254 DUBOIS— JAPANESE EMBASSY OF i860. [April 21, 



ordinary that a messenger was quietly despatched with orders to go 

 to a nearby grammar school and procure a release for the day of 

 three pupils, sons of the assayer and his assistants, bring them to 

 the laboratory where their education might take a rare turn in a 

 leisurely and close contact with the ambassadors and their at- 

 tendants. I was the youngest of those three boys, and I am now 

 drawing on memory which is both stimulated and held in leash by 

 certain mementos, personal notes of the assistant assayer, various 

 public prints and official documentary memoranda. 



Entering the little " weigh room " attached to the laboratory the 

 astonished youths saw the first and third ambassadors (the latter 

 known as the censor), a stout functionary known as the governor, 

 two interpreters — one Dutch and one Japanese — and perhaps one or 

 two attaches, and a " prince " travelling unofficially for pleasure but 

 in company with the embassy. 



The high dignitaries were superbly dressed in silk brocaded, or 

 inwoven, with gold, the pajamas or trousers being figured in ex- 

 quisite patterns and as wide as skirts ; the body-covering a loosely 

 crossed waistcoat over which was a kimono or long loose coat. The 

 paper handkerchiefs were carried in the crosswrap of the waist- 

 coat. The fore part of the head was shaved while down the center 

 of the crown a tightly twisted lock or short braid lay glued stifif 

 and tied with white cord. The sandals were held in place with 

 white silk cords. The ambassadors wore three swords, the lesser 

 officers two — a sign of the Samurai or ruling military caste and a 

 badge of honor now abolished. 



As the boys entered, one of the expert under-assayers was seated 

 at the delicate balance explaining the process. This was addressed 

 to the Hollander, Mr. Portman, who in turn addressed the 

 Japanese interpreter, Namoura, in Dutch. Namoura, in turn, trans- 

 lated the Dutch into Japanese and addressed the third ambassador 

 who, in turn, communicated the information to the first ambassador 

 — who received it with the utmost imperturbable and silent gravity. 

 Whether he took it all in or not we boys could not tell. 



The censor or third ambassador, Oguri, and the governor, 

 Narousa, fat and spectacled with heavily rimmed glasses, were the 



