204 
now WE CONVERSE. 
rently formed so favourable an idea of them during the 
two visits of Commodore Perry, that they now viewed us 
without fear: indeed, to have heard their questions and 
seen iheir pantomime, one would have imagined that the 
majority of them had been personally acquainted with the 
worthy commodore. They would pronounce his name 
quite plainly, (Comdo Polly,) and ask us, by signs, if wq 
had ever seen him, giving us to understand, in return, that 
they regarded him as a very powerful personage. Even 
the little children had now become reconciled to us, 
(through associations with members of his squadron, 
we inferred,) and approached us with pei'fect confidence. 
They Avould collect from all directions, as we passed, 
hold out their hands with the salutation, “How do you 
do?’* or, “Ohio!** and, if noticed by a good-natured 
shake, would retire among their less adventurous com- 
panions with the steps of young heroes. They also, in 
many cases, evinced the utmost eagerness to pick up a 
few words of our language. 
One little fellow I remember in particular, who learned 
to count as high as ten in as many minutes; and the next 
day I found him on the sandy beach with a sharp stick, 
with which he was tracing 1, 2, 3, &c. as readily and accu- 
rately as many thick-headed school-boys after a month of 
daily drubbings. He held in his left hand a slip of paper 
on which I had written him the numbers on the previous 
evening, and, recognising me as soon as I approached, 
made signs that ho had no longer any use for those, and 
wanted me to put down some more. I looked at his 
childish frame and bright, sparkling eyes, and began to 
conceive a high idea of Japanese brains. It is needless 
