The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1870-01-14
NEW NORTH~ WEST i.
psEK Lo1sE CITY, FRIDAY, JAN. II.


N ALoERxox BERTRAn MILFORD. sEcRE.
TARy 10 nIs HAJEsfy's LDsArloz =
JAPAN.
Fruu the Cosahi1 AasasiDa g..
Twas sent officially TO witness tho cxecu.
ton Of Nara.Ki,1s (self.immolaiios by dc
rmbowelline), Of Taxi Zpa1ahuu, tbeo1ace,
Ut the Prince of Bizen. He 1t was who gave
the order to fire on the foreign settlement q
Hiogo. Asthe us,s. Kssais ono IT he u.
panese customs which has excited the great.
csi curiosity In Europe, although, owing Ia
the fact that Il had never hitherto been wit.
messed BY foreigner, It has seemed little
better than . fable, ] will relate what oc.
cured
The ceremony, which was ordcsed BY the
Aikado himself, took place ut 1880 At night
In the Temple of Scigukuji, the hcadquar.
sers Of the satsums troops u uiogo A
witness ws sent from each Of the foreign
lcgasionA We were seven foreigners In all.
We were conducted to the temple by Off.
Gers Of the Princess of Satsums and
Choshiu. Although The cercmeny Was to be
conducted In the most private manner, the
casual remarks which We overheard In the
streets, and crowd lining The principal en-.
trance to the temple, showed that It was .
matter Of no little interest to the public, The
courtyard Of the temple presented most
picturesque sight; It wss crowded with SOL
dicrs standing about In knots round large
fires which sAss'ws dim Pickering light over
the heavy caves and qa,aint gsble.cnds Of
the sacred buildings. We were shown
into % inner room whcse We wore 70
wait until tho preparation for the ceremony
was completed; in the next room tou were
the high japanese o1iscsA After long In.
serval, which seemed dosb,y long from the
silcuee which prevailed. Ito Shunske, the
provisional Governor Of Hise@ cane and
took down our names, and Informed 10 that
seven kesski, sherifs OF witnessed, would
attend "a The part OF the japanese. he md
another officer represented the Mikado; two
e~ptains Of 6atsuma's infantry, and two Of
Choshiv's, with . representative u the
Prince Of Bizen. the clan Ut the condemned
man, completed the number, which was
probably arranged in order to tally with that
at the foreigner. Ito Sln,nskc further in.
quired whether we wished to put any ques.
lions TO The pSisoasr- We replied in the
negative ..:'
A further delay then ensusd, after which
~ wess invited q, follow the Japanese wit
~ h~1l 49, L.
temph whore the ceremony was - ~ per.
lorned. Nwas m imposing scenc., A large
hall with high posf Supported ty dark pill.
lars Of wood. From the ceiling hung . pro-
fust0u u those huge gilt lsmps and orna-
men.s peculiar to Buddhist temples. In
front II TIE high s,tar, where the lloof, cov-
cred with beautiful white mats, b raised
some three or four ineIsss from the ground,
wss Laid srug q scarlet felt Tall candies
placed ut regular intervals gave out dim
mysterious light. just sufficient to let oil the
proceedings b seen. Tire sewn japanese
took their places on the left Of the Rsised
floor, the seven foreigners on III right No
other person was present. After. IN inter
val Of few minutes OF anxious suspense,
Taxi Zcnzaburo, . stalwart man. Of thirty. |.
two years of age, with noble siY walked
into the hall stirred In his dress Of .;ecremo.
ny. With the peculiar hempen cloth wings
which ass worn ou!great occasions. He wss
accompanied by . k,iskakx aud three ON.
Gers, who wore the simdoo1 or war suroost
with gord. tissue facings The word kaiske-
kv. Il should be observed, h enc Is which
our word exccutioncs 10 no equivslcnt term;
The Office u that Of gentleman: II many
cases Il 10 performed by kinsman ~ friend
Of the condemned, and therchtQn between
them 10 rather that 81 principal and second
than that Of victim and cxccutioner. In
this instance tho kaiakaku WAS pupil Of
Taxi Zenxsbuo, md was selected by the
friends Of the lsstcr from among their ,ewn
numbe, for ~ skAl Ia swordsnans'ip.
Win The ksiaaaskv On hisj lift hand, yad
ZenDburo advanced slowly toward NE Jap.
ancss witnesses, snd the two bowed before
them, sIAcn drawing near 70 the foseisness
they ssluted u In tho same way, perhaps
even with more Difference. In each case tho
sslutasioo W. ccsenosiously returned.
Slowly, and with great dignity, the con.
demned man mounted On the raised 6oor,
prostraaed himself before The high altar
twice, end seated himself on the felt carpet
with tts back to the high altar, The kaSshs-
~ cyosehing on his left hand side One
at Ne shyes attendant officers then came