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narrative of a strange occurrence which happened to him in April, 1854:

I have had a call from C. He behaved very strangely, and whether he wanted to assassinate me, or to make some bona fide proposition from Henry V., I do not know, but it was one or the other. He called about halfpast seven in the morning, stayed to breakfast, and remained some hours after. To keep the door shut seemed his great anxiety, and he would come close up to me with hand behind his back, and something apparently wrapped up in his pocket handkerchief. And though I repeatedly put the table, or the distance of the room between us, he would follow me and come up as close as possible. So, finding I could not avoid him, I improved upon his example, moved still closer to him, and looked him in the eyes. The burden of his talk was to try to induce me to confess that I had some political object in writing about Mr. Williams, and to urge the expediency of an alliance with Henry V. I told him I had no political object, although it was by no means improbable that political results might grow out of it; but that, if I ever had such intentions, he might be very certain that I would not commit myself, nor would Mr. Williams, to any persons without knowing the object of the application, and seeing credentials. He then began to talk at random about affairs on

the continent, as if to distract my attention, plying me with questions; but I kept my eyes on him till I got him out of the door. As he was going away, he said that since I would

not confess that I had a political object, or wished to work against the Emperor, he could not make the propositions he had designed, and that the responsibility of the failure must rest upon Mr. Williams and myself.

At length, however, after his last claim had been thrown out by Congress, when the unstable public, being palled with the Bourbon question, had turned to some fresher excitement, Mr. Williams retired, wearied out, to his lonely home at Hogansburgh. And, although he had yet other plans in view, it be came evident that his long and chequered career was drawing to a close. For some weeks he lingered, at first in severe need, at length made comfortable by timely assistance; and so, nursed by Indians, he died quietly on the 28th of August, 1858. He was buried near his house, and no stone marks his grave.

Was he Bourbon, or half-breed? If the first, as so many thought, were ever so many vicissitudes condensed into one mortal life? If the last, what a tritility of invention marked this member umph over disadvantages, what a ferof what is generally considered an ignoble race!

A SEA-SIDE IDYL.

I WANDERED to the shore, nor knew I then
What my desire,-whether for wild lament,
Or sweet regret, to fill the idle pause
Of twilight, melancholy in my house,

And watch the flowing tide, the passing sails,
Or to implore the air, and sea, and sky,
For that eternal passion in their power
Which souls like mine who ponder on their fate
May feel, and be as they-gods to themselves.
Thither I went, whatever was my mood.
The sands, the rocks, and beds of bending sedge,
The fading marge beyond, the curling line.
Of waves, falling on sands, and rocks, and sedge,
Impelled to leave soft foam, compelled away,-
I saw alone. Between the East and West,
Along the beach, no creature moved besides.
High on the eastern point a lighthouse shone;
Steered by its lamp a ship stood out to sea,
And vanished from its rays towards the deep,
While in the West, above a wooded isle,
An island-cloud hung in the emerald sky,
Hiding pale Venus in its sombre shade.

I wandered up and down the sands, I loitered
Among the rocks, and trampled through the sedge;
But I grew weary of the stocks and stones.
"I will go hence," I thought; "the Elements
Have lost their charm; my soul is dead to-night.
Oh passsive, creeping Sea, and stagnant Air,

Farewell! Dull sands, and rocks, and sedge, farewell."
Homeward I turned my face, but stayed my feet.
Should I go back but to revive again

The ancient pain? Hark! suddenly there came
From over sea, a sound like that of speech;
And suddenly I felt my pulses leap

As though some Presence were approaching me.
Loud as the voice of "Ocean's dark-haired king"
A breeze came down the sea,-the sea rose high;
The surging waves sang round me-this their song:
"Oh, yet your love will triumph! He shall come
In love's wild tumult; he shall come once more,—
By tracks of ocean, or by paths of earth;
The wanderer will reach you, and remain.”
The breakers dashed among the rocks, and they
Seemed full of life; the foam dissolved the sands,
And the sedge trembled in the swelling tide.

Was this a promise of the vaunting Sea,

Or the illusion of a last despair?

