Only there is a mighty difference between
this England, talking about liberty, or cherishing
free trade, and that Dai Nippon; in which
not a soul does as he pleases, and from which
the commerce of the whole world is shut out.
Dai (or great) Nippon is the name of the whole
state, which the Chinese modify into Jih-pun,
and which we have further altered to Japan.
On Kiusiu, a large southern island, Nagasaki
is the only port into which, on any possible
excuse, a foreign vessel is allowed to enter.
This port we are now approaching; the dark
rocks of the coast line are reflected from a
brilliant sea; we pass a mountain island,
cultivated to the very summit, terrace above
terrace; green hills invite us to our haven,
and blue mountains in the distance tempt us
to an onward journey. There are white houses
shining among cedars; there are pointed
temple roofs; boats with their sails up make
the water near us lively; surely we shall like
Japan. We enter the bay now, and approach
Nagasaki, between fruitful hills and temple
groves, steeps clothed with evergreen oak,
cedars, and laurels; picturesque rocks, attacked
by man, and wheedled out of practicable
ground for corn and cabbages. There is
Nagasaki on a hill side, regularly built, every
house peeping from its little nest of greens;
and there is the Dutch factory, named Dezima
Zima in Japanese means "island," for this
factory is built upon an island. No Europeans
but the Dutch; no Dutch except these
managers of trade who are locked up in
Dezima, may traffic with Japan; and these
may traffic to the extent only of two ships
yearly, subject to all manner of restrictions.
As for the resident Dutch, they are locked up
in Dezima, which is an island made on purpose
for them. As if three thousand, eight hundred
and fifty were not enough, another little island,
fan-shaped, was built up out of the sea a few
yards from the shore of Nagasaki. There the
Dutchmen live; a bridge connects their
island with the mainland, but a high gate
and a guard of soldiers prevent all unseasonable
rambles. In another part of the town
there is a factory allowed to the Chinese.
Other strangers entering this port are treated
courteously, are supplied gratuitously with
such necessaries as they want, but are on no
account allowed to see the town, still less to
penetrate into the country, and are required
to be gone about their business as soon as
possible. Strangers attempting entry at any
other port belonging to Japan, are without
ceremony fired upon as enemies. The
admitted Dutch traders are rigorously searched;
everything betraying Christianity is locked up;
money and arms are removed, and hostages
are taken. Every man undergoes personal
scrutiny. The Dutch are allowed no money.
The Japanese authorities manage all sales for
them; pay the minutest items of expenditure,
and charge it on the profits of their trade,
which are then placed on the return vessel,
not in money, but in goods. The Japanese deal
justly, even generously, in their way; but it is
their way to allow the foreigners no money
power. They restrict their exports almost
wholly to camphor and copper, and allow no
native workmanship to go abroad. Yet among
themselves, as between one island and another,
commerce is encouraged to the utmost. The
Japanese territories range in the temperate
zone through a good many degrees, and
include all shades of climate between that of
Liverpool and that of Constantinople. Between
island and island, therefore, busy interchange
takes place by means of junks, like these which
now surround us in the Nagasaki harbour.
You can observe how weak they look about
the stems, with rudders insecure. The law
compels them to be so: for that is an acute
device by which they are prevented from
travelling too far; they dare not trust themselves
too boldly to the mercy of the sea, and as it is,
many wrecked men accuse the prudence of
their lawgivers. But life is cheap; the
population of Japan is probably near thirty
million, and who should care for a few dozen
mariners?

If you please, we will now walk up into
Nagasaki, with our phantom cloaks about us.
Being in a region visited by earthquakes, of
course we find the houses of one story lightly
built; they are built here of wood and clay
with chopped straw, —- coated over, like our
town suburban villas, with cement. Paper,
instead of glass, for window panes, Venetian
blinds, and around each house a verandah,
we observe at once. But our attention is
attracted from the houses to the people. How
very awkwardly they slip along! With so much
energy and vigour in their faces, how is it
that they never thought of putting reasonable
shoes upon their feet? They wear instead of
shoes mere soles of wood or matting, held to
the foot each by a peg which runs between
the great toe and its neighbour, through a
hole made for that purpose in the sock. These
clouts they put away on entering a house,
as we should put away umbrellas, and wear
only socks in-doors. Nevertheless the people
here look handsome in their loose, wide gowns,
bound by a girdle round the waist, with long
sleeves, of which, by the bye, you may perceive
that the dependent ends are Japanese coat-
pockets. Thence you see yonder gentleman
drawing his nose-paper,—- one of the little
squares of clean white paper always ready in
the sleeve-pocket to serve the purpose of our
handkerchief. That little square when used
is, you see, thrown away; but if the gentleman
were in a house he would return it to his
pocket, to be got rid of in a more convenient
place. The women's robes are like those of
the men in form, but richer in material, more
various with gold and colour. As to the head
equipment, we observe, however, a great
difference between the sexes. The men shave
their own heads, leaving hair only at the
back part and upon the temples, which they
gather forward, and tie up into a tuft. The