Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-10-18
The wIfe Of ,. iPhysIcIan in Japnn-DescrIp.

AMN W AlE VI sEMyNNCImn IN I0Unn-Ue9rEIns
tien cf the Country and its Customs.
The Gasette de Saint Petersburg publishes
a letter from Nine. Albrecht, the wife of a
physician, who visited Jeddo last winter and
/ returned from Jeddo to Hakodadi by land.
She says that they found great difficulty IN
getting permission 70 make the Journey and
that IL was discountenanced by the represen-
tatiyes of other foreign nations, the American
Consul speaking particularly against It.
They provided themselves with the little
bamboo cages which the Japanese use for
palanquins, and which are SO small that one
can not have q seat in them, but must sit on
his feet. There were five of the party, and
they were escorted by seven Japanese fdnc-
tionaries, each one also in his little cage
These palanquins are suspended TO pole,
which is carried by two bearers one before
and one behind. Spare bearers ran along by
the side of the palanquins for relays, some
palanquins having as many as ten in ALL
Besides, a large number of police accompa-
MED them on either side of their line of
palanquins. A body of police in front,
forming vanguard, continually shouted, in
a melancholy and measured tone, "Sdrdy,
Sdray," 'Sit down, Sit down." and all the
people whom they met sat down in the
streets along the roads, sometimes in the
mud and while it was raining. Only in
places inhabited by the princes of the crown
were the Japanese people allowed to keep
their trowsers clean.
In the cities there was often great confu-
sion. The people pressed about the palan-
quin, trying to open the doors on both sides,
but the policemen, armed with long slaves,
pushed them back, sometimes drawing out
from their sleeves a short club, of which the
people seemed to be greatly afraid; Nine.
Albrecht was told that whoever was touched
by this club was considered to be under ar
rest. The whole train was more than half
a mile long. A messenger travelled before
them, and at every station they found very
comfortable room, hung with magnificent
painted papers. There was but one incon-
venience; it was very cold. These rooms
were warmed with portable stoves at even
ing, but the fires did not last long. The road
was very good the first half of the way it
was planted with large trees on each side,
forming a complete arch overhead, and be-
yond the trees she saw nothing but rice
fields. The latter half of the way was
mountainous, and they had much incon-
venience from snow and rain. Here they
were scarcely ever out of hearing of water
falls, and they had frequently to cross rivers
on ferry-boats.
The reception with which they met in
every town was very tedious. The Governor
first came out in uniform and saluted every
palanquin; police were posted on both sides
Of the street, with their Japanned clubs, and
behind them were the iOiEged functionaries.
This winged appearance is due to particu-
liar gauze over-dress which they wear. Be-
hind them were servants, holding up on
lances some thing resembling horses tails.
The same ceremonies met them everywhere;
sometimes varied by an army with bows and
arrows, and at other cities there were hedges
of soldiers with gun in one hand and
match in the other. The journey occupied
twenty-five days, and they travelled fom
fifteen to twenty-five miles per day.