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VOL. 3.]

Captain Golownin's Captivity in Japan.

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ried his long spear, and the other his cap, pipes and tobacco, rice, fish with a green or helmet, which was adorned with a fi- sauce, and other savoury dishes; and gure of the moon. In other respects it concluded, as we have mentioned, with resembled the crowns which are occa- the seizure of thet oo unsuspicious guests. sionally worn at nuptial-ceremonies in At other places we find even the common Russia. It is scarcely possible to con- soldiers clothed in rich silks, and their seive any thing more ludicrous than the chiefs sometimes holding a sort of ba manner in which the governor walked: lance, as the symbol of authority. The his eyes were cast down and fixed upon captain of the guard on the prisoners, in the earth, his hands pressed close against approaching one of these on the march, his sides; he besides proceeding at so knelt down, and continued long in conslow a pace, that he scarcely extended versation, with his head inclined towards one foot beyond the other, and kept his the earth. feet as wide apart as though a stream of water had been running between them." The next visit on shore was the fatal one of the 11th of July:

dealing it out among the soldiers; for in Japan, a portion of the soldier's pay is given in rice. In Matsmai, and on the Kurile islands, they receive a small sum of money along with the rice."

A number of their domestic habits are described by Captain Golownin, from whose notes we copy the annexed:

"Old men are usually appointed to the rank which corresponds with that of a serjeant or corporal. They are styled kuminokagshra, or rice commissaries, "We proceeded to the castle. On en- because their business chiefly consists in tering the gate, I was astonished at the receiving rice from the magazines, and number of me I saw assembled there. Of soldiers alone, I observed from three to four hundred, armed with muskets, bows and arrows, and spears, sitting in a circle, in an open space to the right: on the left a countless multitude of Kuriles surrounded a tent of striped cotton cloth, erected about thirty paces from the gate. "We were soon introduced into the "The Japanese beds consist, accordtent, on a seat opposite to the entrance ing to the circumstances of the owners, of which the governor had placed him- of large silken or cotton quilts; these self. He wore a rick silk dress, with a quilts are lined with thick wadding, which complete suit of armour, and had two sa- is taken out previous to their being washbres under his girdle. A long cord of ed. The Japanese fold thin coverlets white silk passed over his shoulder; at double, and spread them on the floor, one end of this cord was a tassel of the which, even in the humblest cottages, is same material, and at the other a steel covered with beautiful soft straw mats. baton, which he held in his hand, and On retiring to rest, they wrap themselves which was doubtless the symbol of his in large night dresses, with short full authority. His armour-bearers, one sleeves; these likewise either of cotton or holding a spear, another a musket, and silk, and are thickly wadded. Instead of a third his helmet, sat behind him on the pillows, they make use of pieces of wood, floor. The helmet resembled that of the carved in various forms. The common second officer, with this difference, that people place under their heads a piece of instead of the moon, it bore the image of round wood, hollow at one end, and the sun. This officer now sat on the left from custom, sleep as soundly on this, as of the governor (the left is the seat of on the softest pillow. The higher, or honour among the Japanese), on a seat richer class, make use of a very neat box, somewhat lower; he too had his armour- about eleven inches high, to the lid of bearers behind him. Four officers were which an oval cushion is affixed, from sitting cross-legged on the floor on each six to eight inches in length, and from side of the tent; they wore black armour, two to three in breadth. The box conand had each two sabres. On our en- tains articles which they make use of at trance, the governor and lieutenant-gov- the toilette, such as razors, scissars, poernor rose up; we saluted them in our matum, tooth-brushes, powder, &c." own manner, and they returned the compliment."

They are a diminutive race of people, and, with very few exceptions, the Rus

The entertainment consisted of tea, sians, though only middle-sized men,

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Character, Manners, and Customs of the Japanese.

[VOL. looked like giants among them. They "The fruits, such as apples, common eat no meat, and their caution in every pears, and bergamots, were not yet perbusiness of life bespeaks a degree of ti- fectly ripe (in August we believe); but inidity which may be denominated cow- they suited the taste of the Japanese, who ardice. The whole population, and par- are extremely fond of acids. In the yard ticularly the women, of whom we hear of our house (at Tatsmai) there was a very little, contemplated the prisoners peach tree loaded with fruit, but they with pity and compassion. From differ- plucked all the peaches before they were ent individuals, and from their guards, ripe, and ate them, occasionally giving us they experienced many a secret kindness. some. We could eat them only when Tea, comfits, fruits, sugar, and sagi, or they were baked; but the Japanese desaki, the wine of Japan, were often pri- voured them with a voracious appetite, vately administered to their wants. either raw or baked.

