Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-12-01
AIananese Commissioner.

The New Bedford Mercury tells re'
mantle story of a japanese Commissioned,
in the course of which 1t appears That
Bowditch's Navigator has been translated
into Japanese The story IS interesting
and well worthy of perusai. he editof OF
the Mercury says that, on Monday last, he
had the Measure of q sail from Yokohama
Mungero, a Japanese, and one OF the com
mission of seven appointed by the
government of Japan to visit Europe and
observe the warlike movement there.
Mr.. Mungero, with his associates, arrived
in New York in foriy-two days from Yeddo.
His history is most peculiar and pleasant
one, About the year 1871, Captain VIM.
II Whitfield, Of Fairhaven, then IN COM
mand of a whaleship from Now Is sdford,
picked up five young Japanese Off the
coast of Japan, wrecked IN boat and who
had saved themselves on rock. The
Captain took them il his ship, and touch
ing the Sandwich Islands he intended to
land them there The Captain left four Of
them at Honolulu, but young Mungero
(now the Commissioner) begged permits.
sion TO remain on board, and he remsined
here in the ship,
Capt. Whitfield, becoming attached to
IUe iRN. piHcbu MN III u nSucCi hh
haven, and the boy exhibiting remarkable
capacity. rapidly acquired good knowl-
edge Of English, and showed astonishing
aptitude for mathematics. In 46 or az ne
made whaling voyage III the bark Frank
lin, and in 40 left here IN bark tor Call
fornia, whittier the current OF adventure
then set so strongly. He remained only
three months at the mines, when, under
the impulse he always felt, and which he
had always expressed determination to
follow, he left for the Sandwich Islands on
his way to Japan to see his mother. From
Honolulu, he took passage with four OF his
couutrymen, two % them his old comrades
of the wreck, and the others more recently
wrecked and saved, for Japan the captain
of the ship leaving them in boat oil Loo
Choo. This was in 1860 when the return
of Japanese who had left bis country was
not permitted, or was followed by his death.
For more than year Mungero was kept
under duress, his escape from death being
due to the fact that the approach OF Com
modore Perrys fleet was then expected,
and the knowledge of the young traveller
was useful to the government Alter about
thirteen months surveillance by the ofhc.
ials, he was left entirely at liberty, and was
placed in government employ, where, for
most of the time since, he has been. By
order of the government he translated
Bowditch's Navigator into the japanese
tongue, and rendered most efficient service
in organizing the navy, in which he ives
for some time Post Captain. Arriving
New York, he lost no time in coming to
New Bedford to visit his old friends, Capt,
Whitfield and wife, for whom he expresses
the most affectionate regard, and to whose
kindness he refers his success in life
Mr.. Mupgero is forty-fve years Of age,
OF short stature, but erect and vigorous,
and with face full of intelligence. He Is
fully fitted for the part assigned him in the
commission, the result of whose observa.
tons abroad cannot fail of benefit to
japan. 1t is interesting to note in these
facts the important and intimate connec
ton between our whaling enterprise and
the opening of Japan to the commerce OF
the world. Tho education of the wrecked
Japanese boy at public school in Fair
haven, througtS the kindness Of whaling
captain, contributed materially to the es
Enlistment of the relations existing be
tween this country and japan.