396 EXPEDITION TO JAPAN. 



The worthy mayor hail some refreshments prepared for his guests, consisting of tea, cakes, 

 confectionary, and the never absent saki. With the latter was served a kind of hot waffle, 

 made ajjparently of rice flour. The civic dignitary himself was very active in dispensing these 

 offerings, and he was ably seconded by his wife and sister, who always remained on their knees 

 in presence of the strangers. This awkward position of the women did not seem to interfere 

 with their activity, for they kept running about very briskly with the silver saki kettle, the 

 sei'vices of which, in consequence of the sinallness of the cups, were in constant requisition. 

 The two ladies were unceasingly courteous, and kept bowing their heads, like a bobbing toy 

 mandarin. The smiles. with which they perseveringly greeted the guests might have been 

 better dispensed with, as every movement of their lips exposed their horrid black teeth and 

 decayed gums. The mayoress was uncommonly polite, and was good natured enough to bring 

 in her baby, which her guests felt bound to make the most of, though its dirty face and general 

 untidy appearance made it quite a painful effort to bestow the necessary caresses. A bit of 

 confectionary was presented to the infant, when it was directed to bow its shaven head, which 

 it did with a degree of precocious politeness, that called forth the greatest apparent pride and 

 admiration on the part of its mother and all the ladies present. 



On preparing to depart, the Commodore proposed the health, in a cup of saki, of the whole 

 household, which brought into the room, from a neighboring apartment, the mayor's mother. 

 She was an ancient dame, and as soon as she came in she squatted herself in one corner, and 

 bowed her thanks for the compliments paid to the family, of which she was the oldest member. 



As the Japanese officials no longer interfered with the curiosity of tlie people, there was a 

 good opportunity of observing them, though hurriedly, as the Commodore and his party were 

 forced to return early to the ships. The people, in the small towns, appeared to be divided into 

 three principal classes, — the officials, the traders, and laborers. The inferior people, almost 

 without exception, seemed thriving and contented, and not overworked. There were signs of 

 poverty, but no evidence of public beggary. The women, in common with many in various 

 parts of over-populated Europe, were frequently seen engaged in field labors, showing the 

 general industry and the necessity of keeping every hand busy in the populous Empire. The 

 lowest c'lasses even were comfortably clad, being dressed in coarse cotton garments, of the same 

 form, though shorter than those of their superiors, being a loose robe, just covering the hips. 

 They were, for the most part, bareheaded and barefooted. The women were dressed very much 

 like the men, although their heads were not shaved like those of the males, and their long hair 

 was drawn up and fastened upon the top, in a knot, or under a pad. The costume of the upper 

 classes and the dignitaries has been already described. In rainy weather, the Japanese wear a 

 covering made of straw, which being fastened together at the top, is suspended from the neck, 

 and falls over the shoulders and person like a thatched roof. Some of the higher classes cover 

 their robes with an oiled paper cloak, which is impermeable to the wet. The umbrella, like 

 that of the Chinese, is almost a constant companion, and serves both to shade from the rays of 

 the sun, and keep off the effects of a shower. The men of all classes were exceedingly 

 courteous, and although inquisitive about the strangers, never became offensively intrusive. 

 The lower people were evidently in great dread of their superiors, and were more reserved in 

 their presence, than they would have been if they had been left to their natural instincts. The 

 rigid exclusiveness in regard to foreigners is a law merely enacted by the government from 

 motives of policy, and not a sentiment of the Japanese people. Their habits are social among 



