Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1860-04-25
THE JAPANESE.

The Japanese war-steamer Kandinmurrah
arrived recently at San Francisco, as the arant-
courier Of the Powbatan and the Ambassadors
OF Japan, with their suite of seventy attendants,
on their way to Washington City.
Recent publications, among which are the
works of DR.. Wood, OF the Navy, and letters
from our Ambassador and the missionaries in
Japan, have given US the opportunity of know
ing something of this very interesting people.
A new work has just been issued, written by
Mr.. Oliphant, private secretary to Lord Elgin,
the English Ambassador to China and Japan,
which adds materially to our previous know
ledge.
The Japanese are obviously of the general
Mongol type, but they have marked peculiari-
ties. They are by far the most interesting
and agreeable of the races living beyond India.
Their most marked characteristic is a gen.
eral gayety and insouciance. They are every
where lively, lovers of pleasure, ever ready tor
joke or laugh. In the midst of Lord Elgin' IS
conventions in making his treaty, the high
Commissioners were constantly on the alert for
fun, considering gravity by no means essential
to diplomacy. The impression In this respect
seems to have been the same in all the persons
who have visited them.
But this love of amusement does not imply
neglect of business. The whole empire is in
good order. The cultivation of the fields and
gardens is fine; grounds are well and pleasantly
laid out the whole population is Industrious /;
their manufactures are actively prosecuted.
Indeed, they seem wiser in this respect than
we are. We mean that they appear to combine
better than the grave Anglo-Saxon the ideas
Of business and amusement.
There is very considerable sense of beauty in
the Japanse. They are very cleanly. They
bathe frequently. Their houses are the very
home of neatness. They wear only sandals of
cloth in their houses; the floors are covered
with mating, the walls are hung with the
incest paper, the woods used are soft and often
like satin, the whole giving an impression of
refreshment, GOODNESS and neatness. In this,
as in many other respects, they greatly differ
from the Chinese.
There is much politeness in these heather.
Their crowds are not dangerous, or, beyond a
strong curiosity, ,disagreeable. The spies con-
duct themselves courteously. They treat each
other like gentlemen. Their ingenuity and
quickness are marvellous. They learn every
thing directly. They eat the food Of Euro
peans and Americans, never seen before, at
once. They can go through dinner party
passably, after once seeing it. They Joined in
drinking of healths and shouting hip, hip,
hurra, with the English instantly. though they
had never heard of it before. They made exact
copies of American and European furniture
they have none in the toy shops in which
they lives-and furnished Lord Elgin's house
comfortably at once.
The japanese remind us of the Persans and
the French. They are deceitful in certain
ways, but there is much honesty in their
dealing. The Government is pervading and
manages many things admirably. Their reli-
gion seems to have but little hold upon them.
1t reminds us of the Greek faith rather slight
objective form of religion, not penetl ating
much TO the deeper elements sofhumanity-they
have indeed, speaking loosely and generally,
something rather Greek about them.
The young women are much prettier than
the Chinese, or the South Sea Islanders,
East Indians. The married women backen
their teeth and pluck out their eyebrows.
Adultery is punishable with death. But a
vast system of RIGHTEOUSNESS is arranged and
licensed by the Government. This is one of
the dark features of Japan.
The trade of this large empire is eagerly an
ticipated by the Californians, and the prospect
in their futare, when the Pacific Railroad shall
be finished, and Japan open to us the gates of
Asia, is certainly bright. Meanwhile the re-
ception of the embassy will be an interesting
episode. Wehope twill be done handsomely,
especially as We are the first nation thus
hOnored.