Either, or both, still homeward I must go,

And that way turned mine eyes, and thought they met A picture, surely so,-or I was mad.

The crimson harvest moon was rising full

Above my roof, and glimmered on my walls.
Within the doorway stood a man I knew—
No picture this. I saw approaching me
Him I had hoped for, grieved for, and despaired.
"My ship is wrecked," he cried, " and I return
Never to leave my love. You are my love?"
"I too am wrecked," I sighed, "by lonely years;
Returning you but find another wreck."

He bent his face to search my own, and spake :
"What I have traversed sea and land to find,
I find. For liberty I fought, and life,

On savage shores, and wastes of unknown seas,
While waiting for this hour. Oh, think you not
Immortal love mates with immortal love
Always? And now, at last, we learn this love."
My soul was filling with a mighty joy

I could not show-yet must I show my love.
"From you whose will divided broke our hearts
I now demand a different kiss than that
Which then you said should be our parting kiss.
Given, I vow the past shall be forgot.

The kiss-and we are one! Give me the kiss."
Like the dark rocks upon the sands he stood,
When on his breast I fell, and kissed his lips.
All the wild clangor of the sea was hushed;
The rapid silver waves ran each to each,
Lapsed in the deep with joyous, murmured sighs.
Years of repentance mine, forgiveness his,
To tell. Happy, we paced the tranquil shores,
Till, between sea and sky we saw the sun,
And all our wiser, loving days began.

A VISIT TO YEDO.

BY A YOUNG NEW-YORKER.

YOKOHAMA, Feb. 15, 1868.

I HAD been warned that earthquakes were of frequent occurrence, and told to be ready at any moment for a shock. I had the honor of staying in a building which, to say the least, was somewhat shaky, and once or twice feeling the floor move in rather an unpleasant manner, I imagined that the crisis was at hand, and had jumped up ready "to take notes thereon," only to discover to my disgust that the disturbance was occasioned by my next door neighbor coming upstairs rather heavily. At last the wolf came at a rather unexpected time, and I was jostled out of bed one morning in a most unceremonious manner.

A few nights since, as I was returning home, I heard a cry of fire, and at the same moment saw a bright flame arising from a building a short distance in the rear of the hotel. Situated as this town is, without any water facilities, and with but one engine of any size, a fire usually means a complete cleaning-out of every thing, and as the rickety hotel was situated directly to leeward of the burning building, I fully made up my mind to be roofless before morning. Arriving at the scene of action, I found that the fire had broken out in a livery stable, which was now in a grand blaze. The engine was soon on the ground, and all hands went to work with a will.

The native machines soon began to arrive, and the place in a few moments was completely blocked up by a crowd of yelling, jabbering Japs, each of whom carried a bright-colored lantern, which article they never venture out at night without. We had been at work a short time, and were beginning to make some little headway on the flames when we heard a cry from the natives, and, looking in the direction of the noise, saw the Governor of Kanagawa approaching on horseback, attended by his bettoes or grooms. It certainly showed a commendable zeal in the old gentleman, and it strikes me that there are not many men with his title who would turn out at eleven o'clock at night and ride three miles to assist

in extinguishing a fire in which they had not the slightest personal interest.

By hard work and an unlimited amount of noise, the fire was at last subdued with the loss of only the stable in which it originated, and I returned to my "bunk " decidedly wet and dirty, but otherwise none the worse for

wear.

The following morning I witnessed the proceedings of a Japanese Court of Justice. The owner of the burned stable, a gentleman of color by the way, having strong suspicions that the fire was the work of an incendiary, and having doubts about some of his bettoes, examined them all, and also captured and searched two whom he had discharged a few days previous, and who had left him in rather an indignant mood. On these two he found money and keys which had been taken from a box over the stable, and immediately marched them off to the magistrate. The examination was conducted in the courtyard of the Governor's house, and was an exceedingly simple matter. The complaint having been made and taken down in full by an interpreter, one of the prisoners endeavored to make a few remarks in defence of himself, but was silenced in a most peremptory manner by the magistrate.

Two officers were now sent for who fastened a cord about the waist of each prisoner, and they were led or rather driven to prison. From here they are taken daily and "lashed" until they are willing to confess their crime, when in aggravated cases they are burned alive.

