390 EXPEDITION TO JAPAK. 



into her cheerless and unprogressive state of unnatural isolation. She is the youngest sister 

 in the circle of commercial nations ; let those who are older kindly take her by the hand, and 

 aid her tottering steps, until she has reached a vigor that will enable her to walk firmly in 

 her own strength. Cautious and kindly treatment now will soon lead to commercial treaties 

 as liberal as can be desired.* 



with this steamer to take the treaty overland. By favor of a private friend I have seen a copy of it, and a more silly, stupid 

 document I have never read. Things remain as they have done for the last two hundred years, only the Dutch resident of 

 Decima may enter and circulate freely in the town of Nagasaki without the usual guard of honor. The ground on which the factory 

 buildings stand and the buildings themselves become the property of the Dutch by purchase. No concessions are to be made by 

 the .lapanese to other nations without the Dutch participating in them. The only clause which appears distantly to hint to any 

 future change is when the opperhoofel, (or chief agent of the government,) at Decima, is appointed and recognised as repre- 

 senting the Dutch government, in the event of the Japanese seeing fit, at any time, to desire to treat for further concessions. 

 The treaty is not, I believe, to be published." 



It will thus be seen that all other powers have encountered difficulties similar to those we met, and none have made a. treaty 

 more liberal then ours. 



•Note. — Scarcely had this chapter been completed, before the public prints of the country brought to our notice the results of 

 the first voyage made to Hakodadi after the signing of the treaty. The facts appear to be substantially as follows: On the 13th 

 of February, 1855, the American schooner C. E. Poote sailed from Honolulu for Japan, via the Bonin islands. The vessel was 

 fitted out by Messrs. Reed and Dougherty, American citizens, and was loaded, for the most part, with articles of ship chandlery, 

 chains and anchors, pork and beef; sails, tar, cordage, &c. The purpose of the voyage was to fulfil a contract " to establish at 

 Hakodadi a supply depot for American whale ships, so that they may winter at that place instead of Honolulu." Among the 

 passengers were Mr. Reed and his family, and Mr. Doty and his family. These families included three American ladies and 

 some children. On the 15th of March the vessel arrived at Simoda. She there found some of the officers and crew of the 

 Russian frigate Diana, which had been wrecked by the effects of an earthq\iake at Smioda in the previous December. The 

 Foote had touched at Simoda in the expectation of meeting there the United States ships Powhatan and Vandalia, to which she 

 carried letters, and also to consume the time that had to elapse, some few weeks, before, under the treaty, the port of Hakodadi 

 would be open to our vessels. On the arrival of the vessel, guard and shore boats surrounded her, and great curiosity was 

 manifested to see the American ladies. The Russians were anxious to get away, and the owners of the American vessel at 

 once negotiated with them to take them to Petropaulowski. This made it necessary to land all the passengers and a part of the 

 cargo at Simoda. The schooner having been chartered, and her provisions sold to the Russians, Mr. Reed and Mr. Doty, with 

 the three ladies of the party and the children, landed, and were assigned a residence in one of the temples named in the treaty 

 to be used for that purpose until inns should be built, and carpenters were employed to make it convenient. The Japanese 

 were very curious to see the ladies and children ; but the temple and grounds were considered as exclusively the Americans. 

 No Japanese, Mr. Reed states, in a communication to the " Alta Californian," except the officers, were permitted to enter but 

 by special permission. " To guard against intrusion," (thus he writes,) " four officers are stationed at the gate, and are relieved 

 every few hours. The watch is kept up day and night. Near the gate is a small house in which are stationed five other officers, 

 who transmit all messages to or from us, introduce to us all who are allowed to enter, and mike for us all the purchases we 

 require." The list of articles of food furnished is both varied and extensive. Nor were tlie Americans confined to the temple. 

 Mr. Reed thus writes: " In walking into the country, we found that pleasing views invited us from one point to another, from 

 mountain peak to mountain peak, as we admired the strangeness and richness and beauty, until, though we started only for a 

 morning walk, we often wandered too far to return the same night." The amusements of the party were not disturbed ; for, on 

 the evening of the 22d of March, the Americans united with the Russian officers in celebrating, in the temple, by music and 

 dancing, the birthday anniversary of one of their number. Nor was this all : the time of the sojourn of our countrymen was 

 about two months and a half; and, during this period, as appears from Mr, Doty's communication to the "San Francisco 

 Herald," " Mr. Reed spent his time in selecting and purchasing a cargo of Japan goods for San Francisco, composed of lacquer 

 ware, rice, silks, &.C., Sec," which cargo, the California papers inform us, was afterward sold at San Francisco at a large profit. 



It would appear, therefore, briefly to recapitulate, that our countrymen were permitted to land in Japan, were furnished with 

 a house which was made comfortable for their residence, were permitted to store part of the cargo of their vessel, were 

 plentifully supplied with necessary food, were permitted to walk about the country, were not molested in their amusements, 

 and were allowed to purchase a cargo from the Japanese and take it away. Now, not one of these things could any American 

 have done but for the treaty made by Commodore Perry. 



Mr. Reed further writes, in the columns of the " Alta Californian :" " The Japanese began early to interrogate us upon our 

 intentions, and we told them in writing that we came there to live." In the letter of Reed and Dougherty, addressed to the 

 governor of Simoda, on the 22d of April, 18.55, as published in the " New York Herald" of the 15th of October, 1855, they 

 thus state their intentions : " We touched here, expecting to meet the Powhatan and Vandalia, to which we had letters, and 

 also to consume time, knowing that, by the treaty, we could not go to that place (Hakodadi) before the middle or last of thi' 

 month." 



"We found the officers and crew of the wrecked ship Diana here, and anxious to go away, and we at once negotiated to 

 transport them to Petropaulowski. On this account it became necessary for us to come on shore, and also to land part of our 

 cargo and all the passengers." 



" It was not our design to land here, nor ii it onr intention now to remain here longer than till our vsRsel returns, which we 



