Japan and the Japanese

AMUSEMENTS. 469
indeed, this same name, in a modified form, is given to them by
Golownin. They took precedence of the others, and were so hand-
somely clothed and equipped as to be mistaken at first for officers.
The profession of arms, like most others in Japan, is hereditary,
The arms of the soldiers, besides the two swords, were matchlocks,
which, when they fired, they placed, not against the shoulder, but
the
right cheek, bows and arrows, and long pikes, heavy and in-
convenient.
They could all read, and spent much time in reading aloud,
which they did much in the same droning, half-chanting tone in
which the psalms are read at funerals in Russia. Great surprise
was expressed that the llussian sailors were unable to read and
write ; and, also, that but one llussian book was found in the
officer's baggage, and that on much worse paper, and much worse
bound, than those they had in French and other languages. It
was shrewdly asked if the Russians did not know how to print
books ?
Playing at cards and draughts was a very common amusement.
The cards were at first known to the Japanese by their European
names, and were fifty-two
in the pack. Owing, however, to the
pecuniary losses for the Japanese were great gamesters and
fatal disputes to which cards gave rise, they were strictly prohibited.
But this law was evaded by the invention of a pack of forty-eight
cards, much smaller than those of Europe. Their game at draughts
was extremely difficult and complicated. They made use of a
large
board, and four hundred men, which they moved about in many
directions, and which were liable to be taken in various ways. The
Russian sailors played at draughts,
in the European way, which
the Japanese soon learned to imitate, so that the game, and the
Russian terms employed in playing it, soon became familiar throughout
the city of Matsmai.
The following anecdote throws some light on Japanese domestic
" Our interpreter, Kamaddshero [this was the first inter-
relations :
preter], visited us the day after the marriage of his daughter, and,
having mentioned the marriage, said that he had wept very much.
'
Why wept,' said we, '
since on such occasions it is usual only to
'
rejoice ?
'
Certainly,' he answered, ' I should have rejoiced, were
I but convinced that the man will love my daughter and make her
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