Japan and the Japanese

542 JAPAN. A. D. 18171854.
placed on a high polo, and, the more to attract attention, has written
the name in
foreign
letters. As in China, placards for medicines
were the most conspicuous of all, but none are pasted upon blank
wal.s; all are suspended in the shops. However, no dwelling or
shop is left unprotected from the ill-usage of malignant spirits,
every one having a written or printed charm or picture (sometimes a
score or more) over the door to defend the inmates from evil."
In the interval between Commodore Perry's first and second
visits to the bay of Jedo, Nagasaki was visited by a Russian squadron.
On the 7th of September, 1854, just before the last visit of
the Mississippi and Susquehanna to Simoda, a British squadron of
three steamers and a frigate arrived at Nagasaki under Admiral
Sterling. These British vessels, which found the annual Dutch
trading ship, two large Chinese junks, also a Dutch steamer, lying
in the harbor, encountered the usual reception, being served with
notices, surrounded with boats, and denied liberty to land. At
length, however, after a deal of negotiation and threats to proceed
to Jedo, it was agreed to furnish supplies, tea, rice, pigs, &c.,
and to receive payment through the Dutch. On the loth the
admiral landed, and was conducted in state to the governor's house.
The guard-boats were withdrawn, and the men were allowed to
land on an island to recreate themselves. Other interviews fol-
lowed, presents were interchanged, and, on the 19th, the squadron
left. These particulars are drawn from the published letter of
a medical officer on board, who describes the supplies furnished
as very good, and the Japanese soy as cheap and nice, but who
does not seem to have relished the saki, which he likens in taste
to acetate of ammonia water.
The American war-steamer Powhatan, visited Simoda February
21, 1855, to complete the exchange of ratification, which done, she
sailed again two days after. The town of Simoda was found in a
state of desolation and ruin, from the effects of a disastrous earth-
quake, on the '23d of December previous, in which the Russian
frigate Diana, then lying in the harbor to complete the pending
negotiations, was so damaged, as to have sunk in attempting to
make a neighboring port for repairs. Osaka and Jedo were re-
ported to have suffered severely, and Jedo still more frc/n a subse-
quent fil'l:.