The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-08-07
IlPM's fine SWORDS


rAnous svvomD1aAxRas Avn s0NG
% rmE1R rnADsT1oxs.
seese4s Care4ully Gsarsea - uany
NystesAeus Rsaes Must - Gene
1nrs.gA vvIsA D<ssse rAsy Ce.-
nee - Aake the made
japanese warriors In the cid days Of
sword and armor had cheerful practices
Of marking the men they had killed BY
sticking little skewers bearing their name.
or motto. or crest into the ears Of the
slain. and every weIj-appctnted fighting
0utf Included. suugiy lifted into the
side Of the scAbbArd. = pair Of little steel
pins carved with the owners device. The
warrior carried also q small knife foT
cutting his Adversaryss throat when he
had disabled him. and TINS he was pro-
vided f0r every emergency.
No American. perhaps. has gone deeper
into the traditions Of japanese sword lore
- Tar richer and broader field. by the
way. than most people suspect--than has
Capt E. L. zaIinxki. the inventor o. the
dynamite gun Old swords might be
In the study of projectiies. but the captain
did not take up their history and the -
crets OF their manufacture Al the hobby
OF idle momenta The sword. he reasoned.
was essentially an armor- piercing weapon.
and where Its weight and balance are
studied and planned 10 carefully. It may
fairly be called an armor-p piercing projec-
tile, though II never leaves the hand
The study was well repaid. from . util-
itAriAn point Of view. bat richer and more
interesting were the old traditions and
otservances that he found ~ every turn
Of the swortfmaker's art. Twelve CEN
turies Of swordmaking In Japan have
surrounded the blade with all manner Of
legends and customs aud conventions.
The long range MuratA rille b the weapon
Of the army now. but the making OF
swords still absorha the interest Of Japan
csc connofsseurs The government still
fosters the art. to which emperors and
princes have not disdained To serve an APP
premiership. There Is one family which
has been famous for its swords Tor twelve
centuries. and sword inspectors appoint
ed and paid by the gosernmenD whose
forefathers have passed the Office and it,
traditions to their children through so
years The swordmaker holds himself
among the elect. and swordmaking Is
surrounded with all the mystery Of the
Nibelungen legend
Secrets Die with TheM.
The first sword. 30 the old story runs.
was the tail OF q terrible dragon. which
Was yanautshed By the use of mirror
and crystal about the year 20 A. D.: but
the earliest date on any sword now
known 10 exist places the time Of Its orig
In at A. d. s02. Copper and bronze were
used at first. and steel and iron did not
appear until the twelfth century.
Many of the forgers' secrets died with
their families. and the blades OF 1880 and
1910 are most prtxed. Ii was about that
time that Masamune and his pupil Mura-
masa made their swords As he struck
the Iron old Afasamuna would chant:
Peace on earth: peace on earth: peace
on EARTH Ii was q strange dedication
for war weapon. but Masamune, sword
maker al he was. had humanitarian ideas
and believed. Ike some great warriors Of
later century. that the sword was the
surest peacemaker.
Muramasa. his pupil. was OF different
mind, and his chant was always. War on
earth; war on earth" Hts blades were
fight could not be withdrawn They were
such bad, quarrel making swords that the
wearing OF them was forbidden Such
traditions are associated with the name
Of nearly every famous swordmaker In
the history OF the art.
swords for All Glasses.
Early swords were chiefly for cutting,
the oldest heavy and doubse-cdged. La
ter fencing swords of lighter weight were
made. but as arEsor was introduced they
became heavier again. An old law pro-
hibfts more than two blades To be worn
by anyone. The sword was a badge OF
dignity. and certain proud noblemen. II Is
said. began to wear too many. The long
sword was given to q servant who car
rted IL before his master. and when the
| master went visiting II was received at
the door and placed on a rack The long
sword. In Japanese etiquette. was treated
| much like the silk hat OF occidental civil
ration. There were swords for all classes
| OF society. from ladies of the military
class To tradesmen, and the position In
which the blade was worn. perpendicular.
| curve UP. or curve down. conveyed some
| delicate difference In the wearerss condi-
tion In life.
The etiquette OF swords Is observed in
Japan today very much as II has been
observed for centuries To draw sword
from lis scabbard without permission Is
IA insulting 10 It's owner az 10 open his
eighth ard ninth centuries are as good
now az when they were forged. without q
| nick or q spot Of rust. The sword Ia al
| ways withdrawn very slowly. the scah-
| hard held horizontally. ana the blade rest
4 Ing on its back as il slides out Lest this
| fasntest breath should reach the steel. thu
| counnisssur. when he shows a valuable
| sword. and the guest 10 whom he shows
| IL wear shields OF paper over the iowes
/ part Of their faces The blade IL handles
/ with silk. 10 touch II with the bare hand
4 is an anront TO 3ss owner. Climatic
| changes are carefully guarded against.
/ Curious Methods Employed.
| Capt. Zaiinski. who was in Japan at ;hs
| time Of the China-Jspan war. wanted Il
see how they were made. and by the sm
| percs' permission induced the imperial in
/ struesor IN swortinsaklnw n the school Of
| fire arts In Tokyo Ia give deusons,rs
/ item Of his work. The sworasHfsh Pre-
| pared for work by prayer and penanee
| fasting and cold abiutions. religious arti
/ els~ were placed afssus In the fcrgcfoan
4 sz..zx.c Ar.s