IV PEEFATORY NOTE. 



dition, were all placed ia the hands of the writer. Of these, the Commodore's journal and 

 official correspondence form much the larger part.* 



The work to be performed was that of a compiler merely. With no responsibility as to 

 the facts related, the writer believed his appropriate duty to be simply to weave into a 

 connected narrative all of interest or importance that could be gathered from these various 

 materials, and to present, in chronological order, the incidents of the Expedition. Eminently 

 suggestive, as were many portions of the story, the compiler felt that it was his business 

 to deal with the facts only, and spare the reader the infliction of his reflections on them. 



The book, therefore, is but little encumbered with the writer's observations or conjectures 

 on the incidents related. Where a momentary digression from the story does occur, the 

 remarks it embodies are generally those of the Commodore himself. In many instances, the 

 language of the Narrative is a verbatim copy from his journal. Wherever it was possible 

 thus to use his manuscript, it was done, as being the course most likely to avoid error. 

 Every word of the work was read to the Commodore in manuscript, and received his 

 correction before it went into the printer's hands ; every proof sheet also was read by him 

 before it was sent back to the press. In order to expedite the preparation and publication 

 of the work as much as possible, and place it, at an early period, in the hands of Con- 

 gress, as the labor was that of compilation only, the present writer, with the approbation 

 of Commodore Perry, availed himself of the kindness of a competent literary gentleman, f 

 who assisted him in the work of comparing the various journals, documents, &c., arranging 

 chronologically the incidents gathered from all sources, and presenting them in a connected 

 form. Some portions of the story were also, in the first instance, sketched by this 

 gentleman, and after undergoing the revision of the present writer, were incorporated by 

 him into the Narrative, and then submitted to the Commodore for his corrections and 

 suggestions. Some of the descriptions of scenery were thus prepared, as well as portions 

 of the Narrative relating to the two vistis to Japan. By means of this valuable aid, the 

 whole story was written out in less than a twelvemonth from the time its publication 

 was ordered by Congress, a residt which would otherwise have been unattainable. The 



* The Commodore, unwilling to appropriate wliat may belong to others, desires here to acknowledge the use of the journals 

 of the captain of the fleet, Commander Adams, of the flag-lieutenants, Mr. Contee and Mr. Bent, tliose of Purser Harris, 

 Mr. Perry, (Commodore's secretary,) Mr. Bayard Taylor and Chaplain Jones ; the reports of Captains Abbot, Buchanan, 

 and Adams, Commandants Boyle, Kelly, and Glasson, Chaplain Jones, Mr. Williams, Chinese interpreter, and Doctors 

 Green and Fahs ; the services of Mr. Portman, Dutch interpreter, and of the artists, Mr. W. Heine and Mr. E. Brown, jr. 

 In the hydrographical department he would specially acknowledge tlie accurate and laborious work of Lieutenants W. 

 L. Maury and S. Bent. Nor would he pass by without notice minor contributions from any under his command ; to all 

 he would render due credit and thanks. 



t Robert Tomes, Esq., M.D. 



