The Japan expedition. Japan and around the world / An account of three visits to the Japanese empire, with sketches of Madeira, St. Helena, cape of Good Hope, Mauritius, Ceylon, Singapore, China, and Loo-Choo

by J. W. Spalding

“Kioshia moves directly forward only, but that may be any number of steps. He may be reversed up on either of the first three rows of the adversary, and then becomes a Kioshia-Nari-Kin, with all the powers (and those alone) of the Kin-shio.

“Hishia has the entire power of our castle, and when he is reversed he assumes the name of Rioho (the dragon), and acquires, in addition to his former moves, all those of the Oho-shio.

“Kakuko has the entire powers of our bishop, and when reversed, assumes the-name of Riome (the dragoness), and acquires, in addition to his former moves, all those of the Oho-shio.

“Ho moves forward one step only at a time, and may be reversed upon either of the first three rows of the adversary; when so reversed, he becomes a Ho-Nari-Kin, and acquires all the powers of the Kin-shio.

“Besides the preceding moves and powers, any piece which has been captured may be replaced upon the board, at the discretion of the player—as follows, viz.: when it is his move, instead of moving one of his men he can replace any one of the captured pieces upon any unoccupied square whatever, observing to keep that side up which it was entitled to originally; but it may be reversed at any move thereafter if to or from any square in the before-mentioned first three rows of the adversary—and observing, further, that he can not replace a Ho (or pawn) on any column upon which there is already one of his own, i.e., he can not double a Ho (or pawn).

“It may be further stated, that no piece can pass over the head of any other piece in its move, except the Kiema.”

Preparations were made for taking what was then thought to be our final departure from the Japanese empire. The commodore had transferred his flag from the Powhatan to the Mississippi, like Byron, not precisely because he ever could write an address to the ocean, upon whose bosom his stereotyped speeches say he has wasted the dearest action of “some forty years of my life,” but because Byron had a weakness at Pisa for some mastiffs, cats, pea-fowls, &c.; and when the American opperbevelhebber again had his broad pennant floating over the Mississippi, her decks were ornamented with Tray, Blanche, and Sweetheart, in the shape of Japanese dogs, presented him, with pug-nosed, billiard-balled heads, and eyes so projecting and divided, that some unfortunate estrangement seemed to have taken place between them. The poop-deck was ornamented with no-tailed Japanese cats, or their spinal columns extending to the point which would have pleased Lord Monboddo, while under the break of the poop, in cages, swung beautiful pheasants, mandarin ducks, and some graceful singing-birds.

Agreeably to instructions from the government to make inquiries as to some of our unfortunate countrymen who were supposed either to have been lost at sea, or to be held in captivity on the island of Formosa, it was ordered that the Macedonian should be sent to the harbor of Keelong for that purpose, accompanied by the Supply; also to ascertain the probability of the procurement of coal in that vicinity, and its proximity to the seashore. This done, the Macedonian was to proceed to Manilla, to leave there the three “Sally Baboo” men picked up by the “Southampton” at sea, with the American consul, that they might be sent back to their native land, which, by the chart, was not very far distant from Luzon.

On the 23d of June the Mississippi was gotten under way, and ran out to anchor in what might be waggishly termed the “outer harbor” of Simoda, a miserable roadstead off which a low rock island can not keep the sea, where all next day we rolled and wallowed.

On Sunday (we left Japan each time on Sunday) the 25th of June, signal was made for the ships to weigh anchor. The Powhatan took the Southampton in tow, and ran out of the port of Simoda. The Macedonian and Supply endeavored to do the same, but the wind proving baffling, they did not succeed. A long string of Japanese boats made fast to the former and tried to tow her out, but were as successful as a June-bug tied by a thread would be in trying to move the boy who held the other end, so the noble razee had to let go her anchor to avoid going on the rocks that encase the narrow entrance of the port of Simoda. The Supply did the same. The Mississippi, after some delay, and a number of gyrations, took her departure accompanied by the Powhatan with the storeship.