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356 HONDA THE SAMUEAL
that at times nearly choked the utterance of the
voice, read the Christian burial service, and in the
name of the Resurrection and the Life, as all heads
uncovered, committed the bodies to the deep.
" It has been hard to fight with the men of the
country which Perry opened so peacefully," said a
lieutenant. "Even when the Japanese fight against
each other, we can look on with regret. It is my
consolation as an American that we fought the Choshiu
clan, rather than Japan."
" May Japan and the United States always preserve
friendship ;
but I fear this is not the end of
the trouble," said the other lieutenant.
There was no time to lose, for the Alabama was
to be sought. A few days were spent at Yokohama
in refitting,
and then guns were loaded once
more, and the Wyoming headed for the straits of
Sunda, and for home. Missing the Alabama, the
Kearsarge won the glory of victory, and the exploit
of the Wyoming is even yet hardly known to Americans
who know all about Paul Jones and Oliver
Perry.
Yet that action in the straits of Shimonose'ki did
more than exhibit American gallantry and the
power of Dahlgren artillery.
It had a powerful
influence in opening the eyes of one of the bravest
and most enterprising bodies of men in Japan not
only to the power, but to the methods, of the warfare
of Christian nations. War is horrible, but even
in things horrible mercy may shine, and the right
object of using force may be discerned even amid