ally yielding to American intercourse, to weaken by repetition the very
strong opposition at first evinced to opening the gates of the royal residence
to foreign visitors. The regent, however, still exhibited a very decided aversion
to the admission of the Commodore within the sacred walls of the
palace, and in a courteous communication, expressed a willingness to receive
him, but a very strong preference for Napha as the place of reception The
Commodore, however, holding to his original intention, declared, in answer,
that it would be far more respectful toward the empire of Lew Chew to go
to the royal palace, and added that he would expect that horses, kagos, and
kago-bearers should be in readiness to carry him and his attending party on
the day proposed for the visit.
The regent was prepared to meet this demand with all the usual variety
of objections, in accordance with the crooked Lew Chewan policy, but they
were answered by the Commodore’s repetition of his original resolve.
The regent accordingly put the best face possible on the matter, and
made all the necessary preparations ; and when the Commodore, on the 3rd
of February, carried his intentions into execution, he was received with all
proper respect and the usual courtesies. He paid his first visit, as on a
previous occasion, to the palace, accompanied by a military guard and a
suite of officers, and was received with the same formal ceremonies. Immediately
after, as on a former visit, the party proceeded to the regent’s house,
where they found a handsome, feast in preparation, to which the Americans,
having now somewhat accustomed their palates to the Lew Chewan cookery
succeeded in doing better justice than on the previous occasion. In thé
course of the entertainment the Commodore informed the regent that he was
desirous of obtaining for the United States mint, in exchange for American
coinage of equal value, all coins in use on the island; as it was well known
that the imperial money of Japan was in circulation in Lew Chew, although
it had hitherto been carefully concealed. Both the regent and the pe-ching
or treasurer deolared that there were no coins in the island, except a few in
the possession of the Japanese residents, who would not part with them.
This declaration the Commodore was inclined to believe to be, like most of
their very positive assertions, false, and he therefore urged upon them a compliance
with his request, and left with them a certain number of American
coins, of about fifty dollars in value. The Commodore, at the same time,
stated that he should expect to receive a number of Japanese or Lew Chew
coins in exchange before his departure. The subject was then dropped ; but
just on the eve of the squadron’s sailing, a formal communication was received
from the authorities in the name of Shang-Hyung-Hiun, superintendent
of affairs in the Middle Hill prefecture, in the kingdom of Lew Chew
high minister, and Ma-Liang-tsai, treasurer, in which document it was stated^
that on several occasions demands had been made for an exchange of Japan
coins for American, but that it was impossible to comply.
The reasons given were that all the commercial transactions between Lew
Chew and Japan were carried on by the interchange of commodities, and not
by the use of coin. That all the gold and silver used by the Lew Chewans
themselves for their hair pins were obtained from China. That althoug
every effort had been made to obtain Japanese coins by careful investigations
among those in Lew Chew engaged in trade with Japan, it had been in vain
as the Japanese strictly forbade by law the exportation of their money, and
that none could accordingly be brought into the island. With this document
the authorities returned the American coin that had been deposited
with H»»™, but as the Commodore refused to receive it, it was left in their
possession.
At the end of the regent’s banquet each of the guests was^ presented, on
leaving the hall, with a red card, which was understood to entitle the holder,
at Napha, to refreshments and other privileges. This was a curious practice
the object of which seemed to extend the entertainment, and was a very
creditable picture of Lew Chewan hospitality, as it appeared to give it an
indefinite duration.
Exploring parties had been early dispatched to make further investigations
of the condition and resources of the island. These investigations
were directed chiefly to the examination of the geological formation, the
nature of the soil, and the mineralogical and agricultural resources of Lew
Chew. The officers selected for the various duties were Chaplain Jones and
several of the surgeons, whose studies and tastes were supposed to fit them
especially for ™a.lring those observations, which had more or less a scientific
bearing.
The chaplain concentrated his investigations upon the resources ot the
island in regard to coal, and the result seemed to prove the interesting and
important fact of the existence, at Shah bay, of that combustible, a supply
of which might be readily obtained by proper mining. The natives do not
seem conscious of the presence of this valuable mineral in their island; they
remain, probably, totally unacquainted with its uses.
In the geological features of the island of Lew Chew, the first peculiarity
that strikes the eye are the great masses of coral rock abounding everywhere,
even on the tops of the highest mountains, four or five hundred feet
above the level of the sea. The steep promontories along the coast are
generally composed of gneiss, while in the interior some of the loftier eminences
show strata of slate. The base of the island is of the two combined,
upon Which the coral zoophite haB built its structures, which by some
internal convulsion have been upheaved to their present height. The soil on
the surface is composed of the detritus of coral and decomposed vegetable
and animal remains. As the streams are free of lime, it is conjectured that
their springs take their origin from, and their currents flow through, those
strata which are below the coral formation.