation of the letter of the President of the
United States to the Emperor of Japan, written
by the Consul to friend with conversational
freedom, and not intended for the public eye,
therefore all the more readable and interesting.
He takes the reader right along with him among
a wonderful and almost unknown people, points
out what is to be seen and heard, and telling
| just what is desirable to know.
Consul HARRls had no little trouble in obtain
ing permission to visit Yeddo. Some ten
months were spent in negotiations, the Japan
ese insisting that he should deliver the letter at
Simoda. The Consul refused to do so, and at
last all the points at issue were yielded, and it
was agreed that Mr.-IE should 90 to Yeddo and
deliver the letter at public audience to the
Emperor. Two months were then spent by the
Japanese in making arrangements for the trip
and reception. the Emperor having given or
ders that the American Consul should receive
the same honOrs as are paid to the princes of
the blood on the route and in the towns and vii
lagos. The Vice Governor of Simoda was
commissioned to attend the Consul in the char
acter of courier, and was directed to implicit
ly obey all his instructions. The narrative
says: seats
My train numbered some $50 persons, COM
posed of guards (my own), norrimon bearers,
cooks, grooms, shoe bearers, cane bearers, fan
bearers, and last, though not least, standard
4 haar nd z. oF 7 LoI
permitted the Japanese to arrange and dress my
train according to their ideas of propriety, and
what they conceived was due to the re presenta-
tive of the President ofthe United States. My
guards, each with two swords in the girdle, and
clad in new silk dresses, as they swelled and
strutted about, appeared to be "mightily uplift-
ed in heart" while they and my bearers and
grooms appeared to have ''broken OUT all over
their bodies W ith ''spread eagles, as the back,
breast and sleeves of their dresses were
sprinkled over with the arms of the United
States, which were neatly painted on them.
performed the journey partly on horseback and
partly in norrimon, which is the japanese
name for Palanquin. The Japanese norrimon
will compare with the celebrated iron cages of
Cardinal Blame of France, in which the poor in
mate could neither lie down nor stand up. In
the norman the Japanese kneel and place
L
| heels; if they wish to repose themselves they
lean forward, and rest the chin on their knees,
so that the body and limbs form three horizon.
tai folds or piles-a position that they assume
and keep without annoyance from long practice,
and from the great fexibility Of their joints, but
| which is almost unattainAbe by white man,
and is absolutely uncomfortable .-. F
| had norrimon made for me seven feet long,
and in it l put mattress and pillows, which
made it as comfortable as the Indian palanqun;
but of all the modes of travelling, the camel, the
elephant, and the palanquin are the most ia
tiguiDg
On the lovely morning of Monday, Nov. %,
| started for the long desired goal ofmy wishes
Ysdd4 ca 1Ss xdy E9gI rs lads With s@2 bamboo wsads
sounded quite musicals as they sang the Japanese
words for "clear the way" 'clear the way,
"kneel down" "kneel down" Next followed
Japanese officer on horseback; then came a
large lsckered tablet, bearing my name and Il
ties in immense Chinese characters. The tab
let was supported by two huge transparent Ian
terms, which bore similar inscriptions. (When
halted, the tablet was placed in front of my
quarters, and at night the lanterns were lighted
aud hung over the gate of the house Nexi
came stout fellow, bearing the sstars and
stripes" with four guards. l followed either
Il
! BY twelve guards. Next came Mr.. HeuskiT
, Cnterpreter,) and after him do not reeollec
how it was arranged, except that the Vice Gov
ernor brought up the rear
: For the first three dsYs the route was entan
gled among mountains and deep ravines which
compose the peninsula of Idsu- The path (tUI
it could not be called a road) was narrow. ans
in many places was formed by cutting steps il
, the Jufa rocks, and sometimes it ran over noun
tains 4 600 feet high. On the second day
l reached Ugasima, and as emerged from thf
gorges of Mount Amagi had my first view o
"Fusi Yama," The "MAtchless Mountain" Th'
sight was grand beyond description. As view
;, ed from the Temple at Ugasima, the mountain
appears to be entirely isolated, and shoots uplI
a glorious and perfect cone 10, GOO feet highE =
II was covered with snow, and in the brigh
: sunlight it gEttered like frosted silver. In it
e majestic solitude 1t struck me as being ever
o more grand and imposing than the celebrated
q Dwhalgiri of the Himmala mountains. For th'
n | irst two nights was lodged in temples whicl
IL had been fitted up for me, with new bath
i rooms and oLhe- appliances to contribute to ny
Il comfort On the evening of the third day
s arrived at Missima, q town on the To-ky-do
!. | or great East road, and from thence to Yedd'
v the road is wide and good. On the great road
\ of Japan nice buildings are erected Tor the ac
= commodstion of the princes when they travel
they are called Howjin; and it was in them tina
had my quarters for the remainder Of my jour
ney. .-.--..... 3 =.
" On my arrival at one of these buildings tn
e-Goyernor would hasten to compliment M
on nv arrival, and ask after my health. o.
one occasion | asked him to come into tn
II house, but he shook his head, and said he daret
not do it, as only those of "exalted rank" coulC
d enter a Howjin; yet this maa has received SOM
thirty steps Of promotion, wears the imperia
arms on his sleeve, and is the "Leader of On
= Thousand Stars'-ie e, the commander OF on
thousand soldiers.
E Nv frst days journey on the To-ky-do wa
L over the mountain HscOne, which Is some 4,5Ol
e feet high. After had passed the crest Of th'
1t mountain, and had descended about OnesthirC
of the way, 1 came to a perfect byOE of res
a house. Everything was. in miniature. Th'
house was new, and nothing could exceed IL
neatness. A miniature garden adorned tn'
e rear; the trees were dwarfed to the smallest o.
e possible sizes. Here were tiny temples anC
n prottoes, and bridges so Petits that nothing
lheayier than fairy could walk over them. A
canal and fish-pond,r paved with snow white
pebbles, were flied with water Of crystal clear
= ness; the gold and silver fish, however, were o.
: ; enormous size, some being quite two teet long
: : and gray-headed old carp appeared to be the
4 patriarch of the fnny family.
a The passage of Mount Hacone was not COM
pleted until after nghtfall, but did not regret
being belated, as It afforded met he novel sight
$ Of my train brilliantly lighted by large num-
% her of huge bamboo torches. As the train
= twisted and turned among the deseents of the
: mountain, it looked like the tail Of huge fiery
: dragon. On reaching the plain / was met by
s the authorities of the city of Odowara and q
d whole army Of lanterns, Of all imaginable sizes