372 EXPEDITION TO JAPAN. 



exhibition — to which the Japanese commissioners were now in their turn invited — of the 

 telegraph and the railroad. It was a happy contrast, which a higher civilization presented, to 

 the disgusting display on the part of the Japanese officials. In place of a show of brute animal 

 force, there was a triumphant revelation, to a partially enlightened people^ of the success of science 

 and enterprise. The Japanese took great delight in again seeing the rapid movement of the 

 Lilliputian locomotive ; and one of the scribes of the commissioners took his seat upon the car, 

 while the engineer stood upon the tender, feeding the furnace with one hand, and directing the 

 diminutive engine with the other. Crowds of the Japanese gathered ai-ound, and looked on 

 the repeated circlings of the train with unabated pleasure and surjjrise, unable to repress a 

 shout of delight at each blast of the steam whistle. The telegraph, with its wonders, though 

 before witnessed, still created renewed interest, and all the beholders were unceasing in their 

 expressions of curiosity and astonishment. The agricultural instruments having been explained 

 to the commissioners by Dr. Morrow, a formal delivery of the telegraph, the railway, and other 

 articles^ which made up the list of American presents, ensued. The Prince of Mamasaki had 

 been delegated by his coadjutors ceremoniously to accept, and Captain Adams appointed by the 

 Commodore to deliver, the gifts ; and each performed his separate functions by an interchano-e 

 of suitable compliments and some half dozen stately bows. After this, a detachment of 

 marines from the squadron were put through their various evolutions^ drills, &c., while the 

 bands furnished martial music. The Japanese commissioners seemed to take a very great 

 interest in this military display, and expressed themselves much gratified at the soldierly air 

 and excellent discipline of the men. This closed the performances of the day; and, the 

 commissioners having accepted an invitation from the Commodore to dine with him on the 

 twenty-seventh, the Japanese retired to the treaty-house, and the Americans returned to the 

 ships. The Japanese presents were all boxed up and sent, together with the rice and charcoal, 

 on board the storeship Supply, when, after being duly addressed to the proper department of 

 the government, they were stored away for future shipment. 



On the next day, (March 25,) Yenoske, accompanied by Kenzeiro, his fellow interpreter, came 

 on board the Powhatan to acknowledge, formally, in behalf of the commissioners, their 

 gratitude for the exhibition of the marines, the locomotive, and the telegraph, with all which 

 they declared themselves highly delighted. Yenoske and his coadjutor were invited to seat 

 themselves in the cabin of the Commodore, and, after some expressions of courtesy, which the 

 Japanese officials were careful never to intermit, proposed to talk over some points in connexion 

 with the projected treaty. The Commodore said he had no objections to the discussion of the 

 matters informally; but he protested against considering the interpreters as the official 

 representatives of the commissioners, with the latter of whom only, he declared, could he treat 

 authoritatively. 



Yenoske then commenced by stating that Hakodadi, which the commissioners had desired 

 not to have opened before September, 1855, might be ready for American ships as early as 

 March of that year, and added that Simoda, also, would be prepared by that date. The Com- 

 modore replied that, in regard to Hakodadi, although it was his intention to visit it during the 

 summer, he was willing to accept it without a preliminary survey; but, as for Simoda, it must 

 first be examined before it could be adopted. The Japanese now expressed the hope that the 

 Commodore would not go to Hakodadi for a hundred days yet, as it was necessary to send to 

 Nagasaki for an interpreter, who would be obliged to go to Yedo previous to going to Hakodadi. 

 The Commodore stated that he could not wait so long a time, but would be obliged to pay his 



