A Shintō Funeral
At the very moment that these ships were thus unceremoniously sent away, eight American sailors were imprisoned in Japan, though possibly the fact was not then known at Yedo. They had escaped from the wreck of the whaleship “Lawrence,” to one of the Japanese Kuriles, where they had landed early in June. After an imprisonment of several months, they were taken to Matsumae, and finally to Nagasaki. One of them, in an attempt to escape, was killed. At last, after seventeen months’ confinement, they were given up to the Dutch at Deshima, and sent to Batavia in the ship of 1847. According to an account signed by the mate and published in the Serampore “Free Press,” their usage had been very hard.
On the 28th of July, the day preceding the departure of the two American ships from the bay of Yedo, two French ships of war, the frigate “Cleopatra,” commanded by Admiral Cecille, and a corvette, on a surveying expedition, entered the harbor of Nagasaki, for the purpose, as the admiral stated, of letting the Japanese know that the French, too, had great ships of war; but being surrounded by boats and refused all intercourse with the shore, they departed within twenty-four hours. In consequence of these visits the Dutch at length communicated to the French and American governments copies of the edict of 1843, concerning the return of shipwrecked Japanese, and surveys of the Japanese coast, already given.
In September, 1848, fifteen foreign seamen arrived at Nagasaki, forwarded from Matsumae in a Japanese junk, from which they were carried in close kago to a temple prepared for their residence, and around which a high palisade was erected, no communication with them being allowed. Indeed, it was not without a good deal of difficulty that the director of the Dutch factory obtained leave to send them some articles of food and clothing. As none of the sailors understood Dutch, the Japanese officers who had them in charge found it difficult to communicate with them,—to aid in which the Dutch director was finally called in. Eight of the men, according to their own account, were Americans, all quite young, and seven of them Sandwich-Islanders. They stated themselves to have escaped from the wreck of the American whaler, “Ladoga,” which, according to their account, had struck a shoal in the Sea of Japan, and gone to pieces. The director wished to send them to Batavia in the annual Dutch vessel, then about to sail, but for this a reference to Yedo was necessary, which would take forty days, much beyond the time fixed by the Japanese rule for the departure of the ship.
These facts having been communicated, under date of January 27, 1849, by the Dutch consul at Canton to the American commissioner there, Captain Geisenger, in command on that station, despatched the sloop-of-war “Preble,” Commander Glyn, to Nagasaki, to bring away these sailors.
Glyn touched at Lew Chew, where he learned from the Rev. B. J. Bettelheim,[109] a missionary resident there, that very exaggerated reports had reached these islands of chastisement inflicted upon an American officer who had visited Yedo in a “big” ship. The missionary seemed even to think that these reports were not without their influence upon the authorities of Lew Chew, as the cause of a “want of accommodation” exhibited in their conduct towards the “Preble,”—a piece of information which had its influence in leading Captain Glyn to assume a very decided tone in his subsequent intercourse with the authorities of Nagasaki.
The “Preble” made the land off Nagasaki on the 17th of April. Japanese boats, which soon came alongside, threw on board a bamboo, in the split of which were papers containing the customary notification to foreign vessels, as to their anchorage, and the conduct they were to observe, and certain questions which they were to answer. These papers (in English, with some Dutch variations) were verbatim as follows:
1. Warning to respective commanders, their officers and crew of the vessels approaching the coast of Japan, or anchoring near the coast in the bays of the empire.—During the time foreign vessels are on the coast of Japan or near, as well as in the bay of Nagasaki, it is expected and likewise ordered, that every one of the schip’s company will behave properly towards and accost civillen the Japanese subjects in general. No one may leave the vessle, or use her boats for cruising or landing on the islands or on the main coast, and ought to remain on board until further advice from the Japanese government has been received. It is likewise forbidden to fire guns, or use other fire-arms on board the vessle, as well as in their boats. Very disagreeable consequences might result in case the aforesaid schould not be strictly observed. (Signed.) The Governor of Nagasaki.
2. To the commanders of vessels approaching this empire under Dutch or other colors.—By express orders of the governor of Nagasaki, you are requested, as soon as you have arrived near the northern Cavallos, to anchor there at a safe place, and to remain until you will have received further advice. Very disagreeable consequences might result in case this order should not be strictly observed. Deshima. (Signed.) The Reporters attached to the Superintendent’s office. (Seal.) Translated by the Superintendent of the Netherlands’ trade in Japan. (Qu. chief interpreter?)
3. (This is addressed like No. 2, and contains the same orders about anchorage. It then proceeds as follows:) “Please to answer, as distinctly and as soon as possible, the following questions: What is the name of your vessel? What her tonnage? What is the number of her crew? Where do you come from? What is the date of your departure? Have you any wrecked Japanese on board? Have you anything to ask for, as water, firewood, etc. etc.? Are any more vessels in company with you bound for this empire? By order the governor of Nagasaki. Translated by the Superintendent of the Netherlands’ trade in Japan. Deshima.