376 EXPEDITION TO JAPAN. 



wrapping up wtiat is left after a feast. Oa the present occasion, wlien the dinner was over, all 

 the Japanese guests simultaneously spread out their long folds of paper, and gathering what 

 scraps they could lay their hands on, without regard to the kind of food, made up an envelope 

 of conglomerate eatahles in which there was such a confusion of the sour and sweet, the alhu- 

 minous, oleaginous, and saccharine, that the chemistry of Leibig, or the practised taste of the 

 Commodore's Parisian cook, would never have reached a satisfactory analysis. Nor was this 

 the result of gluttony, or a deficiency of breeding ; it was the fashion of the country. These 

 unsavory parcels they stowed away in their pockets, or in their capacious sleeves, to carry 

 away with them. The practice was universal, and they not only always followed it themselves, 

 but insisted that their American guests, when entertained at a Japanese feast, should adopt it 

 also. Whenever the Commodore and his officers were feasted on shore, they had paper parcels 

 of what was left thrust into their hands on leaving, which they were obliged to take away with 

 them, as it seemed an important part of Japanese hospitality, which could not be declined with- 

 out giving offence. 



After the banquet, the Japanese were entertained by an exhibition of negro minstrelsy, got up 

 by some of the sailors, who, blacking their faces and dressing themselves in character, enacted 

 their parts with a humor that would have gained them unbounded applause from a New York 

 audience even at Christy's. The gravity of the saturnine Hayashi was not proof against the 

 grotesque exhibition, and even he joined with the rest in the general hilarity provoked by the 

 farcical antics and humorous performances of the mock negroes. It was now sunset, and tlie 

 Japanese prepared to depart with quite as much wine in them as they could well bear. The 

 jovial Matsusaki threw his arms about the Commodore's neck, crushing, in his tipsy embrace, 

 a pair of new epaulettes, and repeating, in Japanese, with maudlin affection, these words, as 

 interpreted into English: "Nippon and America, all the same heart." He then went toddling 

 into his boat, supported by some of his more steady companions, and soon all the happy party 

 had left the ships and were making rapidly for the shore. The Saratoga fired the salute of 

 seventeen guns as the last boat pulled off from the Powhatan, and the squadron was once more 

 left in the usual quiet of ordinary ship's duty. 



The following day the Commodore landed to have a conference in regard to the remaining 

 points of the treaty previous to signing. He was met, as usual, at the treaty house by the 

 commissioners, who had more than their ordinary share of gravity, probably, owing to the 

 natural effects of the previous day's conviviality. 



As soon as the Commodore had taken his seat, a letter was handed to him, which the Japanese 

 stated they had just received from Simoda. It was from Commander Pope, and had been 

 transmitted through the authorities over land. Its contents gave a satisfactory report of 

 Simoda, and the Commodore at once said that he accepted that port, but declared that it must 

 be opened witliout delay. Hakodadi, he added, would do for the other, and Napha, in Lew 

 Chew, could be retained for the third. In regard to the other two, he was willing, he said, to 

 postpone their consideration to some other time. 



The Commodore now proposed to sign the agreement in regard to the three ports, and directed 

 his interpreter to read it in Dutch. When the document had been thus read and afterwards 

 carefully perused by the Japanese, they stated that they were prepared to concur in everything 

 except as to the immediate opening of Simoda. After discussion, it was finally settled that 

 though the port might be opened, the Japanese would address a note to the Commodore, stating 

 that everything which might be wanting by ships could not be furnished there before the 



