The kindness and courtesy of that fine officer and estimable gentleman, Commander Sydney Smith Lee, in conferring upon the writer a position on the ship under his command, gave him the opportunity of seeing the “wonders of the world abroad,” in the Japan Expedition.
The following pages do not profess to be a history of Japan, of which there are already a number extant, but only embody observations of what came under notice, in a cruise of nearly two and a half years. They do not pretend to invariable accuracy, the writer having kept no journal, and having had to depend on scattered memoranda, jottings down to friends, and to memory. He has endeavored to tell the tale of his travels, as his eyes told it to him.
He has indulged in no adjectives about the ocean, because he believes that there has been more deliberate nonsense written upon it, than upon any other thing in all Nature.
Richmond, Va., 1855.
CONTENTS.
| [CHAPTER I]. | |
| Leave the United States—“Old Ironsides” Mississippi—A Man-of-Warat Night—Gulf Stream—Music—First Foreign Land—TheWasherwomen—Funchal—Its Harbor—Cavalleros—The Wine—AConsul—Nossa Senhora do Monte—The Coral—A Hospital—APrison—Dago Pauperism—Donna Clementina—Good-by, Madeira | PAGE8 |
| [CHAPTER II]. | |
| At Sea again—The Canaries—The “Trades,” Incipient and Real—Man-of-WarExistence—Drills—Running down the “Trades”—Small-Pox—Christmasthat was not Christmas—First General Orderissued—Under Steam again—Man Overboard—Crossing theLine—Arrival at the Ocean-Prison—St. Helena—Hot January—Reverberation—Slavers—James’Town—A View from a Summit—Tombof the Great Emperor—Jonathan—To Longwood—The NewHouse—Plantation House—A Bust of Napoleon—Departure fromSt. Helena | 27 |
| [CHAPTER III]. | |
| Cape of Good Hope—Shadows—Cape Town—Sights in the Street—Driveto Constantia—The Wine—Kaffir War—Botanical—LeaveCape Town—The Birkenhead—Cattle at Sea—Anti-Scorbutic—St.Valentine’s Day, and the “Styx”—The Indian Ocean | 45 |
| [CHAPTER IV]. | |
| Isle of France—John Bull under a Torrid Sun—Port Louis and itsBazar—Different Races and Religions—In the Country at Mauritius—JohnChinaman—Pamplemouses—Paul and Virginia—ABotanical Garden—Reality as well as Romance—Hurricanes—Historyof the Island—The “22d”—Fruits—Leave Mauritius—Differenceof Time | 56 |
| [CHAPTER V]. | |
| “Light, Ho!”—Ceylon’s Spicy Breezes, and Sir John Mandeville—Pointde Galle—Ceylonese Troops—d’honies—The Natives—WalledTown—Sandal Shoon and Mohammedan Temple andSchool—Greek Slaves in Bronze—Hirsute and Citronella—Priessnitz’Doings—Pigeon Express—Ceylon Historically—A SiameseCaptain—Departure from Point de Galle—Bay of Bengal—Straitsof Malacca—Pulo-Penang—The Cleopatra—Letters—Anchor atSingapore—Malay Boats—The East by Anticipation—Junks—Gong-Beating—TheEsplanade—Malay Houses—Sago—Hospitals—Joss-House—Prison—Rajahof Johore—Leave Singapore—Firstof April—Intense Heat—Cathay—Macao-Hong Kong—Saluteof Welcome—Oriental Salute | 64 |
| [CHAPTER VI]. | |
| Macao—The Donna Maria—Cathedrals and Forts—Camoens—AnEnglish Missionary—Death of the Governor—Fast and Tanka Boats—BoccaTigris—Clipper-Ships and Junks—Chartering a Tender—Firstof May—The Yang-tse-kiang—Agriculture and the Chinese—Shanghaiand the Bund—The Missionaries—Sing-Song—Gambling—DeadBeggars—Nautical Dramatics—The Shanghae Races—Shiftingthe Flag—Supply Ashore—Wreck of a Junk—Bring theCrew of the Junk Aboard—Left for Loo-Choo | 87 |
| [CHAPTER VII]. | |
| Great Loo-Choo Island—General Orders—Outer Door of the HermeticEmpire—Historic Outline of the Loo-Choo Islands—Approach tothem—Loo-Chooan Simplicity—Dress—Bettelheim—Napa—Language—ForeignGraves—Horse-Portage—The Prince Regent—ToSheudi—Feast—International Sentiment—Sheudi-Cyclopean Masonry—“OldNapa”—Bonin Group—Return to Napa—First Visitto Japan—“The Fourth” on the Sea—A Meteor | 100 |
| [CHAPTER VIII]. | |
| Cipango—Japan an “Unknown Land”—Works on Japan-Kœmpfer—JapaneseMythology—Geography—History—Japanese “JohnDoe”—Napoleon No. III. of the Mongols—Kublai-Khan—EuropeanIntercourse—English Views about the Opening of Japan | 132 |
| [CHAPTER IX]. | |
