MATTHEW C. PERRY. 383 



They obeyed, and placed it upon the apparatus 

 prepared to receive it. Some general compliments 

 ensued between the commodore and the imperial 

 commissioners ; and when the former had signified 

 that he would return after the lapse of a few months 

 to receive the answer of the Japanese Government 

 to the letter of the President, he bowed formally, 

 and returned to the ships with the same ceremony 

 with which he came from them. The demeanor of 

 the Japanese princes and officials during the inter- 

 view, which was carried on by means of an inter- 

 preter, was courteous and dignified in the extreme ; 

 and that interview was certainly a memorable occa- 

 sion in the history of civilization and commerce in 

 modern times. Never before had such a scene 

 occurred. During several centuries the representa- 

 tives of many of the nations of Europe had in 

 vain solicited such an honor. Every overture had 

 been repelled with inexorable rigor. In this in- 

 stance, however, the emissary of the United States, 

 upon the first application for an audience, had been 

 received with ceremonial and respectful state, and 

 two of the highest princes of the empire had been 

 deputed to confer with him. This favorable result 

 was wholly due to the sagacious and determined 

 policy pursued by the commodore from his first 

 entrance upon the Japanese waters. On the 17th 