The Japanese have no looking-glasses. Their metal mirrors are, however, so exquisitely polished, that they are scarcely inferior to the finest glass.

"Wood is the only article used for building in Japan. The Japanese, however, declare that they can build with stone as well as other nations; but they are prevented from so doing on account of the violent earthquakes."

One of these happened while the Russians were at Matsmai.

"The Japanese have tea of native growth, both black and green: the former is, however, very bad; it is like the Chinese tea only in colour, but bears no resemblance to it in taste or smell. The Japanese constantly drink it both warm and cold, without sugar, as the Russians do kivass; as for the green tea, they drink it seldom, and as a luxury. They previously roast or heat it at the fire, in paper canisters, until the vapour issuing from it has a very strong smell; it is then thrown into a copper tea-kettle, contain- Their interiors are generally splendid, ing boiling water, and thus acquires a the large rooms being divided by screens particular favour, of which the Japanese of paper, or wood richly gilded, carved, are very fond, though it proved most dis- and adorned with landscapes, &c. like agreeable to us: they have no loaf sugar. the boxes and cabinets which are imMuscovado of the best sort is brought to ported into Europe. The floors of the them by the Dutch ;* it is said in little great are covered with finely wrought baskets,and very dear. They have brown tapestry. sugar of their own, but it is very dirty, dark-coloured, and by no means sweet. They seldom drink sugar with their tea; but prefer eating it by itself. They usu- sit round the fire and smoke tobacco. ally take a spoonful in one hand, and eat it like little children. When we offered our guards any of the sugar which had been offered to us in presents, they always refused it with awkward reverences; but no sooner did we fall asleep, than they ate it all up by stealth.

"The Japanese, instead of pockethandkerchiefs, make use of pieces of paper. The richer class make use of a very fine kind of paper; the poor, on the contrary, use very coarse.' [Our prisoners wrote on the pocket-handkerchiefs which were given them.]

"The Japanese burn a fire on the hearth from morning till evening, both in winter and summer: men and women

The kettles are never off the fire, as tea is their common beverage for quenching thirst; if they have no tea, they drink warm water, but never taste cold; even their sagi they like better warm than cold.

"They neither wear boots nor shoes, but make, with plaited straw or grass, a kind of sandals."

These are taken off on entering the apartments of the higher ranks; as were also the boots of the prisoners on such occasions. On one of their visits to the bunyo, or governor of the city of Matsmai, their escort also left their swords The Japanese neither make use of and daggers at the door of the inner spoons nor forks, but eat their victuals court, The bunyo on entering was with two siender reeds. Food of a fluid preceded by a person "In an ornature they sip out of the dish,as we do tea. dinary dress, who came forward, kneeled down, placed the palms of They call the Dutch "Orando," and the Cape of his hands on the floor, and bowed his

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Good Hope "Kabo."

VOL. 3.]

Varieties.-Song of " Mary's Dream.

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head. The bunyo was in a common pean names, and there were fifty-two in black dress, on the sleeves of which, as a pack. Owing, however, to the pecuniis the custom with all the Japanese, his ary losses, and fatal disputes to which armorial bearings were embroidered; he card-playing gave rise, that amusement had a dagger at his girdle, and his sabre was strictly prohibited in Japan. In orwas carried by one of his suite; he held der to evade the law, the Japanese inventthe weapon near the extremity with the ed a pack of forty-eight cards, which are handle upward; but a cloth was wrap- much smaller than ours, and which are ped round the part which he grasped, to generally used. Their game at draughts prevent his naked hand from coming in is extremely complicated and difficult. contact with it. They make use of a very large draughtboard and 400 men, which they move about in many different directions, and which are liable to be taken in various ways."

The Russian sailors taught them the European game, which speedily became general.

"Playing at cards and draughts are very common amusements among the Japanese. They are fond of playing for money, and will stake their last piece up on a game. They were taught to play at cards by the Dutch sailors, who were allowed free intercourse with the inhabittants, and in Nangasak were permitted We must here close our remarks for to visit taverns, and women of a certain the present, reserving for our next numcharacter; who in Japan carry on their ber the extracts which develope the state trade of prostitution under the protection of learning, the division of time, the punof the laws. The cards were at first ishments, the commerce, and the opinions known to the Japanese by their Euro- of this retired and singular people.

VARIETIES:

CRITICAL, LITERARY, AND HISTORICAL.

From the New Monthly Magazine, February 1818.
SONG OF "MARY'S DREAM."

