Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1860-05-31
New Series---Vol, XIV, No. 80.

apparatus, anu the mechanism or the bell
wires especially interested them. They
/ finally reached the highest room in the
building, when they were allowed to 90 up
on the roof and enjoy the beautiful views
/ of Washington everywhere exhibited from
this quarter. With this they were delight
ed.
THE FIRST RAILROAD IMPRESSIONS.
A correspondent of the Journal Of Com
merce, writing from on board the Powhatan,
gives the following account of their pas
sage across the Isthmus:
Some of our officers accompanied the
Embassy to Aspinwall not willing to leave
them until they saw them safely on board
the Roanoke, whose size, and beauty, and
ample accommodations, excited their great
est admiration. Upon the starting of the
train, the FIRST the japanese had ever seen,
and the first cars they had ever entered,
the conductor pat the train at moderate
speed, which was gradually increased till it
shot forward like al arrow, climbing, de-
scending, winding along the valleys, dash
ing across the iron bridges Of the Chagres,
high conical hills, equalling small noun
tains, rising on either hand, covered with
trees and verdure to their utmost SUBMITS,
while numerous clusters of the more mis-
cradle huts lined the way, coowded with
people of all hues, indolent, stupid, and
half-clothed, while the pigs and children
sported at the doors 10 company, and equal
ly naked. The japanese could not sup
press their admiration at this new mode of
conveyance and rate of progress, so unlike
the n0rim0ns of their own country, in
which they were carried on the shoulders
of men. 1t was amusing to see the at
| tempts of the artists to sketch scenes and
objects when the train was at the top of its
speed, and the poor artist, ignorant of the
rate of motion, taking his eye for one in
slant only from the object to his paper, up
on looking up again found it had utterly
vanished, giving place to others which had
! the same apparition-existence. At last
they were obliged to desist, and gave them
selves up to the qualification of sightsee-
ing only.
WORD OF WARNING.
The same correspondent suggests this ne
cessary warning:
a remark of the venerable father of
Kamehameha ", the present King of the
Sandwich Islands, [ commend to the seri-
Gus consideration of our countrymen, Off
cial and others, who may entertain the Jap
anese: or mingle in their company. have
never seen but one instance of intoxication
among the japanese; still, they are fond of
intoxicating liquors, and by the influence
of example and solicitation in respectable
and honorable circles, can easily be seduced
into the most ruinous habits Their com
mon and faVnrita drink is saki, distilla-
ton of rice, which in strength is about
equal to old Sherry wine They easily,
however, exchange it for champagne, and
other wines, and rum, Rhiskey and brandy.
Not an instance of iptoxication occurred on
board the ship, while all saw the facility
with which moderation could be made to
terminate in intemperance. At the pre-
sentation Of the japanese ministers to
King Kamehameha at Honolulu, happen
ed to be standing near the Kings father,
the venerable and hoary headed Kekuanaua
who alone survives of the Sandwich Island
party which went to England in the year
1926, on a somewhat similar Grand
King Liholiho and his queen, attended
by their highest chieftians, like the present
japanese Embassy, resolved to leave their
beautiful Islands to go abroad and see the
world. Arriving in LONDON, they were te-
ted by the King, the Court and the mobiles,
and introduced to all the practices of the
table which only Englshmen are able to
achieve or live under. Soon they became
- r ]
from their excesses. Their bodies were
brought back and now sleep in the Para
disc Island, which they so lately left
When the ceremony was ended ard the
Japan ministry had withdrawn, on whom
Kuanava had gazed with serious and sad
expression upon his face, he stepped up to
Commodore Tattnall and remarked that
he foresaw the fate of the japanese Am
bassadors they would not liYe to see their
beautiful island again they would be in
itiated into drunkenness in the United
States, as King Liholiho and his queen
were in London, and, like them, would
leave their bodies there | was touched
by the humanity of the venerable man, as
we'll as alarmed by his prophecy ; apd, ia
king out my note book, committed it to
paper Let him that readeth under
stand
VISIT TO THE CAPITOL.
Washington, May 23.-The japanese
visited the Chamber at noon to- day, accom-
panied by the Naval Commission. The
Princes md six of their officers were re-
cieved on the floor and seated in the south
west corner. They were soon surrounded
by number of the Senators.
Mr.. Mason was presented, and his posi-
ton as Chairman of the Committee on
Foreign Affairs was explained to the Jap
anese, who were furnished with plans of
the Senate Chamber and Capitol. They
n. l.. j