Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1860-06-20
JAPANESE EPIsTLEs.

nave lost none of the peculiarities of the Jap
anese language, by being translated into Dutch
and then into English:
The CENTRAL Cry OF WAsH1NaroS.
ESTEEMED HAKoDADI Tho details OF our
reception by the American Tycoon you have
in my former letter. He is called not Tycoon,
but 'sPresident;' - sometimes, however, by
strange analogy of language, cold COON" |
at first thought this attempt 20 pronounce
our Japanese phrase, but am assured that it is
strictly idiomatic, aud implies astuteness and
age. 1t certainly seemed applicable to the
head of the nation who received us.
| We find it very difficult to comply with the
! demands of our sovereign, forbdding us to
touch the woman of this country. Not from
any disposition on our part to disobey, but
| from their desire to seize US by our hands.
| They are apparently allowed here the greatest
freedom, but it is only in appearance. Every
woman, married or single, is fastened in
cage of bamboo or flexible steel, extending
| from the waist to the feet. This seems to be
so arranged as to give them no uneasiness, but
| they are very much ashamed Of it. and conceal
| 1t under SO many coverings that it renders
| their appearance quite ludicrous. They are
unrestricted as to the upper part OF their per-
sons, which they are permitted to expose as
much as the wish. This they seem to avail
| themselves of, and on all occasions of high
| ceremony, wear very low dresses. AS in all
! barbarous nations, the slit their ears and sus-
| pcuO lIOlu lHeiD OTu1lEeDtS Vi SOitl duu SIlNSF
! They also paint and powder themselves, and
| after greasing their hair, twist it into fantas-
! tic shapes and fasten it up with long pins and
| combs. Some of them would be finc-looking,
| if they did not disfgure themselves by the
| hideous and vulgar custom of wearing eye
| brows and keeping their teeth white. Be as
| sured, therefore, that we are in no danger of
being captyated by their appearance; we feel
| nothing but regret that the barbarouS and alb
surd customs of man should thus destroy the
charms which cultivation and refinement would
| SO much improve.
Nothing strikes us so much as the want of
! respect these barbarians show even to their
| highest dignitaries; they never hesitate to
! spit before them, and it requires considerable
activity TO prevent being spit upon at all times.
| The custom of wearing one sword, it seems,
| originated from this cause, as it enables you
to avoid with greater facility the saliva of your
neighbor. Chewing tobacco is much priced,
| it seems, from the saliva it produces, which is
preserved, when possible, in handsome vases
of porcelain, and placed in prominent posi-
! tions. None of the inhabitents do reverence
by crawling on their bellies, except after the
election of a new Tycoon, when those in
search of Office come to the central city and
| perform that ceremony. Those who are fortu-
| nate enough to meet with honor from the Ty-
coon seldom walk uprightly during their whole
| term of office. The unfortunate applicants
become at once censors or spies upon the
| high price. All public servants have their
price, which rises or falls according to the
necessities of the Tycoon. But shall reserve
my reflections political topics till have
another opportunity to address you. Until
then rest in peace.
THE CENTRAL Cry OF WASHINGTON.
ESTEEMED HAKoDADI ~ on will perceive by
the date of my letter that we are still in the
| Central City, the sacred residence of his Ma
! .jesty the Sly Coon. We have been devoting
ourselves, since | last wrote to you, to the
study of the manners and customs of this new
| and singular people. Their most marked Pc
| cularity appears to be their strange restless
ness. 1t is one of their holy maxims deliver
! ed to them by one of the fathers of the repub-
lie, that 'seternal vigilance is the price of lib
| erty,'' and from recent events it has also been
discovered ssthat eternal vigilance is the price
of slavery All portions of the country are,
| therefore, in obedience to these wise laws kept
in constant state of activity. Their coun-
! tenauces bear evidence of fearful anxiety.
| They never for moment seem to enjoy the
! luxury of repose SO dear to all Eastern ma
| tions, and although they appear TO be rumina-
! ting animals, they never chew the cud with
| the placdity of the sacred COW. They eat fast,
drink fast, smoke FAST and talk fast. To call
them to their meals, they have imported the
| great Chinese war gong. When this is SCUM
ded, every association is forsaken, and they
rush with violence to be fed. They arm them
| selves with Il DfOau WIFI TOUR pTOnSS, u
| knife and spoon, and they fill themselves in
an incredibly short space OF time. Their diet
| is mainly the flesh OF animals, that of the FL
| thy creature, the hog is one of their favorite
| dishes the hind legs are the most esteemed
portions, and the lard or grease is used univcr-
| sally. 1t is odd, that with such tastes, they
should have prejudice against much clean
er animal, the dog, so great favorte with
the Chinese. The dogs are kept as with us.
| for the chase, or as pets. They the same
precaution to prevent their doing mischief,
| that they employ to restrain their women, ,only
they place tie wire cap on the dogs head.
| Drinking is the only national amusement,
and is indulged in by all classes at all times.
1t is generally performed in a standing posi-
ton, and is highly esteemed from its interfer-
ing so little with the pursuit of business. They
use mainly the fermented juice of the grape,
out of which various liquors made, most
delectable to the palate, and far exceeding in
/ flavor our own saki. They obtain liquor
| from the Dutch called ssGin,'' out OF which
they make a mixture bearing the name of the
| tail of the fowl imported from Shanghai. They
also manufacture out of liquor called ssBran-
| dy,'' drink intended to commemorate the
| introduction of railroads-sssmashes,' our in
terpreter calls them. But an inebriating wine
called ssChampagne," which explodes, is more
to our taste than either gin cocktails or bran
| dy smashes, and it is not so powerful. The
| drink of the SIy-Coon is called whisky; it is
made by religious sect, settled in his native
province. Its use is also permitted to the
! Senators, being part of the treaty making pow
er, always employed in that connection with
the Aborigines. The stronger liquors are
drunk in the morning and at night, and the
| mider ones during the afternoon.
/ The people here rarely sleep-never In the
| daytime except upon the first day of the week,
when they perform their religious exercise