The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1907-12-27

ern side of the bay. At the head OF
it stood the village or hamlet OF hurl-
hama. That was the spot selected tor
the meeting of the western envoy ana
the imperial commissioners. Ana
there the Japanese erected temper
airy hall of audience.
1T was a memorable scene. Inc
two frigates steamed slowly down ana
anchored off the harbOr. How big,
black and sullen they looked to the
natives, Our little fotiila of 10 boats
landed under cover Of their guns.
I'VE were not quite 800 all told, but
every one was in full uniform ami
armed to the teeth. The commodore
had given orders to make as maShln'
cent an appearance as we could, Tor |
the purpose of impressng a people |
who lay much stress on show. Yet
our little body of men were few III
number to confront 5000 native troops
drawn up on the beach to receive Us.
Outshone the Japanese.
Crowds of curious spectators hned
the housetops and grouped on the hills
in the rear to witness our landing.
Radiant uniforms, trappings and en-
signs were everywhere-but We com
pared favorably. Commodore Perry
had in fact, outshone the Japanese.
THE japanese regiments seemed
to have ben cut out Of rainboWS and
sunsets. But if they were lively, thelr
officers were not. For they sat III
silent dignity on camp stools in front
of the lines.
mot until our force had disem-
barked and formed on the beach did
the commodore show himself. NO
Tapanese had seen him up to that
time He had remained to them a
mysterious presence, who would onl!
annear when the duly qualified ambas
Sadors of the emperor came to trea'
with him-and they must be princes
of the blood.
> GAS our lines formed the commo
dore stepped into his barge. Instantly
! the fleet was enveloped in great croWd'
! If smoke. The guns were LAUNDERING
. ont a salute that echoed among th'
!, hills hack of the village. In all tn
u negotiations he had played the Japd
a, :" nese peoples own game and had en-
" welcomed himself in mystery.
l "This was not child's play. 1t wa
&c not an assumption of pomp inconsis
u ent with republican simplicity. Con
- modore Perry was dealing with an or
-. entail potentate according to orient'
w ideas: and results proved his sagaclt
0u At this time Commodore Perry was
g wears old, a man of splendid physlq'
Is and commanding presence. he WI
~ the right kind of man for America
n send on such an errand to such a pc
I pie.
4 Within the hall sat the Japane
\ commissioners on chairs. The lmpe
\ Al commissioners were Princes ID
I and Iwami, and they were surround
\ hv their kneeling suite. The Vaca
4 seats opposite were taken by the co
4 modore and his staff. He entered I
nayiIion escorted by two gorgeous
commissioned blacks, preceded by t
4 richly uniformed pages bearing
4 nrecious caskets containing the ono
4 papers to the emperor,
4 Ceremony Not Long.
4 "The ceremony began. 1t was "
4 hrief At a signal the two boys IN
b brought forward in slow and lmpr
4 sive fashion the rosewood caskets c
81 tanning the mysterious papers Wh
"a were to be conveyed to the col
n They were to be thus conveyed II
'Sa richly lacquered chest OF scarlet
vided for the purpose. Inc
gorgeous negroes, who had folloN
the the boys. opened the boxes In siiei
the ord IN silence drew out the pap
done in red and gold most mag
orse GENTLY. They laid them on the s.
,r' let Golfer
s'.h "The imperial commissioners "
W much impressed. They had ne
suis seen black men before except IN Z
10 stage plays, when actors used o'
! " cork Therefore, they estimated
noo' this admiral as they knew him, q
men , he a man of supreme power RI
go go lwami handed to the interpreter
WIFI formal receipt for the documents
1.-THE commodore announced Una
hlsl would return in the spring Tor hl'
ny nIv, After further brief converse
iIoin the conference closed, having Id
ava not more than 20 minutes, 1t had
'cne' witnessed by not more than oo
nersons of both the countries engs
'area Vet that short meeting was to lea
,. .e az the opening of Japan"
" 10 But the Japanese were alarme
'snrU the persistence of the amOaSs
hhe" too, The formal receipt closed
Value because this place is not design'
eaois treat of anything from foreigner
rhe'u neither can conference nor enter
. ment take place. The letter bein
ceiyed, you will leave here.
sho, The actual landing took place
. trea' July IA, 1858, and is commend
Lieut. by a single shaft of granite rlsl
rncpn- " - ,.ol IN tho