ened the colors of the landscape, which recalled to my mind the richest English
scenery. The swelling hills which rose immediately from the water’s
edge, increased in height towards the centre of the island, and were picturesquely
broken by abrupt rocks and crags, which, rising here and there, gave
evidence of volcanic action. Woods, apparently of cedar or pine, ran along
the crests of the hills, while their slopes were covered with gardens and
fields of grain. To the northward the hills were higher, and the coast jutted
out in two projecting headlands, showing that there were deep bays or indentations
between.” “ By three o’clock we were so near that the town of
Napha was distinctly visible, at the bottom of the bay. The cape, called
Abbey Point, projected in front of it, covered with foliage, and the extremity
crowned with an isolated group of crags, whose mossy turrets and buttresses
evidently suggested the name of the point. The hills were dotted in various
places with white specks, which I at first took to be dwellings, but which
were tombs of limestone rock.” *
As the ships entered, the British ensign was seen suddenly to rise on a
flag-staff, placed near a house, which was perched on a curious overhanging
point of rock, north of the town; this house was the residence of the missionary,
Mr. Bettelheim, a convert from Judaism, who married in England,
and had, for some five or six years, been resident on the island, under the
auspices of an association of pious English gentlemen, officers of the British
navy, very much, however, against the inclinations of the Lew ChewanB. On
passing Abbey Point, the mouth of the inner harbor became visible, and
within it was a number of large Japanese junks riding at anchor. Two
persons were seen watching the movements of the squadron from the foot of
the flagstaff; and, through a telescope, numbers could lie seen leaving the
town under white umbrellas.
The ships had not been at anchor two hours, before, notwithstanding the
rain, a boat came off with two officials. On reaching the deck, they made
many profound salutations, and presented a folded red card of Japanese
paper, about a yard long. The principal personage wore a loose salmon-
colored robe of very fine grass cloth, while the dress of the other was of
similar fashion, but of a blue color. On their heads were oblong caps of
bright yellow; they had blue sashes tied around their waists, and white
sandals upon their feet. Their beards were long and black, though thin,
and their ages were, seemingly, some thirty-five or forty yearB. They had
the Japanese cast of countenance, and in complexion were a dusky olive.
Who they were, or what the purpose of their visit, was not immediately
known, as there happened to be no interpreter, at the time of their visit, on
board the Susquehanna, to which ship they came; but one of the Commo-
* Extracted from the manuscript journal of Mr. Taylor, which, with those of other officers,
pursnant to the orders of the Hon. Secretary, was placed in the hands of the Commodore.
dore’s Chinese servants was summoned, who understood the characters on
their card sufficiently to explain that the visit was merely a chin-chin, or
complimentary salutation on arrival. The Commodore, however, acting on
his previously determined plan, declined seeing them, or receiving any other
than one of the principal dignitaries of the island; and they accordingly
returned to the shore. They had, no doubt, been sent to make observations,
and, without committal, to ascertain what they could of the strangers, that
the policy and treatment of the authorities of the island might be shaped
according to circumstances.
Scarcely had they gone, before Dr. Bettelheim came on board in a native
boat; and such were the relations in which he stood to the islanders that he
hailed the arrival of the squadron with delight, and manifested no little excitement
of manner. He was conducted to the Commodore’s cabin, where
he remained for two or three hours; and in the course of the interview it
appeared that he had never heard even of the intended American expedition;
that a year and a half had elapsed since any foreign vessel had been at
Napha, and that he was almost beside himself with joy. Grog and biscuit
were given to his boatmen, and in their exhilaration, when they started for
the shore, they contrived to carry the missionary some three miles up the
coast.
The next day, the 27th, the shores looked, if possible, more brilliantly
green and beautiful than ever, and all on board were struck with the loveliness
of their appearance. About seven o’clock, four boats came off, bringing
presents for the ship; in one of these were the two visitors of the day before,
who brought another card, seemingly a list of the presents. He of the salmon
colored robe had given his name, on his first visit, as Whang-cha-ching;
probably the Lew Chew pronunciation of Whang-ta-zhin, or “ his excellency,
Whang.” The presents brought consisted of a bullock, several pigs, a white
goat, some fowls, vegetables, and eggs. These were peremptorily refused,
nor were those who brought them permitted to come on board. After waiting
a short time, they returned to the town, with an evident expression of
anxiety and uneasiness on their countenances. At this time it was observed
in the squadron that several of the junks put out from the in n e r harbor and
sailed to the northward, as it was conjectured, for Japan. Some of them
passed quite near to the ships, to gratify their curiosity by a closer inspection
of such large vessels. The junks were somewhat like those of the
Chinese, and, like them, had two great eyes inserted in the bows, as if to see
the way. Undoubtedly, the presence of the sqnadron had created great alarm
among the junks; for no force, half as large, had ever been seen at Napha
before, and probably some of the junks had been despatched to Japan with
the news of the squadron’s appearance at Lew Chew.
A boat was sent off for Dr. Bettelheim, and he, with the Bev. Mr. Jones,
chaplain of the Mississippi, and Mr. Wells Williams, the interpreter, break-
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