The New York herald., 1874-08-17
1850 effective men, distributed as follows :

There is reason to believe that this calculation
is still excessive, and its extreme mlnuteness
makes 1t open to suspicion; but 1T seems TO have
been made With sufficient good intention, and II
Ii undoubtedly more nearly exact than any that
has yet been offered. The people of Boutan and
KusukuLs only are positively known to be in arms
against the Japanese. few other villages are
supposed to be to some extent allied and in
with them; but this is not ABSOLUTELY known TO be
the case. 1t is quite probable that they are
merely holding themselves aloOf until fur ther
events shall have shown them more clearly on
which side their interests lie. Supposing the
statements OF our Liangkias informants to be cor
rect there can hardly be more than 315 or 400 men
to oe overcome, for 1t is known that thirty were
killed on the 22d inst, or died afterward from
wounds then received, and that several others
were disqualified for future hostile action. The
number seems Insignificant enough, especially
when the imperfectioD OF their weapons is con-
sdered but their real strength lies in the natural
barriers that guard the approaches TO their coun-
try They themselves believe these to
be insurmountape, and are confident that
their inner strongholds are inaccessible.
Whether they really are so or not will
be shown In few days. Although there are good
grounds for doupting the precise ngures IL is prob
able that the relative force OF the different
"tr1bes'' is accurately set down. this be 50 1t
viii be surprise to those who have cared to fol-
low all that has come to light in recent years
specting this almost unknown region to find that
some OF the most redoubted among them are CON-
paratvely Inferior 10 numbers. Thus the Koalut
villagers, with whom the tragedy of the 'river"
and the unruitrul expedition OF the Hartford and
the Wyoming are associated are fewer than any
of the others. Toketok, who, during the latter
part Of b S life, was acknowledged to hold a GER
tain supremacy over the whole OF the southern
peninsula, was only 'head man" OF Tullasok, one
OF the smallest settlements. These apparent
anomalies are explained after fashion, by assur-
ances that the extremely warlike character OF the
Koaiuts has gwen them particularly dangerous
reputation, and that TosetoK had peculiar admin
istratlve qualities which secured for him an eeva-
uon to which his actual power did not enritle him.
As lar as he was concerned this is very
likely to have been the case, for 1t s now
fairly proved that none Of the general in
nuence or control once exercised by him
has descended TO his son. With regard to the
Koaluts, the distinction they have gained IS,
probably. matter OF accident. II the Rover
had been wrecked nearer any other part OF the
coast the result would have been the same, and
the particular tribe" into whose hands the sur
vlvors might have fallen would then have become
ne most notorious for the time. II wll in fact,
be necessary TO dismiss altogether a great part OF
the Information about this district which has
hitherto been accepted as toeraDly authentic.
Even the dominion OF Toketok bv means
so fixed a circumstance as has been generally sup
posed When ! wrote On the 23d inst. Of the
contemplated attack from different points, upol
she savages mentioned that the number OF the
Boutans and their associates bearing arms
believed to be 500. Later Information has shown
this 10 he too high an estimate; but IL has also
shown that the difficulties Of penetrating the inte
rior will be far greater than had ever been calculated
upon. This intelligence does not al all change the
interhons OF the Japanese Officers, but IL is recog-
nized az diminishing the chances OF expecting
large capture OF the enemy. The first ana most
important result now looked for Ia the acquisition
OF a more complete knowledge Of the roads and
passes and the general topography Of the country
than anybody hereabout possesses is willing to
give II any seizures can be made at the same
time that Will be an additional advantage; but |
think that no person calculates upon this except
ing, possibly, one or two enthusiasts. To gain the
needed knowledge OF the Bouian and Kusuguts
region and the approaches thereto three Columns
instead OF two, VIII be sent out with INSTRUCTIONS
to concentrate in the centre OF the hostile locality
, The routes wnlcn they are 10 ioiow and the gen.
era scheme OF the operations snaI be described
hereafter. IL will be commenced to- morrow ana
viii probably contipue three or four DAYS.
There has been much difficulty in securing
gnides for this movement ON account Of the unit
versal dread OF the savages felt by the half caste
villagers who alone are partially familiar with the
mou % taIns and still greater difficulty in obtaining
any satisfactory idea as 10 distances ana the time
required TO pass from one point to another. These
people have no standards OF measurement which
meet W. present reynllapea&. ISsS ~ "-th