MASSACRE OF FRENCH SAILORS AT SAKAI
UNFORTUNATELY just at this moment news was received that a boat-load of
Frenchmen had been massacred by the Tosa troops at Sakai. This put an
end to the conversation and to all hope of going to Kiôto for an
audience. Two men were reported killed on the spot, seven missing, seven
wounded, while five escaped unhurt. The account received by Daté just as
he left the French Legation was that only one had been killed. It was
evident to everybody that the execution of the Bizen officer had not had
the effect of a warning. Confusion, despair; hopes dashed to the ground
just on the point of fulfilment. No better accounts being given by Daté
and Higashi-Kuzé on the following morning, and the missing sailors not
having been given up, the Foreign Ministers resolved to withdraw their
flags. When the two Japanese Ministers called on the French Minister to
express their deep regret, he refused to see them, and addressed a
letter to the Japanese authorities demanding the surrender of the
missing men by eight o'clock the following morning. The French, Italian,
Prussian and American representatives embarked. We and the Dutch
political agent remained on shore. But on the morning of the 10th the
British flag was formally lowered, and Sir Harry went on board the
"Ocean," leaving Russell Robertson and myself at the vice-consulate,
with Lieutenant Bradshaw and six men of the 2/ix. The dead bodies of the
seven missing French sailors having been found, Daté and Higashi-Kuzé
went on board the French flagship "Vénus" to inform M. Roches. But by
some curious blunder the boxes containing the corpses were sent first to
the British transport "Adventure," where they were mistaken for cases of
"curios" belonging to our Legation, and how the discovery was made of
the real nature of the contents I never heard, but they did not arrive
at the French flagship till late in the afternoon. I saw Daté on his way
back, who said he was greatly pleased with the moderation with which the
French Minister was treating the affair. Next day Sir Harry landed, and
carried off Bradshaw and his men. He instructed me to call on Daté and
say to him that the Representatives would consult together after the
funeral as to the reparation to be demanded from the Mikado's
government, and that if they were unanimous the Japanese might feel
assured that the demands were just. In that case the best thing they
could do would be to accept them without delay. On the other hand, if
the requirements of M. Roches exceeded the bounds of justice, the other
ministers would refuse to join him, and the Japanese Government could
then appeal to the French Government and those of the other Foreign
Powers. In Sir Harry's own opinion a large number of the Tosa men ought
to suffer death, but he did not approve of pecuniary indemnities. Having
given me these instructions he went off to Hiôgo to attend the funeral
of the murdered Frenchmen, eleven in all. Robertson and I called on Daté
to deliver the chief's message, and after having executed our
commission, we went with Komatsu and Nakai to a Japanese restaurant and
had a feast in the usual style. We got home about seven o'clock, and as
the day was still young we took it into our heads to give ourselves an
entertainment, and with a guide carrying a lantern went to the quarter
of the town where such amusements are provided, to a house to which I
knew that a foreigner had been introduced, and that by Tosa people. The
master said he was afraid of his trade being injured if he received
foreigners, but suggested our applying to the local authority for
permission. While we were still in the shop a Tosa man came down from a
room upstairs, and on seeing us asked for his sword, but the people of
the house refused to give it, and led him away. It never entered my head
that the master of the house wished to get rid of us on account of his
Tosa guests. So we went to the municipal office, and came back again
with the desired permission, but the landlord was still not satisfied.
We were conversing with him when the same Tosa man came down sword in
hand, and squatting down before us with a threatening air, demanded to
know who we were and what we were doing there. I replied that we were
English officers and was proceeding to explain what we wanted, but he
interrupted by fiercely questioning our right to be present. One of his
companions roused by the disturbance came downstairs and carried him up
again, the women taking his sword and hiding it. The peaceful man then
came to us, and was offering an apology, when the madcap descended again
with a naked weapon in his hand, at least that was Robertson's
impression. His friend rushed to stop him; a struggle took place on the
stairs and we bolted through the door into the street. The master of the
house came out after us with our lantern, saying that our guide had
disappeared, and as he was not to be found, the old man had to escort us
home.
Mitford and Willis arrived back from Kiôto on the 12th, Sir Harry's
letter giving permission for the latter to remain having crossed him on
the way. Having made arrangements for his going back again, we went on
board the "Adventure" to see the chief, and while we were there Daté and
Komatsu arrived to tell him what the French Minister's demands were:
namely, 1st, the execution of all the men concerned in the massacre
(about twenty Tosa men and twenty townspeople armed with fire-hooks,
they told us); 2nd, $150,000 for the families of the murdered men; 3rd,
apology of the principal minister for Foreign Affairs at Ozaka (this was
Yamashina no Miya, a Prince of the Blood); 4th, apology of the Tosa
_daimiô_ Yamanouchi Tosa no Kami on board a French man-of-war at Susaki
(the port of Tosa); 5th, the exclusion of all Tosa armed men from treaty
ports and cities. These had all been agreed to. We then returned ashore
and started Willis on his way back to Kiôto.
