1845.] NEW ACQUAINTANCES. 25 



at fifteen or twenty feet asunder, and having, at the cus- 

 tomary distances for embrasures, certain devices in black, 

 to denote the regiment to which they belonged; and which 

 certainly presented a most picturesque as well as warlike 

 appearance in the distance, such as that of white-washed 

 batteries, with gay banners at the extremities. As many 

 regiments were collected on our arrival, these, joining 

 their lines, gave a most formidable aspect to the harbour 

 approaches ; but with the assistance of good telescopes 

 their absurdity was at once manifest, many being very 

 deficient in men, and entirely wanting in ordnance. 



Thus far for the pageant before us, which lasted in 

 effect for a day, or until they had asertained how our 

 pulses beat; that determined, they were soon left to 

 flutter alone in the breeze, most of their Officers thinking 

 it better to have a closer inspection of the ship from their 

 boats. On approaching, some were observed to be hand- 

 somely accoutred, two in particular arrested my attention; 

 they were dressed in japanned helmets decorated with 

 gilded figures, a jacket of blue silk embroidery, and vest 

 in imitation of silver scales, with loose white trowsers, 

 and two swords. I requested the secretary to invite 

 them on board, and motioned them to come. In reply to 

 this they bowed most courteously and waved the finger, 

 implying that they were forbidden. The interpreter 

 informed me, that they belonged to one of the northern 

 regiments, and as their language differed from that spoken 

 at Nangasaki, they would not be able to converse with 

 him. They were about twenty-five years of age, elegantly 

 formed, about five feet eight inches in height and fair as 

 any European, with small dark moustache, totally unlike 



