ON THE JAPANESE. 231 



into every nook and corner peeped into the 

 muzzles of the guns, examined the small arms, 

 handled the ropes, measured the boats, looked 

 eagerly into the engine-room, and watched every 

 movement of the engineers and workmen. They 

 not only observed everything, but some of them 

 took notes of what they saw. 



The American captain, on one occasion, gave 

 a dinner on board his ship to the principal man- 

 darins and other Japanese officials of the town 

 off which his ship was moored. The quantity 

 of food they ate on this occasion was perfectly 

 surprising, mixing fish, flesh, and fowl, soups 

 and syrups, fruits and fricassees, roast and boiled, 

 pickles and preserves, and also drinking the 

 strongest liquors. Nor was this all. As much 

 food was left, which they could not then con- 

 sume, they brought out large sheets of paper, 

 and packed in them beef, fish, sweetmeats, &c., 

 and then deposited the whole in their large 

 pockets the sheets of paper (part only, it is 

 hoped) having previously served to blow their 

 noses with ! This removal of the food they could 

 not eat is the fashion of the country, for they in- 

 sisted that their American guests should do the 

 same when they had a feast given them on shore. 



