510
Journal of Occurrences.
Sep.
in French and Dutch, directing me not to anchor or cruize about the bay. Find- ing, however, that I was determined to proceed, they offered, when within two miles of the anchorage, to tow me up, which I accordingly accepted. Several boats were stationed around us during the night, forts were lighted up, and several hundred boats were collected along the shore, and fully manned and arined. In return, I had my guns loaded, and requested their boats to keep at a respectful distance during the night. Otosan, the interpreter, was in great dread; saying that in case we landed, the Japanese would murder us all, and as for himself, he would be reserved for a lingering death by torture. Uragawa appears to be the key of the capital of the empire, and contains 20,000 inhabi- tants. All the junks going and returning to Yédo must pass the custom-house here; and with a moderate force the whole trade of the capital might be com- pletely stopped. With an armed steamer, the passage up to Yédo might be surveyed; and 1 was informed that a ship could approach within five miles of the city. Between the capital and the port an excellent road exists. The mandarins here appear of an inferior class, treated us civilly, and were anxious to gain any information from us, but would give none in return. They took sketches of different parts of the ship, sent us some water, vegetables, and egg", and then were continually inquiring when I intended to depart. Mr. Halloran, the master, having made a survey of the anchorage, I weighed, and proceeded to Semodi Bay, of which an accurate survey was made. I landed at this place,—but the mandarins immediately followed, intreating me to return on board. They supplied us with plenty of fish, and sent fifty boats to tow us out. The govern or of the province came on board at this place; he lives at a town called Miomaki, thirteen miles off, and was evidently a man of high rank from the respect shown him by his suite. The Dutch interpreter from Uragawa likewise came on board with the two mandarins to watch our proceedings. They were, however, doubtless acting as spies on each other," &c., &c.—Dr. Gutzlaff hoped that the time was rapidly approaching when the commerce of these two empires would be open to the world. To Russia, the Chinese Empire, in a secret treaty, has granted the free navigation of the Amor, which will greatly facilitate the communication between the American and the Asiatic possessions of Russia on the Northern Pacific and St. Petersburgh, viá Kiakta. The Japanese carry on a restricted trade with China and Holland; but it is the opinion of the illustrious Humboldt that an opportunity for opening a liberal and honorable commerce between Europe and Japan will be afforded when the Atlantic and the Pacific shall be united by a canal across the Isthmus of Panama, and Japan thus brought more than 6,000 miles nearer Europe and America. “This neck of land," he observes, “has been for ages the bulwark of China and of Japan."
Emigration of Chinese to the western coast of America has lately assumed a form like that of the engagement and shipment of coolies from India to the Mauritius. A few shiploads of the lower class of Chinese laborers have left for Lima within the last year, and more are expecting to depart erelong. They are engaged for a term of years (five is the usual period), and receive an advance of 8 or 10 dollars, their food and wages, and adequate attention in case of sickness, are guarantied on their arrival in Peru. One company in the Lady Montigu lost nearly 40 per cent. of the men, and suffered so much that 'she put into Hobart Town for relief and supplies, though she had a physician on board.
Another company of 180 in the French ship Albert rose upon captain Pain in revenge for his ill treatment of them, and killed him, two of his mates, the cook, and a supercargo, and forced the boatswain and crew to navigate the ship back to China, which they did, about 140 leaving her as she approached the Ladrone Is, carrying with them much valuable cargo. This dreadful case of murder and robbery is now undergoing examination. Those Chinese who have gone to California have either been taken as servants, or have gone on their own venture. Their characters are doubtless as various as those of the other adventurers to California, but in general they seem to bear a good reputation, and to have wonderfully improved in cleanliness from con- tact with the barbarians, if we can judge from the following notice of them :-
“But we were intending to speak more particularly of the Chinese. We are so un- furtunate to be located in a section of the town where large numbers of the Chinese