Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1860-05-23
rHEJApANEsE EMBASSY.


ing, bearing the flag of Flag Officer, William
j. McCluney, Commander-in-C Chief of the
Home and Gulf Squadron, having on board
the japanese Embassy, arrived at the entrance
| to New York harbor on Wednesday evening,
May 9th. Dispatches from the Secretary OF
the Navy were Immediately taken or board,
ordering the flag officer not to enter this port,
but to return at once to Hampton Roads, Va,
in order that the strange guests of the nation,
who have come SO far to make us visit at
our invitation, may be received first at the
Capitol, before they take their view of the
commercial metropolis.
| Two years ago, at great fire in Japan, the
English copy of the treaty between this coun-
try and the empire burned, and Consul
Harris, who has shown such remarkable ability
in dealing with these people, had the address
to induce the government to send an embassy
| to this country to get a new copy signed by
the President. Two ambassadors were accor-
| dinghy appointed, attended by Is subordinate
officers, and 81 servants, making u persons
| in all. One of these was taken ill at San
/ francisco, ,and sent on board the CGndinmdrTuh,
the Japanese man. of war which had preceded
| the embassy to that port.
/ The first ambassador is Prince of Bujen,
| and Chamberlain to the Tycoon-one of the
/ highest officers of the government. He is
small, delicate, olive complexion, and rather
! d-looking-something of the Hebrew type.
| He is Al years old. He dresses sort of
loose dressing gown, talma, pijama, and white
| CATERS. His undertakes is of white silk and
linen, which comes up around the neck INSTEAD
| of collar and necktie.
| The Japanese wear great variety of colors
"a custom among the servants well as the
/ upper classes-the favorite color seems to be
! sky-blue. The gown generally worn is a sort
| of slate color purple, the talma of sky-bue,
and the pijama of Grape silk of the most beau
| tiful figure and texture. The shape of the
4 r.
| round the waist by silk cord tassel, which
hangs down by the side like that of sword
| belt. The back part is drawn a fiat hoop
| or thin board, about two inches wide that fits
! close around the small of the back. The
| sides on the hip are scolloped out showing the
! gown down as far as the knee. This dress is
| not worn by servants. The style of wearing
| the hair is the same with all classes. The
| front part of the head is shaved, the hair
4 which is quite long, is combed from the side
and back part of the head, upon the part shaw
/ ed, and tied up in knot The hair is jet
black, very stiff and glossy, made SO by 'sobe
oil'' and other ingredients which they use.
| His Excellency wears white cotton CATERS,
which are only worn by princes and those OF
| high rank; the lower classes are not allowed
| to wear them. He wears two swords, but no
| jeweiry, and usually carries a fan hats are
| seldom worn. They make beautiful papier
| naache hats, but they seldom wear them. Up
are round white marks, about the size of
dollar, which indicate their rank, and are used
in signing their name instead of writing it.
They are family or masters marks when of
the former, they only worn by the eldest
son.
Though their travelling expenses are all borne
by our government, they bring $50, ,O00in coin
for purchases. Their baggage amounts to so
tuns; and in crossing the Panama Railroad it
filled four cars. Some of their more valuable
baggage-such the 'streaty box,'' contain
ing the treaty-was taken along with the Com
missioners. They never allow it out of their
sight. One of the officials special duty is to
look after the treaty box. 1t is about three
feet long, two feet in depth. and eighteen in
ches wide. This is covered with red morocco
leather, handsomely stitched about the edges
The box is inclosed in a light frame, made of
Stats about two inches wide and half an inch
thick, resembling very much the frame about
Herring's safes. This box is carried by two
poles, about ten feet long borne on the shoul-
ders of four men. There, are in fact, three
boxes which form the one covered by leather.
One box contains the letter from the Emperor
Cor Tycoon), to the President one, the Japa-
nese treaty in their own language; the other
a copy of the treaty in English, which they
bring to have signed by the President.
When the cars started from the depot at
Panama they showed not the least surprise, as
they never do on any occasion; but expressed
their delight by jumping up, laughing, talking,
clapping their hands, smoking and all kinds
of gestures. At the halfway station whilst
the train was stopping, the japanese were out
making sketches of the locomotive, cars, sta
ton house, birds, trees, plants, flowers, and
almost everything they saw. There are some
dozen or more artists, some who take draw
ings of animals, birds, &C.; some landscape
sketches, &C., each having distinct and Sc
parate department assigned him. The rapid
ity and correctness with which they sketch
would astonish even Yankee.
They have articles of their own manufacture
of every description, some of which will as
tonsh our people when they see them. They
have beautiful specimen of Sharp's rifle Gone
of their own manufacturer and one of those
presented by Commodore Perry, made by |
Sharp himself. The one made by the Japan
ese is decided improvement upon the origi- |
nal, as pronounced by all who have it.
The improvement consists in cooking, printing |
and cutting-off the cartridges at the same time.
The original does not cock on putting down |
the guard, which cuts off the cartridges but |
has to be cooked by the thumb. The Japanese |
rife can be cooked or not on cutting-of the |
cartridge, according to will. The barrel is |
beautifully rifed, and is fac-simile of the |
original. The workmanship and finish are |
equal, if not superior, to the original Sharp, |
or any other fre-arm ever seen.
They have alarge quantity of beautiful silks, |
brocatels, linen, Grape, silk, pongees, &C., of
every conceivable style and pattern. 1t twould |
require an experienced dry goods clerk to give |
the proper names to hundreds of articles which |
they have in the dry goods line.
1t is not likely that they will visit any other |
city but New York, as their time for returning |
is limited to the lst of October. Their great |
desire appears to be to visit sc Nj York, Wash
ington and .dmer1ca. Everything is either |
&c America - or &C Nj York;
Japan is supposed to contain as many inha-