336 First Russian Embassy to Japan, 



lowing towns and villages : Moiatschi, Nikona, Schir- 

 kudschi, Fuguschima, Yuschaga, Refige, and Ossamarussa, 

 which was the last station before they arrived at Matmai. 

 ]n each of these places a house was prepared for the Rus- 

 sians, and was furnished with the before-mentioned inscrip- 

 tion. 



At Ossamarussa the cavalcade was joined by a guard of 

 600 men, in the midst of whom the Russians were con- 

 ducted into the town. The houses were all thrown open, 

 and hung with carpets; they seemed to be full of people, 

 but not a single person was to he seen in the streets, except 

 the police officers, who were armed with spears, and posted 

 at all the corners and crossings. Before the house destined 

 for the residence of the Russians stood a guard of 1 20 

 men, one half of whom were armed with bows and arrows; 

 the other with muskets without locks, and lighted matches. 

 The house was completely fitted up in the European man- 

 ner, with tables, chairs, and other furniture; and behind it 

 lay a garden, on the wall of which, though of considerable 

 height, a kind of railing was erected, hung with blue and 

 white striped cotton cloth, to prevent the Russians from 

 having any view of the town. Towards evening two masters 

 of the ceremonies appeared, in order to make known to 

 M. Laxman the manner in which he was to have his first 

 audience, and the regulations to be observed on that occa- 

 sion. They proposed that, agreeably to their manners, he 

 should present himself -barefooted, creeping on his belly, 

 and that he should then speak, lying on his right side, or in 

 a kneeling posture; but as M. Laxman absolutely refused 

 to comply with this ceremonial, and proposed the Euro- 

 pean mode as much more convenient, they at length con- 

 sented. 



In consequence of this agreement the Russians next day 

 were conducted to the house destined for the audience, 

 which was situated on the summit of an eminence, so steep 

 that it was necessary to ascend to it by a flight of steps. 

 The emperor's deputies were sitting in a large hall, in a se- 

 micircle, and had over their dresses of ceremony mantles 

 of white satin ; their heads also were covered with large 

 black lackered caps. As soon as the Russians were seated 

 the senior deputy pulled out a letter, and read in substance 

 as follows: — " We have received the letter of governor 

 Piel, together with a Japanese translation, which informs us 

 of your mission, the delivery of our people, and other 

 matters, but the translation is so bad that we cannot make 

 ^ense of it ; and as it is impossible for us, on this account, 



tQ 



