150 The First Visit of an American Ship to Japan. 



the first morning after the anchoring of the ship, the 

 spectator soon saw there was a well ordered plan developing 

 in the movements of the hundreds of hoats flashing through 

 the harhor. Ahout a hundred feet from the ship, and 

 perfectly encompassing it, a line of boats was formed, 

 lashed together, their sides touching, and their sterns to- 

 ward the Manliattan. In the midst of this circle, between 

 the ship and the city, a large junk was stationed, in which 

 were the otiicers of the guard. Outside of these, at the 

 distance of about a hundred feet was another circle of 

 boats, not so numerous, and beyond this, a third circle 

 still more scattering, but each circle made complete by 

 passing a hawser around from boat to boat, to which they 

 were all fastened. Hundreds of boats tilled with men in 

 gay uniform, gorgeous banners of strange and unknown 

 devices, and thousands of lances, naked and glittering in 

 the sunlight, or sheathed in lacquered stuff, made a brilliant 

 spectacle by day, and transparencies and lanterns in count- 

 less numbers and of all fantastic shapes, dancing in the 

 movement of the waves, furnished a still more brilliant 

 scene at night. Within that cordon of boats floated for 

 the first time in those waters the American flag. 



In the conversation with the governor of Jeddo, the 

 whole subject of the entry of the American vessel into 

 their harbor was discussed. Capt. Cooper was informed 

 that the only reason of his being allowed to remain in the 

 waters of Japan was because the emperor felt assured he 

 could not be a " bad -hearted foreigner," from the fact that 

 he had come so far out of his course to restore poor people 

 who were strangers to him to their homes. lie was re- 

 peatedly told that the emperor " thought well of his heart," 

 and consequently orders had been forwarded to treat him 

 with great attention and supply all his wants. The day 

 before his departure the emperor sent him his autograph 

 as a token of his respect and consideration. But that the 



