380 MATTHEW 0. PERRY. 



the Governor of Uraga, that he would wait until 

 the 12th of July for an opportunity to deliver the 

 letter with which he was intrusted to an official 

 appointed by the imperial government to receive it; 

 and that, if no person had heen designated by that 

 time to receive it, he would carry the letter in person 

 to the palace in Jeddo. 



Such decisive language immediately produced ita 

 desired effect. Commodore Perry was soon in- 

 formed that the 14th of July had been appointed 

 for the purpose of a meeting between him and the 

 commissioners chosen by the Emperor to receive the 

 letter. A small village named Gorihama, a mile 

 south of Uraga, was the spot selected as the scene 

 of the interview. In the mean time a temporary 

 edifice of pine wood was constructed for the pur- 

 pose. "White canvas, painted and adorned in vari- 

 ous ways, covered the building, and extended a 

 considerable distance on both sides. Nine tall 

 standards of crimson cloth, the national colors of 

 Japan, were placed along the beach -in front of the 

 edifice ; and five thousand native soldiers were 

 posted in battle-array in the rear at the time of the 

 meeting. 



"When the 14th arrived, fifteen boats left the 

 American squadron, filled with officers and men. 

 Two Japanese boats, carrying high officials, flanked 



