Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-05-19

The Japanese embassy now in Washington
furnish an object of great curiosity to Amer-
cans. The building where they are quartered
echoes with their pleasant voices, and the cor
ridors are filled with their tancifully clad
forms, fitting restlessly about from one limit
to the other of their abiding place. Within
their rooms the japanese pursue their easy
avocations, a few writing, few sketchng,
many smoking, and all Of them are benignanty
smiling. The three princes receive, with
great affability, the one thousandth for
mai and sonorous speech that has beset them
The interpreter translates all that has been said
in one-third of the time of its first occurrence
and delivers the brief answer. approximate
rooms the higher officers sit about, all chatting
briskly, and putting brief pipes, or drinking
minute drafts Of tea, which are made ready for
their use in little cups hot water being always
ready in copper vessel which rests upon
pan of lighted coal.
In the open halls, knots of strollers assem-
BILE, and make remarks about the crowds be,
yond them, which they would well like to
join. Now lofty officer passes, and the SUI
bordinates salute him with sudden stoop,
resting the hands upon the knees, and draw
ing breath quickly between their teeth-an
inseparable accompaniment to their recogni-
ton of superiors. Now little "Tonmy," the
third interpreter, runs along, greatly excited
at a sudden freak of his gas, which he has
blown out instead of shutting off, and which
refuses to be relighted. Now servants enter
from their own department to receive instruc
tons, and walk innocently up and down with
out trousers on the warmth having induced
a temporary renunciation of these garments,
which, indeed, are frequently not worn at all
| by the lower attendants.
A party Of artists collect together, and view
daguerreotypes-th process of taking which
one of them has learned and which all ofthem
theoretically understand-with passing obser-
vations vastly complimentary to American
beauty. Upon the backs of some they record
their admiration. Now Tommy" is moved
to rush impetuously to his room, and to pro-
duce therefrom his own daguerreotype, taken
in San Francisco, in which his pleasant tea.
lures are faithfully enough portrayed, but
which lacks the animation that always beams
from his countenance. A conversation about
the stereoscope is introduced, the officers init
mating that in order to carry back with them
to Japan the best remebranees of such scenes
as shall please them, they will avail themselves
Of this invention.
1t is vain to look for indications of religious
observance, for none such are performed be-
fore strange eyes, although evidences appear
OF ueFOllOn 10 some OF the least agreeable prln
cples Of Oriental faith. Toward 10 o'clock
the officers mostly retire, although some few
remain awake snd active until after midnight
AT last the door of the princes is closed, tho
lights vanish Que by one, and presently the
Japanese settlement is shrouded in silent dark
ness
The mystery of the origin of the japanese
| people is not to be in any way elucidated by
! their appearance. They bear no close physi
cal resemblance to any other nation From
the Chinese, with whom they have frequent,
been supposed to be affiliated, they are as dis
tinct in appearance as in intellect The Chi
nese are heavy in c0untenance and yellow il
ompexion-equally unattractiye, to say thu
least, TO the eye. The japanese have bright
clear faces, and are literally, in many cases
as white as we. Exposure to the sun (theJ
seldom wear hats give their cheeks and brow
deep tawny hue, but the hands of those un
accustomed to toll, are as white and delicate
as those of American ladies'. Wherever theil
skin is protected, it is perfectly fair. As for
the peculiarly OF expression which marks al.
most all. their faces it appears to be cansed by
their singular method OF dressing the hair.
One or two of the ambassadors attendants
who had neglected shaving for some days, and
suffered their hair TO tall about after the Amer.
leah fashion, could not, excepting by their
dress, be distinguished from the sailors on
boagd the Roanoke.
III other respects, the differences between
ule Chnese and japanese are more striking