IN

N our last number was recorded the death of Mrs. Mary M'Lellan, the heroine of the popular ballad of Mary's Dream. The following particulars, relative to that subject, extracted from a late Scottish publication are given on the authority of a person who visited her few months before her decease.

did not understand that the Rev. Mr. N. M'Kie, of Crossmichael, had been considered the author of it? She instantly replied, Never ;-that Mr. Lowe, and Mr. Lowe alone, composed it: and that he produced it a day or two after the accounts arrived of Sandy,' or Dr. Miller's* death, who had gone abroad to pursue his profession. The circumstances, she a continued, were as follow:-She had mentioned to her sisters, some time previous, that she had seen Sandy Miller in a vision during a fever, when they rallied her very much about it. One morning, when they were at breakfast, the account of his death was announced; she was much affected, and rose up to go into the garden. She met Mr. Lowe on the stairs, but she did not speak; and when he got into the room he asked what was amiss with Miss Mary? They said she had received bad news, and told him the circumstances; and, in a short time, he produced the ballad.

On the 8th of May 1817, the writer of this called on Mrs. M'Lellan, and spent an hour or two with her. The following is the substance of the conversation, which turned chiefly on her early days. Being from the same neighbourhood, and well acquainted with the circumstances of each other's families, I asked her if she recollected the time when she was the celebrated Mary in the song of Mary Dream?' She said she did perfectly, and repeated, in substance, the much-famed ballad, but observed that it was somewhat altered from the first composition and recital. I asked her if she ⚫E ATHENEUM. Vol. 3.

* To whom Miss Mary M'Gee was engaged.

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EXTRAORDINARY SENTENCE.

[VOL. 3.

were known to watch the movements of The following sentence was lately every stranger. The fugitive crept in at put in execution at Guernsey, on a a low aperture, dragging his stores along. female servant who was convicted of con- When he reached a wider and more lofty cealing her pregnancy, and of the murder expanse, he found some obstacle before of her infant. At twelve o'clock at noon, him. He drew his dick, but unwilling the prisoner was conducted from the pri- to strike, lest he might take the life of a son to the Court-house between the hal- companion in seclusion-he stooped berds, and in one of the lower rooms she down, and discovered a goat with her was stripped barefoot, and clothed in a kid stretched on the ground. He soon white shift made for the occasion; she perceived that the animal was in great was bare headed, and from that room she pain, and feeling her body and limbs, aswas led up stairs to the door of the certained that her leg was fractured. He Court, where she received from the hang- bound it up with his garter, and offered man (l'executeur des hautes œuvres) a her a share of the bread beside him; but lighted candle, weighing two pounds, and she hung out her tongue, as if to apprise two feet long made expressly for the pur- him that her mouth was parched with pose. Thus equipped, she presented her- thirst. He gave her water, which she eaself at the bar of the Court; and falling gerly lapped up, and then took a little on her knees, she asked pardon for her bread. After midnight, he ventured to crimes in these words:" I ask pardon look out; all was still. He plucked an of God, the King, and of Justice!" An armful of grass, and cut tender twigs immense crowd of people were present, which the goat accepted with manifestawho came from all parts of Guernsey to tions of joy and thankfulness. The priwitness so novel a spectacle. soner derived much comfort in having a living creature in his dungeon. He cares

BARBARITY OF ALI-PACHA.

A letter from Smyrna of Oct. 15, 1817, sed and fed her tenderly. The kid friskstates, that Ali-Pacha, the Governor ed about, and its gambols cheered his spiof Epirus and Thessaly, some months rits. In a fortnight the dam was able to since, ordered a beautiful Greek lady, go out a little, but invariably returned to named Euphrosyne, of whom his eldest her friend. The man who was entrusted son, Muctar Pacha, was enamoured, to to bring him supplies fell sick; and when be drowned in the sea of Jannina, with another attempted to penetrate in the cafifteen of her female friends; but, as vern, the goat furiously opposed him, none of his subjects would execute his presenting her horns in all directions, till commands, he had the barbarity to carry the fugitive hearing a disturbance came them personally into effect.

NATURAL HISTORY.

forward. This new attendant having given the watch-word, removed every doubt of his good intentions, and the REMARKABLE ATTACHMENT OF A GOAT. Amazon of the recess obeyed her beneAfter the battle of Preston in Novem- factor in permitting him to advance. All ber, 1715, a gentleman concealed himself who heard the incident were convinced in Perthshire several mon as, till two se- that had a band of military attacked the vere wounds permitted him to travel, recluse his grateful patient would have He reached the west Highlands early in died in his defence.

