now THEY FORCED Bl'NSBY OX HIS KNEES. 301 
“headman” the unpleasant necessity of luiving liis throat 
cut. And this was exactly the manner in which they now 
acted to us, even though the treaty says that “payment 
shall be made in gold and silver.” After we had received 
the wood they positively refused to receive anij thing in 
return, and the cloth was only accepted because we would 
not bring it on board again. 
It was most amusing to see how quietly they permitted 
us to walk through the town on the following morning 
after having tried to prevent our even sounding in the 
bay during the previous evening: my impression is that 
a firm bearing, backed by even a small force, is all that is 
required to cause these ofiicers (not the people) to behave 
with respect and consideration to any stranger. 
Our ci-devant whalei*, “Bunsby,” told us that a few years 
back ho cruised in these latitudes, and that, upon landing 
at Matsmai for supplies, the whole boat’s crew forced 
down upon their knees before a stupid-looking dignitary, 
and retained in that position until the withdrawal of the 
great man set them at liberty. With us, however, the 
case was widely different. When we landed at this last 
place, a dense crowd of Kuriles and the lower class 
of Japanese pressed from all quarters to see us, and were 
driven away (evidently to show us respect) with brutal 
blows and violent language. One fellow in particular 
dealt his blows around with such utter disregard to the 
safety of heads and limbs, that many of the shrinking 
crowd either jumped or were pressed off the mole; and 
I noticed one little girl who was thus injured so as to re- 
quire being helped out of the water. But to go on with 
my narrative. 
