The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1860-03-15

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though mounted WIKI cannon, they are Dot Il large
eaGbre. These military WORKS. IS vel a. another
large furt;n the process cf construction ~ kanagawa,
show that the japanese are fully aware IF the duties
imposed upon them by their new position since they
have entered into fraternity with other Mathis Il
Is a SD commentary however upon human nature.
that the momen; a isstss4 nation opens itself to con-
merce ana intercourse with Christian nations, II :
compelled. by the i~uS,:ac; u ~elfpreServat.on, 70 pu'
itself in a condition to 7e=i>; and sepe. them
The newcomer feels q deep disappointment when
he first plants hs fes; II Jeiio. and standing erect,
and inteo;y gazing in all directions N search q
wonders. sees no Paris there, No London, no Rome,
nor . siuz.s structure -r monument worthy u a
moments observation Instead u ia,>, lie >etS stress
which are iu,sru:u.l.c. and generally vide and
clean. bu- uuuavei. win the most ordinary houses
seldom above twO low stories, and always imprinted,
while a part Ct every exc : usually filled with small
ware-,hCuEh nothing : seen Ike trade anu
manufacturing except on the suaIes; sale. He BE-
comes i.~gIstei. and ind 5-uant even, that he Should
have = deceived himself, or been deceived BY others,
and would AZ once return to his snip i It was con
veuieut. or else had let the suspicion that there must
te something better urge hiIu onward. One thing
strikes hint = the number q trees, sometimes
stan ling a!oue, but more frequently IN small groves
and crluus. some Of the trees being large IL size and
cid With aye. and tall a the taleSt Of the forest.
Indeed the whole looks Ike 8 forest. or q city IN =
forest. buried IN il. and Uye-shaiCWel Iy It a. though
all the population had turned monks and nuns, and
converted tie whole area Of the city into . mouaS-
terry or convent. As he proceeds n MS excursions, IN
whatever direction he waDders, unexpected beauty
and wonders meet his eye, ana compel him 60 stop
and admire. just opposite our usual place q land
Ing. On the CuuCsire Siie Of the street, ! the residence
Of Mr.. Aicock, the English minister, reached through
a gateway. and acres Uf ground, with hue, grayelej
paths, and mattel with green grass, anu shaded with
trees which seem not 10 have Teen lllutel, tNt 10
have started Up into life ages ago, while lar back en-
powered in groves, and surrounded by artificial ponds
cleaning with golden nsh, with ARTIFICIAL knobs and
hil!gcks. ana cascades. and gardens filed with plants,
shrubs and flowers, are seen at length a fine temple
and spacious houses once occupied by the priests. who
have been routed, and given their beautiful and
comfortable quarters to a highly honorable represen-
tatiye Of European civilization and Christianity. Yet
all this i unseen and unsuspected till one enters the
gateway and waEders about the grounds, when he
sees enough 10 occupy days in observation and admir-
inc. Such is the case throughout the city. In
several parts Of it there are swells and hills and
sharp declivities, the peaks Of the hills being always
covered with large trees, thus adding TO the p.ctur-
esqUe effect, and giving the idea OF a city IN a forest.
Several small rivers run through the city, and one
Of considerable size, which Is crowded with boats and
iunks even in the heart Of the city, and across which
a celebrated bridge Is constructed which our party
crossed, called .htp0H-5aS, or 1.-The bridge OF Japan
because from this, point distances are calculated TO
all uarts Of the empire. The bridge Is well built and
kept, and about 300 feet long.
Some Of the streets Of Jeddo are half-a-dozen rods
wide. or even more. and though not paved, are kept
remarkably clean, cutters being constructed on each
side with hewn stone which carry off all foul matter.
They are always straight, and cross each other at
right angles some OF them are almost halt-a-dozen
miles long, and the houses the whole way on each
side are so closely crowded together that sufficient
space does not seem to have been left for another.
