“Our preparations were for an interment exactly after our usual method upon the occasion of the burial of a marine. A great many of the officers would have liked to have gone, and some applied for permission; but it was thought best to give the occasion no unusual eclat, while at the same time nothing was to be omitted.
“About three o’clock, after ‘all hands’ had been called to ‘bury the dead,’ and the chaplain had read from the gangway the customary passage of the Scripture, we left the ship in two boats, with the flags at half-mast; the first contained Captain Slack of the marine corps, assistant-surgeon Lynah, and myself, in uniform and gown; and the other boat having the dead body, with a guard of honor, consisting of a corporal and six marines. We landed at a spot designated—a quarter of a mile south of the landing-place of yesterday, and in front of a large village—Yokohama, the whole shore being lined with villagers who had come to gaze. The mayor of Uraga, interpreter, &c., received us there. I had expected that on their seeing me in my official costume, and first knowing that there was a Christian minister on their shore and among them, that there would be a recoil, and that they would shrink from me as from something poisonous. But there was no such thing. On the contrary, they came up successively and gave me their hand for a shake. (They have learned our salutation, and seem to be fond of it). The interpreter, pointing to my prayer-book, asked if it was for ceremonies over the dead, and smiled as before, when I told him that it was. The marines were formed in line and received the body with presented arms, when the procession was formed and moved on: marines with reversed arms; fife and muffled-drum playing the Dead March; the chaplain; coffin borne by four marines; their captain, surgeon, hospital-steward, and six or eight sailors. Our way lay through the village, and the occasion seemed to excite quite a holy-day among them; everybody, men, women, and children, running and gaining good places for seeing, and squatting down on the ground till we had passed, when they would run and gain another place for observation if they could. The street through which we passed was, however, kept clear, and at intervals I noticed new boards stuck up, with inscriptions, probably to warn people from intruding on our way. But the people, even women and children, showed no fear nor any hesitation in coming near us, or in being seen themselves; and some shops that we passed were kept open as usual. I saw myself often pointed out, being doubtless recognised by my gown and book as the clergyman of the party, but it was without any exhibition of displeasure on their countenance; but as they would look at any other curiosity. I saw one woman hold up her little child to see me, and the thought passed through my mind that, if it should live to maturity, it would probably see many wonderful changes in Japan.
“Our way led quite through the village, at the further end of which, on a wooded hill at our left, was a temple with two different flights of steps leading up to it, and ornamented gateways below. Through the further of these gateways, I now saw a Buddhist priest in his officiating costume emerge, and perceived that he took his way toward some fresh earth—the grave, a little beyond.
“They had selected for the interment a very pretty spot about a hundred yards from the village, and closely adjoining an old burying-ground of their own. We found the Buddhist priest seated there, but he attempted no interference with our religious ceremonies, which I commenced (all uncovering), as we approached the grave.
“The scene, at this time, was an exceedingly interesting one; even apart from its being the first breaking through of the Japanese settled opposition to Christianity. The hills here formed a semi-circular sweep, and at one end of the semicircle we were standing. On the opposite side, on the heights above, was the Buddhist temple. The sides of these hills, and the whole sweep of the crest were covered with people, quiet, and attentive spectators of what was going on.
“Close to us stood the Japanese officials, just below the grave. The marines in line on the other side, and near them on a mat sat the old Buddhist priest, with a little table before him, on which were a number of papers, &c., with incense burning in their midst. Everybody was quiet and attentive while we went through our usual service for the solemn burial of the dead. Then the marines fired three volleys over the grave. As the first volley was given there was a half shout on the hills around, as if giving vent to deep observation and pent-up curiosity, the number of which was computed by one of our officers at two thousand.
“While they were filling up the grave, I asked permission to examine their burying-ground, which they readily gave, the interpreter also going with me and explaining the several parts. Against the side of the hill is a range of sculptured stones, which he said were their gods; some had bas-reliefs of figures like human beings on them. Across the space were lines of small head-stones—some of these also with human figures sculptured in bas-relief on their front, others with inscriptions. These were commemorative of individuals buried below; and when I observed to the interpreter that the space for each body was very small, he replied that the dead in Japan were buried in a sitting posture.
“I then went down to the Buddhist priest, a venerable-looking man of about seventy-five years of age, who was very friendly and showed me his rosary, half of the beads in which were glass, and half wood; also his book.
“The interpreter opened the papers and showed us their contents, and stated that the Buddhist had come there ‘as a compliment to Mr. Williams’ (Williams having been the name of the deceased). On the little table, in addition to the incense-box, and some rolls of unknown material and paper, were also a bowl of cooked rice, a covered vessel filled with saki, and a small gong. The priest now commenced his ceremonies, sometimes touching the gong, sometimes stirring the saki; while he thumbed his beads, and then muffling his hands in his robe and bowing his head, he read some prayers in a low, unintelligible voice. His outer dress was a pouch of very rich brocade silk covered with fanciful figures.
“After putting head and foot boards with inscription to the grave; and covering it in our usual manner, we left the Buddhist priest still engaged at his ceremonies and set out on our return, the crowds gathering around as before, and all very civil and polite, so with drum and fife playing we returned to our boats.”