Much has been written about the absence of poverty and distress in Japan, and it appears to me that the Japanese coolie has been entirely overlooked. The condition of these poor creatures, and there is a fearful number of them, is far worse than slavery. The amount that they can earn in tea houses and at other work is little enough, at the best, to keep body and soul together, but when the greater portion of this is consumed by the monthly purchase of a custom-house license, it is simply a wonder how they manage to keep alive. I have seen them by

hundreds going through the streets at dusk, in this freezing weather, with nothing but nature's covering, with the addition of a thick coat of native soil, and a cloth thrown around their loins. After seeing a few of these poor shivering wretches, crouching along by the side of buildings, in order, if possible, to avoid the cutting wind, one cannot but think that even Japan is not entirely free from misery. Even in death these poor creatures are not allowed their six feet of earth, but are thrown by hundreds into a pit, or more properly, cesspool.

After many tedious delays, finding that there was little chance of having any company, I concluded to make the trip to Yedo alone. I had been very kindly invited "to make myself at home" at the Legation, and having procured through the United States Consul a guard of Yaconins, I started out one morning in February, mounted on a splendid little pony, and followed in single file by the two-sworded gentlemen. The dress of these Yaconins is peculiar and unique. A pair of huge pantaloons, or rather bags, a tight vest, and a coat made with immense sleeves. On foot their head is generally uncovered, but when riding they wear either a skull cap or a neatly made straw hat. In rainy weather they envelop themselves in a straw cloak, which, from its peculiar construction, appears to shed water to a great extent. The swords are not carried by the side as in European nations, but are thrust through a belt, and aft," so as to be in a convenient position for use.

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After a ride of about three miles, principally through the upper portion of Yokohama, we arrived at what remained of the burnt town of Kanagawa. All along the road the guard kept up a continual " "Hey, hey, hey," to clear the road, and the rapidity with which the lower classes made way proved that they stood in some awe of the military gentlemen; indeed, one or two individuals who did not keep at a sufficient distance from the horses, were gently taught better manners by a sharp cut from a whip.

The town of Kanagawa extends, or rather extended for three miles along the bay of Yedo directly opposite Yokohama, but one afternoon a fire broke out at the windward end of it, and in a few hours it was a heap of ashes. At night the view of the fire was a beautiful one, the flames extending for a league along the shore, and lighting up the entire bay and shipping. As soon as the fire was discovered, sixty men from the

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United States steamer Monocacy were sent to assist in subduing it, but they were informed in the most emphatic manner that their assistance was entirely superfluous, and that they might return to their vessel. But now look at an instance of Japanese enterprise. The fire took place on Thursday night; instead of sitting down to bemoan their loss, or waiting a single day for matters to become settled, they start to work the next morning, while the ashes of their old homes are still hot to rebuild the town. Not a moment is lost, but men, women, and children, with tremendous energy, collect materials for their new roof, and when I passed through the place on the following Sunday, not only were there a large number of houses framed, but dozens had roofs nearly completed. Every thing had been cleaned out with the exception of a few mud "godowns," into which the owners had thrust their valuables, and the mud appeared to have withstood the fire very well. That was two weeks previous, and now the houses had risen on both sides of us in a most surprising manner; not palatial residences to be sure, but answering to keep out wind and rain.

We were now on the Tacaido or main road of the empire, a fine macadamized thoroughfare (ubiquitous McAdam) extending from Yedo to the most southern part of the island. We now began to meet large bodies of troops followed by coolies carrying baggage, and officers who were being conveyed in baskets or cangoes. They were all in rapid motion, and I subsequently discovered that they were some of the Tycoon's army en route for the pass in the Hakoni mountains which they were about to fortify. We rode on, keeping to the left as is the custom here, when, as we turned a bend in the road, I noticed just ahead of us an officer in a cango of rather better material than the others, surrounded by a guard who spread themselves across the road, and putting on a forbidding expression, appeared to have doubts about allowing us to pass. I was beginning to think that discretion is the better part of valor when one of my Yaconins shouted "anata!" and rushing up, they turned my pony to one side, and forming themselves into a hollow square, prepared to resist all aggression. In the meantime I had laid my hand on my revolver, and was ready for all sorts of sanguinary

measures.

