Japan and the Japanese

518 JAPAN. A. D. 1817-1854.
ing on gilded feet, beside which Yozainion and one of the interpre-
ters knelt, at the same time signifying that all tilings were ready
for the reception of the letters. They were brought in, and the
boxes containing them being opened .so as to display the writing and
the golden seals, they were placed upon the scarlet box, and along
with them translations in Dutch and Chinese, as well as an English
transcript. The prince of Iwami then handed to the interpreter,
who gave it to the commodore, an official receipt in Japanese, to
which the interpreter added a Dutch translation, which translated
literally into English
was as follows :
" The letter of the President of the Unite;! States of North America, find
copy, are hereby received and delivered to the emperor. Many times it lias
been communicated tlmt business relating to foreign countries cannot be
transacted here in Umgawa, but in Nagasaki. Now, it has been observed
that the admiral, in his quality of ambassador of the president, would
\>c insulted by it ; the justice of this has been acknowledged ; consequently
the aboveuientioned letter
law.
is hereby received, in opposition to the Japanese
" Because the place is not designed to treat of anything from foreigners,
so neither can conference nor entertainment take place. The letter being
received, you will lea\e here."
The commodore remarked, when. this receipt was delivered to him,
that he should return again, probably in April or May, for an answer.
"With all the ships ?" asked the interpreter.
"
Yes, and
probably with more," was the reply. Nothing more was said on
cither side. As the commodore departed, the commissioners rose
anl remained standing, and so the interview ended, without a single
word uttered on their part.
The Japanese officers of the town, with the Japanese interpreters,
accompanied the American party back to the Susquehanna, whose
machinery they examined with much interest. When off t he town,
they were set ashore ; but the steamers, to show how lightly tho
injunction to leave was regarded, proceeded up the bay, and anchored
a short distance above the point reached by the Mississippi.
In spite of the solicitude of the Japanese officers, who came again
on board, the whole bight between the promontory of Lragawa and
another north of it was carefully surveyed. At the head a river
was found. The shores were studded with villages, whose inhab-
itants offered to the surveying party cold water, and peaches from