MATTHEW C. PERRY. 38 



pure watei, which take their origin from the springs 

 which gush forth from the recesses of the moun- 

 tains and find their tortuous way to the level plains 

 below. The population of the chief island the ex- 

 plorers estimated at about two hundred thousand. 

 The inhabitants seem to be descended from a mix- 

 ture of the Chinese and Japanese, possessing fea- 

 tures and qualities which belong to both. Their 

 language resembles, and indeed seems to be but a 

 dialect of, the Japanese. The Lew- Che wans are an 

 exceedingly courteous people, and are among the 

 most intelligent of Oriental nations. Their religion 

 is that of the Hindoo, the generally prevalent Bud- 

 dhism of the East. The bonzas, or priests, consti- 

 tute the literati of the nation, and are treated with 

 considerable respect by the populace. 



At length Commodore Perry, having completed 

 all his arrangements with the authorities, and all 

 his scientific researches in the island, the most 

 important result of which was to ascertain that 

 an immense quantity of coal existed unknown and 

 unemployed in the island, which might be appro- 

 priated to the use of American squadrons in future 

 time, he resolved to return to Japan for the pur- 

 pose of completing his negotiations for a treaty 

 with the imperial government. Accordingly, on 

 the 7th of February, Commodore Perry set sail, and 



