JAPAN. 



619 



after the ambassador left the ship, two Banjos, accom- 

 panied with a great number of boats, come on board to 

 rvceive the presents. Two boats lashed together, with 

 a platform of strong planks laid across, covered with 

 red cloth, was appointed to receive the large mirror. 

 All attempts to persuade them to remove this valuable 

 covering were ineffectual, as the respect with which 

 every thing was attended destined as a present to the 

 emperor, required to be scrupulously enforced, and re- 

 jected all paltry consideration of economy. A guard 

 instantly jumped into the boat for the honour of the 

 mirror. One of the interpreters being asked how it 

 would reach Jedilo, replied, it would be carried there. 

 An objection being raised or the ground of the distance 

 and number of men required to carry it, the interpreter 

 gravely answered, that nothing was impossible to the 

 emperor of Japan ; and that a live elephant, a present 

 from the emperor of China, had been so transported. 

 We are furnished with another trait of Japanese charac- 

 ter by the same author, which shews with what exactness 

 the emperor's orders are executed. A Chinese junk 

 was driven ashore on the east coast of Japan in a gale 

 of wind, and lost her masts and rudder. According to 

 an ancient regulation, every ship touching on the Ja- 

 panese coast, by whatever accident, must be brought to 

 Kangasaky. Accordingly this junk must find its way 

 there. This could only be effected by a process) of 

 towing ; and the great probability was, that during the 

 voyage, which lasted 11 months, the towing-fleet, con- 

 sisting of 100 boats and 600 men, with the said junk, 

 would all go to the bottom. But neither the intricacy of 

 the navigation, nor perils by storm frequent on this 

 coast, nor the length of the voyage, nor the inadequate 

 compensation of so much toil by the object being at- 

 tained, weighed for a moment, when placed in compe- 

 tition with established custom and the emperor'* orders. 

 On the 19th February 1805. the Russian ambassador 

 received intimation that the emperor of Japan had sent 

 a person, attended by eight nobles, with full powers to 

 treat with him. 1'he person deputed was said to be of 

 the highest rank, and one who was permitted to view 

 the emperor's feet, though not to elevate his look 



The Japanese plenipotentiary having arrived, much 

 altercation took place on both sides in adjusting the 

 ceremonies to be observed at the audience. It was set- 

 tled that the ambassador should pay the plenipotenti- 

 ary an European, and not a Japanese compliment. This 

 last is said to be so very degrading, that not even the 

 lowest European would submit to it. The smhatsi 

 dor, however, was to appear without his sword or 

 shoes, nwr would they allow him a chair, or any kind 

 of European seat. He was to sit with his feet tucked 

 under him, in front of the governor and plenipotentiary. 

 A norimon, or sedan chair, was allowed the ambassa- 

 dor, bat the officers of his suite were to walk. The 

 arrangements being finally made, the 4th of April was 

 appointed for his first audience. The ambassador and 

 his suite, consisting of five persons, and a Serjeant to 

 carry the standard of Russia, were conveyed in a barge 

 adorned with flags and curtain*, and landed at a place 

 called Mttssul Trapp. On an occasion, for which such 

 preparations were made, and expectation raised, mere- 

 ly an exchange ef compliments took place, and a few 

 insignificant questions were put. The second audience 

 was of the same nature, and here ended the matter. 

 An order was delivered to the ambassador, prohibiting 

 any Russian ship from again visiting Japan. The pre- 

 sents, and even the letter* from the Emperor ef Russia, 



were refused. It was enjoined that any Japanese cast Japan, 

 upon the coast of Russia, should be delivered over to '"V"*' 

 the Dutch, who would send them by way of Batavia Account of 

 to Nangasaky. Finally, the Russians were prohibited Russian 

 from offering presents and making purchases, and from eml)ass T' 

 visiting or receiving the visits of the Dutch factor. 

 The repair of the ship, and the supply of provisions, 

 vrere declared to be taken into the imperial account. 

 And it was notified, that the Emperor of Japan had 

 sent 2000 sacks of salt, and 100 of rice, besides 2000 

 pieces of cassock or silk wadding, the former as a pre- 

 sent for the crew, and the latter for the officers. The 

 reason assigned for refusing the presents was, that the 

 Emperor of Japan would be obliged to make a suitable 

 return to the Emperor of Russia, and to send an am- 

 bassador to St 1'etersburgh : and that it was contrary to 

 the laws of the empire for any Japanese to quit his 

 country. Such was the result of an embassy, of which 

 such sanguine hopes had been formed in Russia. Not 

 only were no new advantages gained, but the writ- 

 ten permission granted to the Russians to visit Nan- 

 gasaky was revoked. All communication is now sus- 

 pended between Russia and Japan, nor is it expected 

 that it will be again opened until some great change 

 takes place in the Japanese government. Nor, per- 

 haps, is such a change very remote. At the very mo- Latest tc> 

 ment of our writing this article, we find it mention- counts H** 

 ed, among continental intelligence, that the Dairi of Ja P an ' 

 Japan has been Intriguing in secular affairs, and endea- 

 vouring, by means of his priests and adherents, to^ain 

 the people to his cause. Whence the supremacy of the 

 Kubo is threatened, and a popular insurrection appre- 

 hended. 



We shall conclude this article, by offering to our The Aim* 

 readers a description, from Krusenstern, of the Ainos, dcscribedbj- 

 a race of people but little known in Europe. As this * 

 author's account has simplicity of narrative, and the 

 appearance of truth to recommend it, we shall make 

 no apology to our readers for presenting it in his own 

 words. We shall only premise, that the island of Jes- 

 so was wrested from the Ainos, its original inhabitants, J 

 by the Japanese ; the former are now confined to a ' 

 Mnall space, which alone retains the name of Jesso, 

 the rest of the island being called Matzumary, from the 

 principal Japanese settlement here. The Japanese dis- 

 cipline exists in full force in the most northerly pan 

 of the island, the farthest limit of their empire. 



" The Aino<i," Krusenstern observes, " are ratlier 

 below the middle stature, being at the most five feet two 

 or four inches high, of a dark, nearly black, complex- 

 ion, with a thick bushy beard, black rough hair hang- 

 ing straight down, ana excepting in the beard, they 

 have the appearance of the Kamtchadales, only that 

 their countenance is much more regular. The women 

 are sufficiently ugly : their colour, which is equally 

 dark, their coal black hair combed over their faces, blue 

 painted lips, and tattooed hands, added to no remark- 

 able cleanliness in their clothing, do not give them any 

 great pretensions to loveliness ; this at least was the 

 case with those we had an opportunity of seeing on 

 the north side of Jesso. We perceived, indeed, in Aiii- 

 wa bay, some who were younger, whose eyes had not 

 lo-t their brightness, and who on this account were not 

 quite so ugly : but I confess that the impression even 

 these made upon me was equally unfavourable. They are 

 modest however in the highest degree, and in this point 

 form the completes! contrast with the women of Nuka- 

 hiwa and of Otaheite. Their modesty even amounted to 

 bashfulnesj, occasioned perhaps by the jealousy of their 



