200 
MR. JNO. J. AKD A FROWNING OFFICIAL. 
we should leave when we were ready, and not before ; 
and that as for persons prowling around u tent at night, 
Americans often mistook tlicm for wild beasts and fired 
their guns accordingly. This information, or rather the 
manner in which we were forced from lack of \voi'ds to 
impart it, (to wit, pointing the gnu at his breast, and 
then advancing rapidly till it came in pretty sharp contact 
with his fifth rib,) threw the headman into a state of 
indignant reserve, which proved even cherry-brandy- 
proof for as much as five minutes, — Le. until the bottle 
began to look empty. 
In this manner the morning passed along drowsily 
enough, only 0!ie thing occurring worthy of note. This 
was the passing by of some high mandarin and retinue, 
who were transporting an extensive lot of matchlocks in 
the direction of Ila-ko-da-di. To this “big bug” the 
Japanese in our vicinity went on their knees while giving 
Avhat wo supposed to be a history of our arrival, deten- 
tion, &c. ; and the “big bug” himself, after hearing said 
history, frowned loweringly upon our party, much to the 
indignation of Mr. John J., who gave vent to his feelings 
through various contortions of the body and countenance, 
accompanied by a well-known sign, supposed to be of 
Masonic origin, and addressed (behind my back) to the 
angry official. It was singular to see a dozen grown-up 
men on their knees before a stupid-looking oflicial, while 
a stranger boy, almost a child in years, was indulging in 
the most ridiculous pantomime at his expense. 
This party consisted of some fifty men, and probably 
of as many horses, many of the former carrying lacquered 
poles with gilded heads, to which Avere attached streamers 
