Chapter I: Preface

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-War at Night—Gulf Stream—Music—First Foreign Land—The Washerwomen—Funchal—Its Harbor—Cavalleros—The Wine—A Consul—_Nossa Senhora do Monte_—The Coral—A Hospital—A Prison—Dago Pauperism—Donna Clementina—Good-by, Madeira PAGE 8

CHAPTER II.

At Sea again—The Canaries—The “Trades,” Incipient and Real—Man-of-War Existence—Drills—Running down the “Trades”—Small-Pox—Christmas that was not Christmas—First General Order issued—Under Steam again—Man Overboard—Crossing the Line—Arrival at the Ocean-Prison—St. Helena—Hot January—Reverberation—Slavers—James’ Town—A View from a Summit—Tomb of the Great Emperor—Jonathan—To Longwood—The New House—Plantation House—A Bust of Napoleon—Departure from St. Helena 27

CHAPTER III.

Cape of Good Hope—Shadows—Cape Town—Sights in the Street—Drive to Constantia—The Wine—Kaffir War—Botanical—Leave Cape 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 its Bazar—Different Races and Religions—In the Country at Mauritius—John Chinaman—Pamplemouses—Paul and Virginia—A Botanical Garden—Reality as well as Romance—Hurricanes—History of the Island—The “22d”—Fruits—Leave Mauritius—Difference of Time 56

CHAPTER V.

“Light, Ho!”—Ceylon’s Spicy Breezes, and Sir John Mandeville—Point de Galle—Ceylonese Troops—d’honies—The Natives—Walled Town—Sandal Shoon and Mohammedan Temple and School—Greek Slaves in Bronze—Hirsute and Citronella—Priessnitz’ Doings—Pigeon Express—Ceylon Historically—A Siamese Captain—Departure from Point de Galle—Bay of Bengal—Straits of Malacca—Pulo-Penang—The Cleopatra—Letters—Anchor at Singapore—Malay Boats—The East by Anticipation—Junks—Gong-Beating—The Esplanade—Malay Houses—Sago—Hospitals—Joss-House—Prison—Rajah of Johore—Leave Singapore—First of April—Intense Heat—Cathay—Macao-Hong Kong—Salute of Welcome—Oriental Salute 64

CHAPTER VI.

Macao—The _Donna Maria_—Cathedrals and Forts—Camoens—An English Missionary—Death of the Governor—Fast and Tanka Boats—Bocca Tigris—Clipper-Ships and Junks—Chartering a Tender—First of May—The Yang-tse-kiang—Agriculture and the Chinese—Shanghai and the Bund—The Missionaries—Sing-Song—Gambling—Dead Beggars—Nautical Dramatics—The Shanghae Races—Shifting the Flag—Supply Ashore—Wreck of a Junk—Bring the Crew of the Junk Aboard—Left for Loo-Choo 87

CHAPTER VII.

Great Loo-Choo Island—General Orders—Outer Door of the Hermetic Empire—Historic Outline of the Loo-Choo Islands—Approach to them—Loo-Chooan Simplicity—Dress—Bettelheim—Napa—Language—Foreign Graves—Horse-Portage—The Prince Regent—To Sheudi—Feast—International Sentiment—Sheudi-Cyclopean Masonry—“Old Napa”—Bonin Group—Return to Napa—First Visit to Japan—“_The_ Fourth” on the Sea—A Meteor 100

CHAPTER VIII.

Cipango—Japan an “Unknown Land”—Works on Japan-Kœmpfer—Japanese Mythology—Geography—History—Japanese “John Doe”—Napoleon No. III. of the Mongols—Kublai-Khan—European Intercourse—English Views about the Opening of Japan 132

CHAPTER IX.

Sounding-Spars—_Foogee Yama_—Entrance to the Bay of Yedo—Precautionary Measures—Uraga—Troops—“Old Hundred”—Sounding—Yezimon—Gorihama—_The_ Landing—Joust or Tourney—Audience—President’s Letter—Anecdotal—Fortifications—Sounding—Japanese Presents—Costume—Junks—Leave Japan—A Burial at Sea—A Cyclone—Loo-Choo 143

CHAPTER X.

China—The Rebellion—Hong Hospitality—Blenheim Reach—Torrid—Consular Courts—Canton—Feast of the Lanterns—Howqua’s Garden—Sallie Baboos—Cum-sing-Moon—Death of an Officer—Opium Hulks—The Traffic—Effects of Opium—Its Sale—Smuggling—Emperor of Japan Dead—Loss of Boat’s Crew of the Plymouth—The American Commissioner—Around the Walls of Canton—Chance for a Wife—Temple of Honan—Hong Kong 176

CHAPTER XI.

Leave China for Second Visit to Japan—Formosa—Napa-Keang—A Refugee not a Koszta—Proselyting—Dr. Bettelheim and a Loo-Chooan Sangrado—Coal Dépôt—Sheudi—Cumshaws—Off for the Bay of Yedo—Dangerous Navigation—Snow—Macedonian Ashore Foogee Yama—Bay of Yedo—Where to Negotiate—22d of February—Japanese Boats—Visiters—Japanese at Dinner—Swords—Aversion to the Cross—The Landing—The Commissioners—The Audience—Answer to the President’s Letter—A Japanese Repast—Their Troops—“T’su-bi-ki”—Coal—A Christian Burial in Japan—American Presents—An Ericsson Two Centuries Ago—A Chaplain—Negotiations—Japanese Presents—Athletes—Entertainment of Japanese Commissioners—Signing of the Treaty—Yezimon—Attempt to reach Yedo—The “Happy Despatch”—Emperor in Disguise—Leave Bay of Yedo for Simoda 204

CHAPTER XII.

Simoda or Lower Field—Surveying—Japanese Spies—Temples—Sintooism—Another Pilgrim’s Progress—A Night’s Lodging—Bargaining—Japanese Women—Indiscriminate Bathing—Turtle Soup—An Adventure—Buddhist Temple—Midnight Visiters—In a Cage—Japanese Epistolarians—A Great Secret—Defences—Foogee Yama 264

CHAPTER XIII.

Departure for Hakodadi—Ohosima—Printing at Sea—Straits of Sangar—Arrive at Hakodadi—Magnificent Bay—The City—A Stampede—Interview with the Authorities—Arranging the Currency—Purchasing—A Large Temple—Bonzes—Worshipping—Order of the Blind—A View from Hakodadi Yama—A Lion Playing Painter—Ni! Ni!—A Fort—Burials from the Vandalia—Japanese and Ethiopics—Arrival of Functionaries—Characteristic Communications—Hakodadi Eggs—Leave Hakodadi—Fog 292

CHAPTER XIV.

Foogee—Return to Simoda—Additional Regulations—Veneration for Iyeyas—The Dutch at Desima—Japanese Princes and Mercantile Pursuits—Russia a Bugbear—The Currency Question—The Monetary System of Japan—Buoys—Sample of Coal—Stones for the Washington Monument—Taste for Music—Things by Lottery—Japanese Lacquer and Porcelain—Tea—Japanese Game of Chess, or “Sho-ho-ye”—A Second Robinson Crusoe—Leave Japan for China—Macedonian to Keelong and Manilla—Island of Oo—A Strange sail acting strangely—In Napa Roadstead—Man Deservedly killed—His Highness the Prince-Regent—Russian Admiral Pontiatine—Sermons on Shipboard—The Status of Loo-Choo—Compact with Loo-Choo—Boom-a-Laddying with a Broad Pennant—Great Pomp in our Institutions—Farewell to Loo-Choo 312