Yezimon, on leaving the ship where he had been so handsomely entertained, remarked that he hoped he would have the opportunity of reciprocating the courtesies which had been shown them, when the friendship (treaty) had been made; they would then see more of us, and we more of them and their towns. As customary, they left a number of little presents, consisting of confections in small wooden boxes, and flowers, and little birds on miniature trees, made with shells. Their specimens of spun-glass did not equal in whiteness and fineness what we see at home.
While at dinner, they laid aside their two swords. I had a very good opportunity of examining them in the cabin of the Mississippi. The Damascus may not equal them; but they evinced much surprise when I showed them the temper of this far-famed blade, by an engraving, in which the point of one appeared so bent as to be put through the guard. The Japanese blade is of the most magnificent steel; it has the back shaped like that of a razor, and the edge is equally as sharp, and so highly polished that they look black instead of bright, and the breath disappears from their surface, as from the face of the finest mirror. The hilts were without “basket” of any kind, and about a foot in length, intended to be grasped, when in use, with both hands. They were covered with the skin of the shark, or the corrugated plaice, wrapped in silk cord in diamond shapes, and ornamented with amulets in the shape of small animals, made of gold, boxwood, red coral, or bronze. The guard, which was a circle of bronze, was decussated, and frequently had an image of a fly entangled in a web. The blade has little curve, and is contained in a scabbard of wood finely lacquered, and ornamented with purple cord.
The Japanese interpreter present spoke English tolerably; said he had learned it from an American at Nangasaki, but took good care not to mention that this American was one of the sailors whom the United States ship Preble took from them in 1849, who had been held by them in captivity. They were very desirous of getting dictionaries and grammars in English. They were offered a passage to the United States in one of the steamers; they said “No; they would come when they could build ships”—indicating the three masts with their fingers, and the yards by crossing them. Two of the party ascended as high as the main-top.
The houses on shore progressed, and were being built without any palisade enclosure, as had been agreed on. On the 4th of March we had a slight fall of snow, and the air was cool. The Japanese, with the ships’ casks, brought off in their boats, from some place of their river, water to fill our tanks. They brought two kinds, and desired us to choose between them. Everything in Japan having any connection with strangers, is deemed a matter of such importance, that the water-boats were always accompanied by others with municipal officials. They were entertained with cakes and tea and wine; and were quite curious in examining each portion of the ship. They did not understand why we should have brought so many vessels. They told us that the Russian squadron had been at Nangasaki, and left there on the 12th of February. At that time they declared their intention of making a treaty with the “American States” alone. They would present their fans on which they desired some sentiment to be written, and many of them took away the marginal aphorisms of a pocket-dictionary. Their own cards were presented, written perpendicularly on strips of paper, such as Mr. Olee-ke-chay-suo, or Mr. To-ta-ro-sa-koo-ka. They were very polite in writing names in Japanese characters in our books. I requested one to write a name on the title-page of a Book of Common Prayer, which happened to have a steel engraving of the cross upon it. He had dipped his camel’s-hair pencil into his portable inkstand, passed the point through his lips, and was about to write when his eye rested upon the cross; he instantly shook his head, threw the book upon the table, nor could he be induced to touch it again.
Some of the officers who visited the shore near the buildings, brought flowered branches of the wild Camellia Japonica, which is native here. Upon being put on the table near a stove, they sent forth a pleasant perfume. The leaf here is of the deepest and most lovely green; but the flower, though as large, had not the same delicacy of petal—perhaps owing to exposure to the cold winds—as the same flower, after hot-house nurture, in the United States.
On the 6th of March a mariner died on the Mississippi of an affection of the brain. The sloop-of-war Saratoga, after a boisterous passage from Shanghae, and being blown off from the mouth of the bay of Yedo, arrived and anchored in the line. This dropping in of the ships and the subsequent arrival of another, the Japanese did not understand, and perhaps thought with Macbeth:—
“Will the line stretch out to the crack o’doom.”
The 8th of March had been selected for the landing of the commodore to meet the Japanese commissioners at Yokohama, but there was very little of the excitement or interest felt in this landing, that attached to the first, in July preceding, except on the part of those from the ships, that had not been to Japan on the previous occasion. Then there was some doubt and uncertainty; the Japanese might or might not attempt the Golownin game on us; they say now, they were prepared for us then as enemies, they now receive us as friends: besides this we had now taken exactly the measurement of their foot, and our force was treble as great.
The following memorandum order was issued:—
On the first landing of the commodore to meet the Japanese commissioners, he will be escorted by all the marines of the squadron, who can be spared from duty.