Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-11-06
AMERICA AND JAPAN.
rrhe First Japanese Embassy TO this
Country.
Ren. Perely PoorIey in Boston Budget.


Pen. Perely Poorley in Boston Budget
The Japanese embassy arrived here
on the 14th of May, 1850. in the
steamer Philadelphia, which brought
them up the Potomac from the United
States frigate Roanoke, on which they
had come from Japan They were
received at the navy yard with high
donors, and escorted by the District
militia to their quarters at Willards
hotel. The entire party numbered
seventy-one. The two ambassadors
we're rather tall and thin in form,
with long and sharp faces. They had
iet-black hair, so far as any was left
by the barber. Ia dressing the hair.
the men expended as much care as
women, and took as much pride and
pleasure in its neat and fashionable
adjustment 1t was shaved off to the
very skin, except arou2d the temples.
and low down in heback of the neck,
from which it was brought up on all
sides to the top of the head aud fasten-
ed by string. 1t was then carried
forward, well stiffened with pomatum,
in a queue about four inches long.
and of the size of ones finger, and
pointed over the front part of the
head which was left completely
denuded of all the hair. They dressed
in silk robes, ard wore two swords at
their sides, according to the universal
usage with the higher classes. No
nation possesses SO many elements of
the Anglo Saxon mind as the Japan
csc, having the bump called gump-
ton or common sense, in large devel-
opment, with little or nothing of the
unreasoning, wild and impulsive.
though their books, their pictures and
works of art show they are not want
ing in taste and imagination. Among
the under officers were an artist
and hlstorlographer of the embassy,
who were attached to the ambassa-
doris. The artist was Yorsida
Sagosacemon, whose quick and
searching eye, with face kipdled up
with sensibility and benevolenca, at
once indicated that he was poet or
painter. Matsmoto San nojio, the
hlstorographer, a.out 80 years old,
was plain and sedate, thinking twice
before speaking once.
The doctors were All young men,
whose heads were shaven to the quick,
according to the usage of the profess
sion in Japan. They were often taken
for Buddhist priests of monks, who
observe the same practice. These
young doctors, though courteous and
quiet, seemed less intelligent and in
quisitiye than any class of their
countrymen among the visitors, and
evidently commanded no respect from
them. The principal object of the
mission of the embassy was to get an
English copy of the treaty between
Japan and the United States signed by
the president. The original was burnt
IN the great fire at Jeddo IN 1858. The
copy in japanese was saved. This
they brought with them, and a copy
of it not signed, and letter from the
tycoon TO the president. The box con
talniNg these documents was looked
upon by them as almost sacred. 1t
was called the treaty box, and was
never allowed to be out of their sight.
1T was box three feet long, twenty
six inches in depth, and eighteen
inches wide, covered with red morocco
leather, and neatly sewed around the
edges, There were three japanned
boxes placed together. and then coy
cred Around the box was a light
frame, and when carried was born on
the hacks of four men by poles The
embassy brought with them $50, 600
cash for the purpose of making pur
chases. Their money was all brought
from Japan in Mexican dollars and
American haif-dollars, stamped with
the Japanse mark. They brought an
immense amount OF baggage, over
eighty tons, which made four full car
loads over the Panama railroad. They
had fifteen boxes containing valuable
presents for the president of the Unit
ed States. They had large quantity
of beautiful silks, brOcateI lined, cape,
silk, pongees. poplins, etc, of every
conceivable style and pattern. They
had beautiful specimen of Sharp's
rife, one of their own manufacture,
also one of those presented by Com
modore Perry, made By Sharp himself.
The one made by the Japanese was a
decided improvement upon the origin
al, as pronounced by all who saw it.
The improvement consisted III cooking
printing, and cutting off the cartridge
at the same Time. Tire original did
not cock on putting down The guard
which cuts off the cartridge, but, had
TO be cooked by the thumb The Jap
anese rife could be cooked or not on
cutting off the cartridge, according to
will. The barrel was beautifully riiled
and was a fac-simile of the original
The finish and workmanship were
equal, if not superior TO the original
Sharp, or any other frearm ever
seen.