These Yaconins have to be careful of for eigners under their care, if only in self-defence as their heads are made directly re

sponsible for any injury which the "tojans may receive. At our grand military display the Tycoon's men drew in their horns, and passed on their way in the most peaceable manner, we doing likewise.

We rode on without meeting with any other obstruction, with the exception of the continued petitions of beggars, who line the Tacaido for miles.

Every description of suffering humanity were here; some poor creatures that it was perfectly sickening to look at, gather on this road from every part of the island, and having managed to set up a few sticks covered with straw to keep out a portion of the rain, they bow their heads to the ground to all passers by, calling out in the most piteous tones, "Anata, tempo sinjo," " Tempo sinjo." It must not be supposed that there is a large amount of pauperism in Japan, for it strikes me that the proportion is small, but it is the lame and deformed who collect from all parts of the country on these few miles of road. In the towns and cities but few beggars are seen. I noticed that these creatures seldom ask in vain, nearly all the passers by having a supply of "cash" which, though of small value, is dealt out to all of them by the piece; but when it is remembered that a "cash" is equal to but one sixteenth of a cent, it will be seen that the beggars do not become rich from their spoils.

At eleven o'clock, having partaken of a cup of the weakest tea imaginable at the ferry inn, we prepared to cross a stream about seventy five yards wide.

Their method of preparing tea is peculiar. They serve one with an almost colorless infusion of the leaves, and although it may be extremely " delicate," the taste of tea is so infinitesimally homoeopathic that I would as soon drink the unadulterated hot water.

The ferry boats are large scows, and as no payment was required from us, I imagine that they are provided at government expense. We spent about half an hour endeavoring to persuade my pony that it was his duty to embark, but he evidently had conscientious scruples, and we finally compromised matters by taking him up bodily, and depositing him in the scow.

We now began to enter the limits of the great city, and the houses and population became thicker at every mile. We arrived at last at the Legation at half past twelve, after . a ride of twenty-two miles. While we were waiting at the gate for the appearance of the head man, I was surrounded by a crowd of

gaping women and children who, although they have seen foreigners several times, appear to be able at each new exhibition to discover some new and interesting points in the peculiar biped.

Having delivered my note to the butler (which note looked to the uninitiated eye as if a playful fly had run through a puddle of ink, and then proceeded on a drunken spree over the paper), the gates were thrown open, and I entered the Legation grounds. My bettoe had followed us on foot all the way, and now stood ready to take charge of the pony as soon as I dismounted.

These bettoes are a wonderful set of fellows. Generally small but finely formed, they are dressed in winter in tights, with a loose covering thrown over their shoulders; in summer they content themselves with Dame Nature's covering, but in order to make some slight improvement on the old lady's work, they tattoo themselves in the most grotesque and fanciful manner. On the run they are indeed marvellous, being able to hold their own with any horse. The one I had kept right after us all the way up, and we went at no snail's pace, and appeared to be as fresh as ever on arriving at the end of our journey.

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I found the Legation a fine, large house, built in Japanese style on a single floor, and with paper doors and windows. Mine host the butler, went straightway to work, and had "chow-chow" prepared for me at short notice, which I devoured with a relish. I had sent for an interpreter, and shortly after he arrived. He was dressed in European clothes, and had discarded the sword for the more useful if not more ornamental pistol. I soon discovered that he was a good deal of a traveller, having been to the United States with the Commissioners in 1867, and also to England and France. He said that he found English easy to learn, and he spoke very fluently, but that he could not succeed with French, the pronunciation was "one too many for him." Not supposing that he would care to be seen in the streets with a foreigner, I asked him to direct the guard to take me to the foreign Concession, and was surprised at his saying that he would walk over there with me if I liked. I was very glad to accept this offer, as my knowledge of the lan guage extends to about a dozen words, which I fling out on all occasions, "regardless of cost" and in a promiscuous manner, in hopes that I may strike something that will convey my meaning. The result, however, is not

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