Gates are erected at different distances which are
guarded by policemen, who close them whenever they
wish 10 stop a crowd. | did not see a row or a fight,
or an alteration in all my walks and rides in the
city, nor even one instance Of drunkenness. The
japanese however are fond of liquor, but have the
modesty and good sense to drink it in their own
houses, and ut night.
The Imperial Castle IS to be seen only in the ex;e-
1ior by str myers, unless they are officials who have
been invited by the Imperial Ministers for the trans
action of public business, or for the sake OF courtesy
and h04or. Commodore Tattnal, Capt. Pearson, and
Mr.. Harris, L. :. Minister, were invited 10 make q
visit 10 the Prime Minister a few days before we left,
who went, accompanied by several other officers, and
were most F~onorably received and sumptuously en-
tertairei in the Prime Minister'S palace, but saw
nothing within the sacred enclosure, in palaces and
other s ructureS, worthy Of admiration, unless 1t was
the simplicity and ueatuess. Even the palaces are
but one story high, the constant recurrence Of violent
earthquakes making higher structures perllOus. The
roofs, instead of being covered with gold, a. was once
flbled. were covered with tiles, ike those Of common
-ro"'el- while the wood-work within was only neatly
vanished. The walls which surround the castle are
thick, and above % feet high, over which nothing
can be seen from without except the tops of trees. and
some few houses through the gates when they happen
t. be opened. The circumference Of the castle euclo
sure Is said 70 he fire leagues, which however seems
10 me an eXaggeraton, having twice ridden around
i: should II lie ten miles, which would be nearer the
truth probably, it still gives an impressive idea Of
japanese majesty. The form Of the area embraced
by the castle i not . square OF a circle, but an obloug,
in the shape Of q pear nor Is it a plain,
but rises from the level Of the river up a gentle slope
Of the hill. and spreads over the level above. From
elevated ground, a grand view Is had IF nearly
the whole city, spreading out below from the citadel
to the bay, and in the other direction 50 far that
nothing seems to be seen but this division Of the city
great Fssi-ama beyond. Still not 4 spire is 10
be seen. or a tower it Is q vast expansion Of roofs
Joined one to another, and glttering in the sun Ike
the still waters Of the great bay. \ moat surrounds
castle, which l. said in some parts TO be seventy
deep, and one hundred wide at the top, whose
sides are walled up with hewn stone Of the very best
masonry, but without cement. The water Is Of con-
depth, in which flags and lilies grow in
some places luxuriantly, while ducks and s;orks
win and wade with a searlessness and bearing SIS if
conscious themselves, if not of Imperial blood, at least
# Imperial protection.
In this quarter Of the city are the palaces Of the dai-
MOS, or great princes Of the empire. whose premises
ther side Of which nothing i TO be seen from the
treet, except the roofs Of the houses, unless when
he gates are left oEen, and the recesses disclosed.
These palaces are built with roofs in the Chinese style,
nj all after the same model, though Of different
F.
From the shore Of the bay on the cas-, to the boun-
Of the city on the west Is said 10 be thirteen
niles, while from north to south the limits are lot
etermined there being no city walls or monuments
o determine the limits, and the population being As
ense for ten miles in each direction as in the heart i
7 the city. Mr.. Harris says there Is nothing extra t
agant IN saying the city covers an area twenty miles )
T even tweuty-four miles long, by twelve or thirteen {
The amount Of population Is not known 10 for :
iguers: but the japanese interpreters assure me it o
known u the government, az the census IS taken I
year, and not only of the capital, but Of every 1
ty, every town, and every village, the returns Of D
hich are deposited only in the archives Of the gov {
-nors. II has usually been computed at three mil Il
and NJ. Harris, after three years residence in
.moda and Jeddo, says it cannot At any rate be less
ian that Of London. As giving some idea Of the ex-
Mt Of the city and the immensely Of the population,
would state that one day, having walked two or /
lree miles, l took q spirited horse at y o'clock, and :
By two japanese policemen, rode At the
p Of cur horses speed, sometimes breaking into a
sllop, to visit a celebrated temple fr. in the outskirts