Japan and the Japanese

474 JAPAN'. A. D. 18111813.
my resolution into effiH-t, ami was only induced to adhere to it bj
the consideration that I would hereafter have the opjortunity of
interrogating each individual separately, and, probably, thereby
ascertaining whether or not our comrade* were really
alive in Mats*
mai. 1 hail, howevi r, in other respects, no reason to recent of this
determination, for the Japanese merchant, who was accustomed to
live in a style of Asiatic luxury, would have experienced serious
inconvenience on board our vessel without his Japanese attendants,
two of whom were alwa\s, by turns, near his person.
" Tachatay-Kachi, and the sailors he selected, soon behaved as
though our ship had been tlu-ir own, and we, on our side, employed
every means to convince them that we considered the Japanese, not
as a hostile, but as a friendly nation, with whom our good under-
stand ing was only accidentally interrupted.
44 The same day we received on board, at my invitation, from
the captured vessel, a Japanese lady, who had been the inseparable
companion of Tachatay-Kachi on his voyage from Hakodade, ht.
place of residence, to Eetooroop. She was extremely desirous o
seeing our ship, and the strange people and polite enemies, as sh-
styled us, and to witness our friendly intercourse with her country
men. A Japanese lady was, also, to us no slight object of curiosity.
When she came on board, she appeared very timid and embarrassed.
I requested Tachatay-Kachi to conduct her into my cabin, and, as
she advanced, I took her by the other hand. On reaching the
cabin-door, she wished to takeoff her straw shoes; but, as there
were neither mats nor carpets in my cabin, I explained to her, by
signs, that this singular mark of politeness might be dispensed with
among us.
44 On entering the cabin, she placed both hands on her head,
with the palms outwards, and saluted us by bending her body very
low. I conducted her to a chair, and Kachi requested her to sit
down. Fortunately for this unexpected visitor, there was on board
our vessel a young and handsome woman, the wife of our surgeon's
mate. The Japanese lady seemed highly pleased on being introduced
to her, and they quickly formed an intimacy. Our countrywoman
endeavored to entertain the foreigner
with what the women
of all countries delight in she showed her her trinkets. Our visitor
bch-.ved with all the ease of a woman of fashion; she examined