Japan and the Japanese

516 JAPAN. A. D. 18171854.
Deep soundings were everywhere obtained, with a bottom of soft
mud. A deep bay was found on the western shore, with good
and safe anchoring ground.
In the evening, Yezaimon returned on board, well pleased, ap-
parently, to be able to give information of the probability of good
news from Jedo, but rather troubled at the explorations by the
boats. The flag lieutenant, with whom he had his interviews, de-
pcribes him as "a gentleman, clever, polished, well-informed, a fine,
large man, about thirty-four, of most excellent countenance, taking
his wine freely, and a boon companion."
The next day (the 12th) he brought information that the emperor
would send down a high officer to receive the letter. No answer
would be given immediately, but one would be forwarded through
the Dutch or Chinese. This latter proposition the commodore
treated as an insult. As, however, if he waited for an answer, ex-
cuses might easily be found for protracting his stay in an inconven-
ient manner, and at last wearying him out, he agreed to allow
time for its preparation, and to return to receive it. The following
Thursday (the 14th) was appointed for the interview with the commissioners
appointed to receive the letter, which was to take
place
on the left side
two miles south of the town, at a picturesque spot,
of a narrow valley, extending inland from the head of the bight.
Its retired situation, and the facility it afforded for the display of a
military force, were probably the motives of its selection.
At the hour appointed for the meeting, as the two steamers
approached the spot, long lines of canvas walls were seen stretching,
crescent-wise, quite round the head of the bight, and in front files
of soldiers with a multitude of brilliant banners. Near the centre
of the crescent were nine tall standards, with broad scarlet pennons,
in the rear of which could be seen the roof of the house prepared
for the interview. On the right, a line of fifty or sixty boats was
drawn up, parallel to the beach, each with a red flag at its stern.
The foremost files of the Japanese soldiers stood about a hundred
yards from the beach, in somewhat loose and straggling order
The greater part were behind the canvas screens. There were a
number of horses to be seen, and in the background a body ot
c-avalry. The Japanese stated the number of troops at five thou