70 - INTRODUCTION. 



circumstance is said to liave occurred involving a very melanclioly cataf5trop'he, in •wliicli Von 

 Siebold was an unwilling actor. The story is thus related by a modern writer on Japan. 

 Sieboid had been with Colonel Van Sturler, the Dezima chief, to Jeddo ; the Japanese astronomer, 

 Takahasi Lakusaimon, had, in violation of the law, furnished him with a copy of a recently 

 made map of Japan. The draughtsman who made the copy having become, from some cause, 

 offended with the astronomer, dMiounced him to the authorities. An investigation followed, 

 Sieboid' s correspondence with Takahasi was demanded, and the topographical and geographical 

 information contained therein, added to the fact that Sieboid was not by birth a Hollander, led 

 to the suspicion that the physician of Dezima was a Russian spy. This caused the investigation 

 to become more rigorous still, and severe measures were threatened. All who were known to 

 be friends and corre.spondents of Sieboid, with a single exception, were thrown into prison. The 

 excepted individual was made a witness for the government. He broke his oath in the cause of 

 friendship, and privately informed Sieboid of what was designed against him. Tliis warning 

 enabled him to place his most valuable documents in security, and to prepare copies for the use 

 of the government commissioners, before his papers were seized and his person arrested at 

 Dezima. Sieboid was repeatedly examined by the governor of Nagasaki, and steadily refused 

 to name any of his Japanese accomplices ; and requested to be permitted to pass the residue of 

 his life in a Japanese prison, as a hostage, for the innocence of his friends, and as a penalty for 

 the consequences of his transgressions. The investigation lasted nearly a year. Sieboid was 

 hanished from Japan ; and Takahasi and the draughtsman who accused him both committed 

 suicide. Whether this story be true or not, in every particular, it was, at least, circulated on the 

 continent of Europe, and in this form it had reached the United States before our expedition sailed. 

 After Commodore Perry had been designated as commander, Sieboid applied for employ- 

 ment as a member of the expedition, and so anxious was he to go, that he caused great and 

 unusual influence to be exerted for the accomplishment of his wishes. Commodore Perry, 

 for several reasons, and particularly from a desire not to compromit himself, or hazard the 

 success of his mission by taking back to Japan a man generally believed to have been banished, 

 resisted all influences, even the highest, and persisted in his positive refusal to have Sieboid in 

 any vessel of the squadron. 



At length, our treaty was made, and the fact was announced to the world. Within a few 

 months, and since such announcement, has appeared a pamphlet, by Sieboid, published at Bonn, 

 and bearino- the following title : ' ' Authentic account of the efforts of the Netherlands and of Russia 

 toward the opening of Japan to the navigation and commerce of all nations." We regret its 

 publication for the author's sake. It subserves no scientific end, nor does it add a single fact 

 concerning Japan to what the author has already communicated in his previous valuable 

 writings. It is evidently the product of mortified and irritated vanity, and has two objects in 

 view which are perfectly obvious. The one is to glorify the author, the other to disparage 

 the United States and its Japan expedition. Appreciating, as we sincerely do, the voluminous 

 writings of Dr. Von Sieboid concerning Japan, we regret exceedingly the egotism, vanity, and 

 self-importance exhibited in the pursuit of the one object ; while we are not disposed to overlook, 

 without rebuke, the misiepresentations and impertinence displayed in the accomplishment of tlie 

 other. The text and spirit of the whole work may be found at the commencement, on the third 

 page of the book, in the following statement : "We have noiu to thank the Rtissians, and not the 

 Americans, for the opening of Japan." When we remember that, up to a very late period, the 

 Russians had effected iio treaty at all loith Ja^an, the reader may possilily incline to tlie belief, 



