New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-03-08

steps 10 rec we ue, VIII eager RdncesOi curpsitt.
From the sGInmit we looked off upon one great sea
of roofs, half hid under the thin vail a an Autumna
haze. Further than the eye could reach
10 the northward and eastward, it stretched away
till lost in another sea of distant woods and water
This was great Yedo, 80 long the marvel Of the
world What fabulous stories had not been told OF
the city and its inhabitants; Of its immense extent,
which mounted rider might not hope to compass
in the longest Summer day; its swarming millions
Of populations its palaces of ceilings of gold sup
ported by golden pillars; the hundreds OF residences
Of its nobility, from whose gates swept out long
trains Of menials in all the pomp Of ancient story;
its gardens of thousand delights of Summer-houses
and flowers, its seraglos Of beautiful women, and all
those other vouptuous tales of sensuOus that De-
long TO the barbaric splendOr of eastern hie at least
of eastern story Would the delusion all fade and
disappear when we descended the hill Of Atago, and
wandered amid the city's streetsl
We sat down upon the benches IN the tea pooths,
and looked out upon the spread in such beauty
before us, with the bay of Yedo sweeping In grace
full curve to the visions utmost limit
"What views does the lay OF the landscape re-
mind you Off said one of our party to another
Philadelphia fiom the Girard College" was the
reply. :,
1.-The same was thinking Of" added the ques,.
toner. Yonder we have view OF corner OF
the Imperial grounds, the ramparts OF earth ana
tudnOus roofs the sbirO of the Princes, the hIgh'
peaked ridges of the temples, the numerous parks,
with their breadths of vivid green, the belt
ing forests the long lines of hedge-rows, the
dividing river the threading canals the distant sea-
pImpses, filed out picture al rare as beautiful.
There is no'city like Yedo, for parks; one comes
upon them at every turn, parks where the Wild
deer Craze, and royal trains still hunt with hawk
| and hound.
The long diameter of Yedo is sixteen or twenty
miles as one begins TO measure in the suburbs, for
it is difficult TO say where the city begins or ends;
| the long struggling suburb Of Sinagawa being az
much Yedo as YedO itself. The average breadth IS
eight miles Its population has been variousy est.
mated from one 10 eight millions, and commonly put
down at three millions. The area occupied by the
city would contain the largest number, if built with
the compactness of Chinese towns, but instead are
| wide streets and courts houses OF one story and
! ample room, the lprge courts of the temples ana
! the great areas occupied by the Princes.
There 10 no reliable census Of the city. The num-
| beers Of certain classes OF men are known alch as
the Hatamoto, which includes all the civil sfhcers
| of the Government. From this class are taken the
governors Of provinces and cities, civil function
aries Of every grade, such officials rs the late En-
kassad0rs 10 America, and oil Of whom may aspire TO
the tltular rank Of Kami. OF this Hatamoio class
there are ~, 900 in the City Of Yedo Then OF the
26I hereditary kami one-haf constantly reside IN
| Ycdo with their numerous followers. Each one OF
them has retinue according 10 his power ard reve-
nue.. Such princes as those Of khga, satsuna, and
| Owari number them by many th0usands-ten taou-
| sand TO each would not perhaps be too high an
estimate. The Princes of Sendai, Yetzizen aud
| Kanon not much less, while some OF the smaller
princes would number less than q thousand. Within
the citadel where the Emperor resides with his
| household troops and adherents are fity or sixty
thousand souls. So that We may saf'Sy reckon that
there are OF the official aud military Glasses in edo
scarcely lees than half q million.
The temples occupy With their grounds nearly
oneiOurth Of the city the night bank OF the river,
| aud to them are attached numerous priesthood.
Doctors form another numerous class, aud there IL
| large population OF those who might Ia ST. led
gentlemen Of elegant lesure-inkio as the Jopanese
| call them. These with the tradennen. artisans
and their families would make another half million.
The class living upon the water az fishermen and
boatmen is very numerous; 40 aso the ninsooso, or
coolie class the keksko or cultyatoIs Of The soil,
who with other not-enumerated classes, would
make another million, 20 that by any process Of
computation open 10 US, the population OF fcdo
canno, well be- put down at less than two millions.
The brow Of Atago Ia occupied by connected
line OF booths open at all sides. Each booth IL pro-
sided with benches covered with mating, and has
it's attendant girl or tea.uymph. Each gnl invites
patronage to her own particular booth by winning
twenty Of these dispensers Of the divine beverage,
the particular goddrsses Of this hill painted and
powdered alter the approved custom Of the country.
! DO not know how 1t happened but 90 II did hap
pen that when We had chosen our particular booth,
where 10 rect and look out upon the city below, We
had fallen upon the presided over by quite the
neaest and prcttest Of all these llebes OF the celes-
tial beverage. Her lips were tipped with carmine,
between which ghstened her white even teeth tue
White powder lay thick on her cheeks, and extended
in broad lines down her neck, disappearing beneath
the folds of her dress. She received us with pro-
fusion of salutations and low bows, aud waddled OF
(the highest born beauty in the Empire cannot walk
gracefully on her clumsy shoes 10 bring the lnds-
pensable tea and fire for pipes and cigars While
our belle Of Bcllcyiew was dispensing her tea ana
her smiles with equal mpartislity 10 ali, she told
me cOnfdentialy that she was sixteen years DID, not
day more and that everybody came 70 her booth
There was one shght drawback TO our Hebet at
fractions in that irritating cutaneous eruption
which does not spare even the hands Of beauty IN
Japan. There is no toying with such fingers, how
ever taper, though one karns measursbly to Over-
look such little blemishcs alter short reGdcnoe ln
Japan.
From the hill Of Atago we desceDded again to The
streets and entered one wholly occupied by shop
keepers This street, which was about rod III
width, was wholly bned on either side BY bazaaIs
iull OF merchaDdse, from mat to ceiling. There
were tempting treasures Of silks and satns, lackered
ware, swords smoking apparatus, childiens toys,
cunning carvings IN Iyorcs; but we were lnyo'ed
in such q mob Of curious people that TO purchase
was out of the question. In vain our attendant
yakunins waved away the crowds, and policemen
with iron stases ard rings, tined TO keep back the
mnlttude; il was OF 10 avail. We yielded to the
pressure literally and give up the bazaars which
~ this street, though small, we're fairly craInmed
with goods.