File:Narrative of the expedition of an American squadron to the China seas and Japan (1857) (14782308834).jpg

Identifier: narrativeofexped05perr (find matches)
Title: Narrative of the expedition of an American squadron to the China seas and Japan
Year: 1857 (1850s)
Authors: Perry, Matthew Calbraith, 1794-1858 Hawks, Francis L. (Francis Lister), 1798-1866
Subjects: United States Naval Expedition to Japan (1852-1854)
Publisher: New York, D. Appleton and company (etc., etc.)
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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ck-horses, which are seen constantly trotting throughthe streets. As the commerce of Hakodadi is extensive, the ship, or rather junkyards, showed much activity, and great numbers of vessels were constantlyseen there in progress of construction. Pine is the material of which thevessels of all sizes are built, and copper is used extensively for bolting andfor other purposes. The models are much superior to those of the Chinese;but of this department of industry we have already spoken fully. Nothing was seen of the higher and more complicated branches of in-dustrial art in operation, although the shops were supplied with fabricswhich proved no little skill and perfection in various manufactures. Thepeople seemed, however, to be unacquainted with woollen tissues, and exhib-ited great curiosity in examining the cloth dresses of the Americans. Cottonis much worn by the lower classes, and is generally coarsely woven, beingordinarily made in private looms at home. Every Japanese woman is more
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JAPANESE ART. 527 or less an adept at handling the wheel, the spindle, and shuttle, and theywere often seen busy in preparing the threads and weaving the rude fabricof which the garments of the poorer classes are commonly made. Their cottons are occasionally printed with colors, forming neat calicopatterns, but their tints readily fade and will not bear washing. The widthof the calico pieces, like that of the silks and crapes, is uniformly eighteeninches. This is not suited to an American or European market. Theirsilks are rich and heavy, and somewhat like our brocade in texture, butstouter and less flexible. They are often of very elaborate figured patterns,interwoven with golden threads, and exceedingly beautiful. These aremostly used for the state robes of the high officials and dignitaries of theland. A ver)^ high price was generally demanded for these silks, though, inone instance, one of the officers, from some cause or other, purchased a pieceat Hakodadi at thirteen cents per y

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