June, and was received by a lady, his The goat possesses fervent affections, near relation with the most cordial sim- and remarkable sagacity. Her devices to pathy in his misfortunes. Her husband hide her young from the fox are admirconnived at her affording him an asylum, able. She discerns the enemy at a great but could not venture to see him lest he distance, conceals her treasure in a thickmight be implicated in his denunciations et, and boldly intercepts the formidable as a traitor. A faithful servant conduct- marauder. He seldom fails to approach ed him to the mouth of a cave and loaded the place where the kid is crouching, but with provisions, set them down at the the dam, with her horns, receives him at entrance, retiring hastily, as his appear- all points, and never yields till spent with ance near it might excite suspicion in fatigue and agitation. If a high crag or persons, who for the hope of reward stone should be near when she descries

VOL. 3.]

Gent's Poem on the Death of the Princess Charlotte.

the fox, she mounts upon it, taking her young one under her body. The fox goes round and round to catch an opportunity for making a spring at the little trembler, and there has been instances of his seizing it, but the goat thrusts her horns in his flank with such force, as to be unable to withdraw them, and all have been found dead at the bottom of the precipice. It is a fact that the goats know their progeny to several generations, and each tribe herds together, on the hills, or reposes in the cot in separate parties.

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one of the products of the mind in its
most powerful operation, with all its
vigour, however silently, in act, heaping
together, into that one secret reservoir
and furnace, its whole treasure of
knowledge and experience of other hearts,
and trial of its own. We cannot help
looking on the present popularity of the
higher ranks of poetry as among the
finest omens of an age, which, if we are
not altogether deceived, is destined to
throw all the past into the shade, and to
be memorable to all the future, by a
grand and general advance in happiness,
illumination, and virtue.
"Wherefore should this music be, i'th air or the earth?
This is no mortal business, nor no sound

That the earth owns.-

And thus, like Ferdinand, after having struggled through the storm, we inay be led by voices and forms of undying sweetness, to the nobler enjoyments and duties of life; to the restoration of what was unjustly fallen; and the vanishing

Our age is becoming more poetical; the vigour and restlessness of the English mind, which had found such long and deep occupation in politics, is now turning to nobler pursuits, if nobleness is to be estimated by its influence on civilization. We are not now about to of those brilliant fallacies by which we institute the comparison between the have been surrounded, for the serious values of a pamphlet and a poem. The and lofty service of mankind. We have same intellect may be employed in both; certainly none of the headlong calculation but unquestionably the poem appeals to of enthusiasts upon this topic, and are a finer rank of feeling; by a finer opera- fully aware of the folly of an age of tion of mind, rests it distinction on em- rhyme; but if meditation, keen pursuit bodying in it those impressions of our of our own thoughts, the thirst for intelpurer nature, which cannot be recogniz- lectual accomplishments, and the passion ed without creating something of a for all that is graceful, touching, and similar spirit, and by its essential beauty picturesque in nature, belong to poetry, gives the whole powerful and permanent it could not become the practice of the influence that is to be found in the age, without raising up a race of men of imagination of man. We here of course a nobler stature, both of the heart and speak of poetry in its stateliest and most the understanding. elevated form, the language of truth, sensibility and wisdom; a splendid and rare visitant of the earth, in which the moral dignity, and solemn communication of the descended angel, are not diminished, but heightened, by its innocence and its beauty, by the simple whiteness of its vesture, and the celestial roses on its brow. The facility with which verses may be written, and the unfortunate subjects on which it has not unfrequently been employed by the idlers of the world, have naturally tended to lower its repute among the active and shallow spirits that make up mature society; but to the man of deeper knowledge, it is enough for his estimation and honour, to know that poetry is

We must now turn to Mr. GENT'S poem. It opens with an animated address to the spirit of the country.

"Genius of England! wherefore to the earth
Is thy plum'd helm, thy peerless sceptre cast?
Thy Courts of late, with minstrelsy and mirth,
Rang jubilant, and dazzling pageants past;
Kings, heroes, martial triumphs, nuptial rites—

Now, like a cypress, shiver'd by the blast,

or mountain cedar which the lightning sinites
In dust and darkness,-sinks thy head declined,
Thy tresses streaming wild on ocean's reckless wind."

The poet then gives a brief glance at the triumphs of our day, the firmness of the country under trials, and the full and glorious fame which she had established for ever.

"Then, wherefore, Albion! terror-struck, subdued, Sitst thou, thy state foregone, thy barmer farl'd;

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