Japan and the Japanese

344 JAPAX. A. D. ICflO 1CU2.
adorned at the upper end with fringes. Hence we were conducted
by two of the governor's secretaries through four rooms (which,
however, upon removing the screens, might have been enlarged
into one) into the hall of audience. I took notice, as we came by,
that the walls were hung and adorned with bows, with sabres and
scyuietars, as also with some fire-arms, kept in rich black varnished
cases.
" In the hall of audience, where there were seven of the govern-
or's gentlemen sitting, the two secretaries sat down at three paces'
distance from us, and treated us with tea, carrying on a veiy civil
conversation with us till the governor appeared, as he soon did,
with two of his sons, one seventeen, the other eighteen years of ago,
and sat down at ten paces' distance in another room, which was laid
open towards the hall of audience by removing three lattices, through
which he spoke to us.
" He seemed to be about forty years of age, middle-sized, strong,
active, of a manly countenance and broad-faced ; very
civil in his
conversation, and speaking with a great deal of softness and mod-
esty. He was but meanly clad in black, and wore a gray garment
of ceremony over his dress. lie wore, also, but one ordinary scvm-
etar. His conversation turned chiefly upon the following points :
That the weather was now very cold ; that we had made a very
great journey ; that it was a singular favor to be admitted into the
emperor's presence ; that, of all nations in the world, only the
Dutch were allowed this honor.
" He promised us, that since the chief justice of Miako, whose
business it is to give us the necessary passports for our journey to
court, was not yet returned from Jedo, he would give us his own
passports, which would be full as valid, and that we might send for
them the next morning. He also assured us that he was very will-
ing to assist us with horses and whatever else we might
stand in
need of for continuing our journey.
*' On our sides, we returned him thanks for his kind offers, and
desired that he would be pleased to accept of a small present, con-
sisting of some pieces of silk stuffs, as an acknowledgment of our
gratitude. We alsa made some presents to the two secretaries or
stewards of his household ; and, having taken our leave, were by
them conducted back to the guard-house. Here we took our leav