Weekly Chillicothe crisis., 1884-11-06
AMERICA AND JAPAN.


| Inc flrSt Japanese Embassy TO this country.
The Japanese embassy arrived here
on the l4th of May, 1860, 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 re-
ceived at the navy yard with high hon
ors, and escorted by the District mill
tia to their head quarters at Willard S
hotel. The entire party numbered
sevcnty-one. The two ambassadors
were rather tall and thin in form, with
long and sharp faces. They had Jet
black hair, so far as any was left by
the barber. In dressing the hair, the
men expended as smuch care as women,
and took as much pride and pleasure
in its neat and fashionable adjustment.
1t was shaved off to the very skin, eX-
cept around the temples, and low
down in the back of the neck, from
which it was brought up on all sides to
the top of the head and fastened by a
string. II was then carried forward,
well stitfened with pomatum, in q
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, and
wore two swords at their sides, accord
ing to universal usage with the. higher
classes. No nation possesses so many
elements of the Anglo-Sa mind as
the japanese, having the bump called
gumption, or common sense, in large
development, with little or nothing of
the unreasoning, wild and impulsivc,
though their books, their pictures and
works of art show that they are not
wanting in taste and Imagination.
Among the ''under officers were an
artist and Il historicgraphcr Of the EN-.
bassy, who were attached to the am
bassadors. The artist was YorSida
Sagosagemon, whose quick and search
ing eye, with face kiudled up with
scnsibility and bcnevolcncc, at once
indicated .hat he was Il poet or painter.
Matsmoto San nojio, the historic
grapher, about 80 years old, was PLAN
and sedatc, thinking twice before
SptuhlHp OuCt.
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 or monks, who
observe the same practice. These
young doctors, though cOrteouS and
quiet, seemed less intelligent and in
quisitiyc than any class of their coun-
trymcn among the visitors, and evil
IDENTIFY 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 Jcddo in 1858. The
copy in japanese was saved, This
they brought with them, and Il copy of
it not signed, and letter from the ty-
coon to the president. The box CON
tanning these documents was looked
upon by them rs 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 moroc-
co leather, and neatly sewed around
the edges. There were three japan
ned boxes placed together, and then
covered, Around the box was light
frame, and when carried was borne on
the backs of four men by poles. The
embassy brought with them SS0,0O0
cash, for the purpose of making pur-
purchases. Their money was all
brought from Japan in Mexican dol
lars and American half-dollars,
stamped with the japanese mark.
They brought an immense amount of
baggage, over eighty tons, which
made four full carloads over the Pam
ANA railroad. They had fifteen boxes
containing valuable presents for the
president of the United States. They
had a large quantity of beautiful silks,
brocadcd linen, cape, silk, pongees,
poplins, etc, of every conceivable
style and pattern. They had bcauti-
full specimen of Sharp's rifle, one of
their own manufacture, also one of
those presented by Commodore Per-
ry, made by Sharp himself. The one
made by the japanese was decided
improvement upon the original, as
pronounced by all who saw it. The inn
provcment consisted in cooking, prim-
ing and cutting off the cartridge at the
same time. The original did not cock
on putting down the guard, which cuts
off the cartridge, but had to be cooked