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AN OBJECT LESSON. 223
the finest war-vessels then in the world. The Vandalia,
Macedonian, and Lexington were stately frigates.
The Lexington, Southampton, and Supply
were store-ships. They were ranged in crescent
form, the flag-ship in the center. They had their
port-holes open and guns run out. How clear their
decks, shining their equipment, firm their spars,
stately their forms, and graceful their lines " ! Could
the men who built such ships be barbarians " ? asked
many a thoughtful Japanese.
Out beyond, towards the blue mountain-lined
shore of Kadzusa, was a longer crescent of Japanese
spy and guard boats, all flying gay flags, pennants,
and streamers, and with long bushy tassels like
horse-tails pendent from their prows. These were
intended to keep off the inquisitive hermits of a hermit
nation from communicating with the American
" barbarians." Coming into and through the line of
boats was a long, stately, and double-decked barge
towed by a half-dozen boats full of stalwart scullers.
Carved and lacquered, gay with silken awnings and
curtains, it reminded the Americans at a distance of
a splendid river-steamer, such as at home plied on
the Hudson. In the pavilion on the upper deck on
camp-chairs sat the Japanese treaty commissioners,
appointed to meet Commodore M. C. Perry, brother
of the hero of Lake Erie. On the silken curtains,
the bunting flags, and the horse-hair plume-banners
could be seen a variety of the coats-of-arms belonging
to the feudal lords on board. There was the
trefoil of mallow or asarum leaves in a circle ; that
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