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a strong gale from the southwest, and directly ahead, prevented her from
reaching the port, and made it necessary for her to anchor under Point
Rubicon.* Captain Adams, accordingly, was not enabled to land until the
succeeding day. I t being the twenty-second of February, Washington’s
birthday, the Yandalia commenced at noon firing a salute in honor of the
occasion, and amidst this salvo of artillery Captain Adams left the ship,
accompanied by a score of officers and attendants, and landed at Uraga,
where they were met by a large party of Japanese officials, who conducted
them to a wooden pavilion, which evidently had been but lately constructed.
Captain Adams and his suite were ushered into a large hall, some fifty
feet long and forty wide. The floor was spread with soft mats of very fine
texture, and at a distance of several feet from the walls, on either side, were
arranged long settees covered with what appeared to be a red fe lt; in front
of them were tables spread with a silken crape.
The Americans were invited on entering, to take their seats on the left
hand, which is esteemed by the Japanese the place of honor; this they had
no sooner done than the Japanese prince, accompanied by two other high
dignitaries, entered the hall, through a curtained opening which led into another
compartment. As soon as these dignitaries presented themselves, the
governor of Uraga, the interpreters, and various Japanese subordinates, who
had accompanied the Americans, dropped at once upon their knees—a position
they retained throughout the interview—and bowed their heads to the
ground. The prince and his two associates took their seats on the right, opposite
to the American officers, and a file of Japanese soldiers, amounting to
half a hundred, marched in and ranged themselves, on their knees, behind
the three dignitaries, in the space between their backs and the wall.
The prince, with his robes of richly embroidered silk, his fine presence»
his benevolent and intelligent face, and his courtly manners, made quite an
imposing appearance.
He first addressed Captain Adams, rising as he spoke, and expressed his
pleasure at seeing him. His interpreters translated his Japanese into Dutch,
which was then repeated in English by the American interpreter, Mr. Port-
man. The audience then commenced in form, and was conducted throughout
with the most friendly expression of feeling on both sides.
Captain Adams commenced by stating, that it was quite evident that
Uraga was not a proper place for the ships, since the anchorage was so much
exposed. The Japanese replied, that it had been ordered by the Emperor
to receive the Admiral there, and to deliver the answer to the President’s
letter there. Captain Adams, without at the moment pushing this subject
* Point Rubicon is a headland, in the hay, which had received that name from the
Commodore, because it was just abreast of it when the surveying boats, on the first visit to
Yedo Bay, had, in spite of some show of opposition on the part of the Japanese, persisted in
carrying on the operations with suocess, and thus passed, as it were, the Rubicon.