New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-01-18
INTERESTING FROM JAPAN.
LETTERS FROM MR.. TOWNSEND HARRIS.
HIS VISIT TO YEDDC


F,sm The Ws'Ai.gtn UN'oa.
The subjoired narrative Of the visit OF IoHneen'
Harris esq., United States Consul for Japan to feddo,
A., the presentation Of the letter Of the Predsn' Oh
he United States 10 the Emperor Of Japan VIII DC
vsad With the interest which attaches 10 everything
eesrected with our relations with the Eastern "ofo
These letters. written with eonversa1ors freedom
s.a ma intended for the public eye we are grained 70
have the opportunity to lay before our resders;
H. q. Consulate GESERsL,l
sINopA Japan, July 3, 1855.
upx,p. You are aware that brought Win
90 IN This country letter from t1e President OF Igs
limited States addressed 10 the Emperor oi yoPeu
Ale month Of October, 1886, wrote 70 Ins ~ ~
nert Of Yeddo that wished 70 60 70 al hssn
t,psed n would not interest youto rea1 an account
of The various means used by the japanese 70 ouce
me 10 deliver the letter at Simoda nor 70 Ieo an ac
count of the negotiations thereuPop winch were spun
-, 10, sonoe ten opths At last, finding that could
net be moved from my original determination, they
welded al the points at issue and agreed that s1oud
10 10 Yeddo and deliver the letter. at spubhc aodience
10 the Emperor. This was decided success, and
drew favorable from this removal Of the grsa,
barrier which had hitherto prevented personal cOm
muuication with the Government. More than Two
mebths were consumed by the japanese 10 ma N.is
their preparations for my journey aud for my re
M Ysddo I was informed that the Emperor hsd
gyen orders that should receive the sane nonors as
are paid 10 the princes Of the blood as well on the
would pose. ] was told that tbe Yice-Governor OF
Bimods would attend me- in the character OF courier,
syd that be woud implicitly obey al my nstructons'
Ny train numbered some 80 persons composed OF
guards my own, noTrmOn bearers, COOKS, grOonls,
sboe bearers cane bearers, fan-bearers, and last,
though not Jeast standard bearer, and large num-
Der II coolies had permitted the JaPanes' TO ar,
range ane dress my train according 70 snG % tSs
REPRESENTATIVE Of the President Of the United STATES
NY guards, each with two swords IN the grdle, ana
clad in new silk dresses as they sSeled and struted
about appeared 10 be nightly upifteo in heart,
while they and my bearers and grooms appeared TO
have "broken OUT all over their bodies with spread
eagles" as the back, breast and sleeves OF their
dresses were sprinkIed over with the arms OF the
United States, which were neatly painted on them
performed the Journey partly horseback and parity
IN norrinoon which Is the Japanese name for psan-
cum. The Japanese norrimon will compare with the
celebrated iron cages Of Carina Bane OF France, IN
which the poor inmate could neither lie down nor stand
ND. In the nOrrIoon the japanese kneel and place
their feet close together and then sit on their heels
they wish 10 repose themselves they lean forward and
rest the chin their knees, 30 that the body and
limbs form three horizontal folds or pies-a position
that they assume and keep without annoyance from
long practice, and from the great hexibily of their
Joints but which is almost unattanable by white
man, and is absolutely uncomfortable.
j had a norman made for me seven feet long, ana
in it 1 put mattress and pillows, which made it as
comfortable as the Indian pala3qulni bu, OF sl the
modes Of travelling the camel, the elephant, and the
palsnqun are the most fatiguing.
On the lovely morning Of Monday Nov. 70, started
forThe long desired goal Of my wiuhes-Yeddo. -Four
lads, with small bamboo wands, led the way as bar
biIgers ard their voices sounded qnte musical as they
sang the japanese words for clear the way clear
the way" kneel down" 4" kneel down." Next fol-
lowed a Japanese officer on horseback then came a
large lackered tablet, bearing my name aud titles IN
immense Chinese characters. The tablet sup
ported by two huge transparent lanterns which bore
similar Inscriptions. Wnen / halted, the tablet was
placed in front Of my quarters, and at night tue IAN
terms were lighted and hung up over the gte OF the
house, NEXT came stout fellow, bearing the stars
and stripes" with four guards. i followed either on
horseback in my norrimon, and attended by twelve
guards. Next came Mr. Hsuskin interpreter, and
after him do not recolect how il was arranged ex-
ospt that the Vice Governor brought up the resr.
For the first three days the route was entangled
among mountains and deep ravines which composs
the peninsula of ldsu. The path for is could not be
called a road wac narrow, and in many places was
formed by cutting steps in the Jufa rocks, and some
times II ran mountains 600 feet high. On the
secsnd day reached Ugasima, and as emerged from
the sorges Of Mount Amagi l had my nr't view OF
~ vnsi Yama" the Matches Mountain" The sight
ws. or.ns beyond description. AS viewed IRON the
Temnie, NJ Ueas;:s the mountain appears to be en-
tirey isolated and shoots up IN glorious ana perfect
cone 10000 feet high 1t was v:sreo WIN snow,
and in the bright sunlight gtered Ike frosted silver.
In it's majestic solitude Il struck me as being even
more grand and imposing than the celebrated Dwhal-
gin Of the Hnnsla mountains. For The hrst two
nights was lodged in temples which had been fitted
u ID q.
10 contribute TO my comfort. On tie evening of the
third day arrived 81 Mssims, town the To ky-3o
or at East road and from thence to Iedio the road
lie wide and good. On the great roads of Japan nice
buildings are erected for the accommodation OF the
princes when they travel; they are called Howjin;
and il was in them that had my quarters for the re-
mainder Of my journey.
On my arrival at one of these buildings the Vice.
Governor would hasten to compliment me on my
arrival and AK after my health On one occasion
asked him TO come into the house, but he shook his
head, and said he dared not do it, only those of
exalted rank" could enter Howjin; yet this man
has received some thirty steps of promotion, wears
the imperial his sleeve and is the Leader Of
One Thousand Stars. c., the commander Of one
thousand soldiers.
MY first days Journey on the To-ky do wa. over the
mountain Hacone which is some 4 500 feet high
Afer had passed the Greet of tee mountain and hsi
ended about onethrd Of the way, came 10 a
perfect kioH Of rect house. Everything was IN
miniature. The house was new, .nd nothing could
exceed It's neatness. miniature garden adorned the
rear the trees dwarfed ~ the smallest of possible
sixes. Here were tiny temples and grottoes, and
bridges 30 petite that nothing heavier than fairy
could walk over them. canal and fsh- pond, paved
crystal clearness; the gold and silver fen, however
0fenormous size, some being quite two feet long,
and gray headed old carp appeared to be the pstr
arch Of the hnny family.
The passage of Mount Hacone was not completed
until after nghtfa; but did not regret being De ated
as it afforded me the novel eight of my train brilliantly
lighted by large number of huge bamboo torches.
As the train twisted and turned among the deseents Of
the mountain il looked like the tail of huge fiery
dragon. On reaching the plain was met by the
thoftes Of the city Of Odowara and whole army Of
lanterns Of all imaginable sizes and colors, each being
decorated with the arms Of its owner, ana the whole
forming ensemble that was lively and pleasing.
passed Sunday the 10Th Of November at Kawasaki
This Is the town that Chaplain B'inger reached when
he made his celebrated dash at Ieddo. See Com
modOre Periys Journal Ct the Japan Expeditionl.