464 



EXPEDITION TO JAPAN. 



and distributed througla the Empire. Thus they were enabled to speak somewhat knowingly 

 about our railroads, telegraplis, daguerreotypes, Paixhan guns, and steam-ships, none of which 

 had they ever seen before Commodore Perry's visit. Thus, too, they could converse intelligently 

 about the European war, about the American revolution, "Washington, and Buonaparte. As 

 strikingly illustrative of the extent of their information as to passing events out of the Empire, 

 Lieutenant Bent relates that when he was there in the Preble in 1849, after the close of the war 

 with Mexico, the interpreters, in their very first interview with Captain Grlynn, said: "You 

 have had a war with Mexico?" "Yes." "You whipped them?" "Yes." "You have 

 taken a part of their territory ? " " Yes." " And you have discovered large quantities of gold 

 in it?" And after the seamen, whom Captain Glynn went to demand, were given up, they 

 stated to our officers that, from the guards of their prison in Matsmai, (many hundred miles 

 from Nagasaki,) they had heard of every battle we had with the Mexicans, and of every victory 

 we gained. The Japanese learned the facts from the Dutch. 



As the better classes showed an intelligent interest in all they saw on board the ships and 

 steamers that was novel to them, so the common people exhibited an importunate curiosity about 



a a a Hi 



® a a 

 — " — f 



mME 



1. Oho-shio, (King,) centre square, first row. 



2. Kin-shio, (Gold, or chief councillor,) upon first row, and 



on either side of Oho-skio. 



3. Gin-shio, (Silver, or sub-councillor,) upon first row, and 



one on each square, next outside Kin-chio. 



4. Kiema, (Flying horse,) upon first row, and one on each 



square, next outside Gin-ihio. 



5. Kioshia, (Fragrant chariot,) one upon each corner square, 



first row. 



6. Hishia, (Flying chariot) on second square, second row, 



on right side of the board. 



7. Kakuku, (The horn,) on second square, second row, left 



side of the board. 



8. Ho-hei, (The soldiery,) on all the nine squares of the 



tliird row. 



