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
Hong Kong Again—Letters—The Intestine Troubles—Triangulating between Hong-Kong, Macao, and Whampoa—The Rebels—Chinese Fighting—An Emperor’s Proclamation—Preparations for the Departure of the American Opperbevelhebber—Daybook and Ledger Epistolarians—A Title—Protection—A Jollyboat Steamer—Erudition about Columbus, De Gama, and Others—A Letter from His Excellency Perry—Syce Silver Service—More Mercantile Epistolarians and Parvenuism—No Treaty of Commerce with Japan—Name Great among the Heathen—Departure of Opperbevelhebber in the English Mail-Steamer—Mississippi’s Third Visit to Japan—The Last of the “Porpoise”—Arrive at Simoda again—Official Intercourse of Captain Lee with the Authorities—Courtesies—Its-evoos and a Revolver—The Ship Ho-o-maro—Cotton Cloths distributed—Chances of a Trade with Japan—Final Departure from the Country—Supplemental—Exchange of Ratifications of the Treaty—Simoda after an Earthquake—Loss of the Russian Frigate Diana—The Inexorable Laws of Japan—English and French at Nangasaki—The Cruise of the Mississippi around the World 345
The cruel treatment which had long been practised by that singular and secluded people, the Japanese, toward American whalers who were thrown by the misfortune of shipwreck upon their coasts, the incentive of mercantile cupidity, and the urgency of personal ambition, induced the government of the United States, in 1852, to project an expedition to Japan, to obtain some assurance from the government of the country against a continuance or repetition of the inhospitality and cruelty inflicted upon our unfortunate citizens, and, if possible, to open the sources of trade. The East India squadron was accordingly augmented for this purpose, and Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry was invested with the command, and charged with the performance of the duty.