344 



EXPEDITION TO JAPAN. 



of -shore equal to their entire range. It was in this position that the Commodore had placed 

 his nine ships — the steam frigates, the Powhatan, which was the flag-ship, the Susquehanna, 

 and the Mississippi, and the sailing ships, the Macedonian, the Vandalia, the Saratoga, the 

 Southampton, the Lexington, and the Supply, the latter having subsequently joined the 

 squadron.* 



Kanagawa is quite a large town, and was the residence of the Japanese commissioners 

 pending the negotiations of the treaty, and it would have been selected by Commodore Perry 

 for the place of conference, had it not been for the impossibility of the ships approaching 

 within gunshot of its front towards the bay. He therefore preferred to select Yoku-hama, to 

 confirm the choice of Captains Buchanan and Adams, who had been sent to examine and report 

 upon the most eligible anchorage for the squadron. 



The building erected for the accommodation of the Japanese commissioners and the Commo- 

 dore, and the numerous persons in attendance, and which was called by the Americans the 

 ''treaty house," was placed upon a level plain near to the shore, and contiguous to the village 

 of Yoku-hama, being distant from Kanagawa three, from the southern suburb of the capital 

 five, and from Yedo itself probably nine miles. The treaty house had been hastily erected of 

 unpainted jiine wood, with peaked roofs, and covered a large extent of ground, having a 

 reception hall of from forty to sixty feet in area, ar.d several adjoining apartments and offices. 

 From each side extended yellow canvas screens divided into panel-like squares by black painted 

 stripes. On the exterior walls of the building was spread a dark cloth, upon which was 

 represented in bright colors some device which was said to be the arms of the third commis- 

 sioner, Izawa, prince of Mimasaki. 



At an early hour on the 8th of March, the day appointed for the conference with the 

 Japanese commissioners, there was an unusual stir ashore ^jrejiaratory to the ceremonies of the 

 occasion. The Japanese workmen were busily engaged in adorning the treaty house with 

 streamers and other gay paraphernalia. Two poles were erected, one on either side of the 

 entrance, to which were hung long oblong banners of white cotton cloth with a bright red 

 stripe across the centre. On the })eaked roof of the building was placed a tall staff, surmounted 

 with a circular ornament in shape like the upper part of a chandelier, from which was suspended 

 a heavy silken tassel. In the preparation of the place it had been surrounded by the usual 

 enclosure of cloth, which completely excluded it from the view of those without, and, in fact, 

 seemed to enclose it within a sort of prison yard. The Commodore, who saw this arrangement 

 from his ship before he landed, immediately sent an officer on shore to demand what it meant, 

 and, in answer to some frivolous pretext about preventing intrusion and doing honor to the 

 occasion, informed the Japanese that he would forego the honor, and that, until it was 

 completely removed, he could not think of landing. It was immediately taken down by the 

 Japanese. 



Bands of flag-bearers, musicians and pikemen manoeuvred in order here and there, glistening 

 with their lacquered caps, bright colored costumes, crimson streamers, showy emblazonry, and 

 burnished spears. There was no great military display as on the first visit at Gora-hama, and 

 the few who had the look of soldiers were merely a small body guard, composed of the retainers 

 of the various high dignitaries who were to officiate on the occasion. Crowds of people had 



• The Supply arrived with coal aad stores for tht squadron on the 19th of March. 