| Sounding-Spars—Foogee Yama—Entrance to the Bay of Yedo—PrecautionaryMeasures—Uraga—Troops—“Old Hundred”—Sounding—Yezimon—Gorihama—TheLanding—Joust or Tourney—Audience—President’s Letter—Anecdotal—Fortifications—Sounding—JapanesePresents—Costume—Junks—Leave Japan—ABurial at Sea—A Cyclone—Loo-Choo | 143 |
| [CHAPTER X]. | |
| China—The Rebellion—Hong Hospitality—Blenheim Reach—Torrid—ConsularCourts—Canton—Feast of the Lanterns—Howqua’sGarden—Sallie Baboos—Cum-sing-Moon—Death of an Officer—OpiumHulks—The Traffic—Effects of Opium—Its Sale—Smuggling—Emperorof Japan Dead—Loss of Boat’s Crew of the Plymouth—TheAmerican Commissioner—Around the Walls of Canton—Chancefor a Wife—Temple of Honan—Hong Kong | 176 |
| [CHAPTER XI]. | |
| Leave China for Second Visit to Japan—Formosa—Napa-Keang—ARefugee not a Koszta—Proselyting—Dr. Bettelheim and a Loo-ChooanSangrado—Coal Dépôt—Sheudi—Cumshaws—Off for theBay of Yedo—Dangerous Navigation—Snow—Macedonian AshoreFoogee Yama—Bay of Yedo—Where to Negotiate—22d of February—JapaneseBoats—Visiters—Japanese at Dinner—Swords—Aversionto the Cross—The Landing—The Commissioners—TheAudience—Answer to the President’s Letter—A Japanese Repast—TheirTroops—“T’su-bi-ki”—Coal—A Christian Burial in Japan—AmericanPresents—An Ericsson Two Centuries Ago—A Chaplain—Negotiations—JapanesePresents—Athletes—Entertainmentof Japanese Commissioners—Signing of the Treaty—Yezimon—Attemptto reach Yedo—The “Happy Despatch”—Emperor inDisguise—Leave Bay of Yedo for Simoda | 204 |
| [CHAPTER XII]. | |
| Simoda or Lower Field—Surveying—Japanese Spies—Temples—Sintooism—AnotherPilgrim’s Progress—A Night’s Lodging—Bargaining—JapaneseWomen—Indiscriminate Bathing—Turtle Soup—AnAdventure—Buddhist Temple—Midnight Visiters—In aCage—Japanese Epistolarians—A Great Secret—Defences—FoogeeYama | 264 |
| [CHAPTER XIII]. | |
| Departure for Hakodadi—Ohosima—Printing at Sea—Straits of Sangar—Arriveat Hakodadi—Magnificent Bay—The City—A Stampede—Interviewwith the Authorities—Arranging the Currency—Purchasing—ALarge Temple—Bonzes—Worshipping—Order ofthe Blind—A View from Hakodadi Yama—A Lion Playing Painter—Ni!Ni!—A Fort—Burials from the Vandalia—Japanese andEthiopics—Arrival of Functionaries—Characteristic Communications—HakodadiEggs—Leave Hakodadi—Fog | 292 |
| [CHAPTER XIV]. | |
| Foogee—Return to Simoda—Additional Regulations—Veneration forIyeyas—The Dutch at Desima—Japanese Princes and MercantilePursuits—Russia a Bugbear—The Currency Question—The MonetarySystem of Japan—Buoys—Sample of Coal—Stones for theWashington Monument—Taste for Music—Things by Lottery—JapaneseLacquer and Porcelain—Tea—Japanese Game of Chess,or “Sho-ho-ye”—A Second Robinson Crusoe—Leave Japan forChina—Macedonian to Keelong and Manilla—Island of Oo—AStrange sail acting strangely—In Napa Roadstead—Man Deservedlykilled—His Highness the Prince-Regent—Russian AdmiralPontiatine—Sermons on Shipboard—The Status of Loo-Choo—Compactwith Loo-Choo—Boom-a-Laddying with a Broad Pennant—GreatPomp in our Institutions—Farewell to Loo-Choo | 312 |
| [CHAPTER XV]. | |
| Hong Kong Again—Letters—The Intestine Troubles—Triangulatingbetween Hong-Kong, Macao, and Whampoa—The Rebels—ChineseFighting—An Emperor’s Proclamation—Preparations for the Departureof the American Opperbevelhebber—Daybook and LedgerEpistolarians—A Title—Protection—A Jollyboat Steamer—Eruditionabout Columbus, De Gama, and Others—A Letter from HisExcellency Perry—Syce Silver Service—More Mercantile Epistolariansand Parvenuism—No Treaty of Commerce with Japan—NameGreat among the Heathen—Departure of Opperbevelhebberin the English Mail-Steamer—Mississippi’s Third Visit to Japan—TheLast of the “Porpoise”—Arrive at Simoda again—Official Intercourseof Captain Lee with the Authorities—Courtesies—Its-evoosand a Revolver—The Ship Ho-o-maro—Cotton Cloths distributed—Chancesof a Trade with Japan—Final Departure from the Country—Supplemental—Exchangeof Ratifications of the Treaty—Simodaafter an Earthquake—Loss of the Russian Frigate Diana—The InexorableLaws of Japan—English and French at Nangasaki—TheCruise of the Mississippi around the World | 345 |
| [Appendix] | 363 |
THE
JAPAN EXPEDITION.