248 EXPEDITIONTOJAPAN. 



receiving the hospitalities of their hosts, it may be remarked that they partook freely, and ' 

 seemed to relish particularly the whiskey and brandy which formed part of the entertainment. 

 The governor especially appeared to ajjpreciate the foreign liquors, particularly when mixed 

 with sugar, and smacked his lips with great gusto, as he drained his glass to its last sweetened 

 dregs. His interpreters, in the growing freedom of convivial enjoyment, made merry over his 

 highness' bacchanalian proclivity, and laughingly expressing their alarm lest Yezaiman should 

 take a drop too much, remarked, " his face is already growing red." 



Though always preserving a certain gentlemanly aplomb and that self-cultivated manner 

 which bespeaks high breeding, these Japanese dignitaries were disposed to be quite social, and 

 shared freely and gaily in conversation. Nor did their knowledge and general information fall 

 short of their elegance of manners and amiability of disposition. They were not only well-bred, 

 but not ill-educated, as they were jiroficients in the Dutch, Chinese, and Japanese languages, 

 and not unacquainted with the general principles of science and of the facts of the geography of 

 the world. When a terrestrial globe was placed before them, and their attention was called to 

 the delineation on it of the United States^, they immediately placed their fingers on Washington 

 and New York, as if perfectly familiar with the fact that one was the capital, and the other the 

 commercial metropolis of our country. They also, with equal promptitude, pointed out England, 

 France, Denmark, and other kingdoms of Europe. Their inquiries in reference to the United 

 States showed them not to be entirely ignorant of the facts connected with the material progress 

 of our country ; thus, when they asked if roads were not cut through our mountains, they were 

 referring (as was supposed) to tunnels on our railroads. And this supposition was confirmed 

 on the interpreter's asking, as they examined the ship's engine, whether it was not a similar 

 machine, although smaller, which was used for travelling on the American roads. They also 

 inquired whether the canal across the isthmus was yet finished, alluding probably to the 

 Panama railroad which was then in progress of construction. They knew, at any rate, that 

 labor was being performed to connect the two oceans, and called it by the name of something 

 they had seen, a canal. 



After refreshments and conversation in the cabin, Yezaiman and his interpreters were invited 

 to inspect the ship, an offer which they accepted with great politeness, and as they came upon 

 deck, notwithstanding there were crowds of officers and men around who could scarce repress 

 the manifestation of their curiosity, the Japanese never for a moment lost their self-possession, 

 but showed the utmost composure and quiet dignity of manner. They evinced an intelligent 

 interest in all the various arrangements of the vessel, observed the big gun and rightly styled it 

 a "Paixhan," exhibited none of that surprise which would naturally be expected from those 

 who were beholding for the first time the wonderful art and mechanism of a perfected steamship. 

 The engine evidently was an object of great interest to them, but the interpreters showed that 

 they were not entirely unacquainted with its principles. Much of this cool but not unobservant 

 composure may have been afi'ected, in accordance with a studied policy, but yet, there can be no 

 doubt, that however backward the Japanese themselves may be in practical science, the best 

 educated among them are tolerably well informed of its progress among more civilized or rather 

 cultivated nations. 



On leaving the cabin, the Japanese dignitaries had left their swords behind, two of which are 

 always worn by those of certain rank in the empire. This gave an opportunity for inspection, 

 on the part of the curious, of these badges of authority, which seemed to be, in accordance with 



