The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1886-10-21
THE FIRsT JAPANESE EMBASSY.
The Artist and HistOrian-Bin of Fare
Tobacco the Roof

The Artist aud Historian-BiiI of Fare
Tobacco-Couches-o the Roof.
The first Japanese embassy, which came
to Washington during the administra
ton of bEr. Buchanan, naturally created
a great sensation. The ambassadors
| with ther numerous attendants, wore the
Japanese costumes, and they adhered, 81
far as was possible, to their home COS
tunes. Among the under officers" yverC
an artist and a historiographer of the
embassy, who were attached to the am
bassadors. The artist was Yorsida Sa-
gosagemon, whose quick and searching
eye took in all around him at glance,
and his sketches of all the ceremonials
were excellent. Matsmoto Sannoiio, the
historiographer, about 80 years old, was
plain and sedate, thinking twice before
speaking once. The doctors were all
/ young men, whose heads were shaYen
to the quick according to the usage of
the profession 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
quisitive than any clsss of their country
men among the visitors, and evidently
commanded no respect from them.
The four highest dignitaries ate in
private, but the others joined the naval
board of officers at a table which had
been set for them in the stea-room1 of
the hotel, where they had meals served
at s a. M, at noon, at p. m., and again
at 8. Their favorite dish was rice, boiled
soft, which was served at every meal.
Chickens fried, then boiled in the rice,
ham, oysters, fried fish, amelettes and
scrambled eggs, chicken salad, potatoes,
egg-plants, tomatoes, peas and other
vegetables, hard boiled eggs cut up in
vinegar, with ice-creams, preserved
fruits and confectionery, formed the
bill of fare. They drank green tea,
rather fancied champagne, and the
younger ones would slip into room and
enjoy a julep. Alas, for newsgatherers!
as they imbibed and became loquacious,
they forgot their English and grew COM
municative in unintelligible Japanese.
After meal they repaired in groups
to their rooms, into which servants
brought small copper furnaces, con-
tanning ignited charcoal. Squatted
around this, they filed the tiny brass or
strong native tobacco, and exhausted it
in three or four whiffs, The same pro-
cess was repeated two or three times,
after which maps were indulged IN. They
didn't fancy sleeping on bed, ,preferring
an imitation of their thick sleeping
mats, improvised with blankets. Their
pillows were bits of wood, which kept
the head in place and preserved
the hair from being disarranged. Their
habits were cleaniy. They bathed once
a day and were frequently shaved, an
operation which they liked to have per-
formed on the house-top, Indeed, al
though not one of them had been out
side of the hotel, except on state oc-
casions, they had explored the establish
ment, and seemed to prefer the roof.
When on the evening OF their arrival, a
waiter mounted the ladder which led
from the roof to the top of the cupola to
lower the flag, he was startled at finding
four Japanese perched there.-Ben: Per-
ley Poore in Boston Budget.