Next day we moved over to Hiôgo on board H.M.S. "Adventure." All the
Foreign Representatives had addressed Notes to the Japanese Government
counselling them to comply with the French demands. Hasé Sammi, a Court
Noble, arrived as an envoy from the Mikado to the French Minister
bearing a message of condolence. He afterwards saw Sir Harry and
arranged with him that he should go to Kiôto for an audience of the
Mikado, as soon as this affair was disposed of. M. Roches had not fixed
any date, but it was expected by the Japanese authorities that
everything would be finished by the 16th. M. Roches seemed to be harping
on one string, that it would be regrettable if any single representative
went to Kiôto by himself, and Komatsu, who told us that he had expressed
himself to Hasé in that sense, thought that this was intended as a hit
at Sir Harry. However, Polsbroek had also promised the Japanese that he
too would go up to Kiôto as soon as satisfaction for the Tosa outrage
were afforded. Next day Daté arrived at six o'clock with Komatsu and
went on board the French flagship to deliver to Roches the Note
accepting his demands. The 5th demand was understood to mean not merely
that no Tosa troops should garrison treaty ports and cities, but that no
Tosa _samurai_ of any class should be allowed at the treaty ports. This
appeared to be too severe, and we held that it would have to be
modified. After he had finished with Roches, Daté came over to see Sir
Harry and to tell him what had been arranged. Two officers and eighteen
rank and file were to perform _harakiri_ at Sakai at two p.m. the next
day, and Yamashina no Miya was simultaneously to call on Roches to
deliver the apology, and also invite him to Kiôto. On the day after that
the prince was to call on Sir Harry, at the same hour, on board H.M.S.
"Ocean" at Kôbé. We were to leave Kôbé for Ozaka on the 19th, pass the
night of the 20th at Fushimi, and enter Kiôto the next day. On the 22nd
we were to receive visits, and have audience of the Emperor on the 23rd.
This was only a private and confidential arrangement with Daté, and
would only become official after Yamashina no Miya delivered the formal
invitation. In accordance with this programme the Prince, who was a
first cousin once removed of the Mikado, and principal minister for
Foreign Affairs, came to Kôbé on the 18th to call on Sir Harry and
Polsbroek. We learnt from him that Roches had begged off nine out of the
twenty condemned men, taking only one life for each of the murdered
Frenchmen,[10] and that he had decided to go to Kiôto having heard from
Daté that Sir Harry would accept the invitation. The Miya was dressed in
the same costume as the other court nobles we had seen, a purple silk
robe (_kari-ginu_) and a small black-lacquered wrinkled hat perched on
the top of the head. His age might be about fifty, and he wore a short
beard and moustache. His teeth bore marked signs of having been once
dyed black. He was accompanied by Higashi-Kuzé, a son of the latter, and
by Môri Heirokurô, son of Môri Awaji no Kami; this young man was to go
to England with the son of Sanjô Sanéyoshi and young Nakamikado. It was
expected, they said, that the Mikado would move down to Ozaka about the
end of the month, and remain there until Yedo was finished with. Keiki
had sent an apology through his relative Echizen, but it was not
considered satisfactory, and military operations would be continued.
[10] This statement was not exact. The fact was, as we
learnt afterwards, that Captain du Petit Thouars, commanding
officer of the "Dupleix" to which ship the murdered sailors
belonged, who had been deputed by the French senior naval
officer to witness the execution with a party of his men,
finding that the completion of the proceedings would involve
the detention of his men on shore after dark, raised his
hand after the eleventh man had suffered. The nine whose
lives were spared were grievously hurt, we were afterwards
told, and no wonder, considering what the spirit of the
Japanese _samurai_ was. Patriotic death poems by the men who
suffered the extreme penalty were afterwards circulated
among the people. The following are prose translations of
some of these:
Though I regret not my body which becomes as dew scattered
by the wind, my country's fate weighs down my heart with
anxiety.
As I also am of the seed of the country of the gods, I
create for myself to-day a glorious subject for reflection
in the next world. The sacrifice of my life for the sake of
my country gives me a pure heart in my hour of death.
Unworthy as I am I have not wandered from the straight path
of the duty which a Japanese owes to his prince.
Though reproaches may be cast upon me, those who can fathom
the depths of a warrior's heart will appreciate my motives.
In this age, when the minds of men are darkened, I would
show the way to purity of heart.
In throwing away this life, so insignificant a possession, I
would desire to leave behind me an unsullied name.
The cherry flowers too have their seasons of blossoming and
fading. What is there for the Japanese soul to regret in
death?
Here I leave my soul and exhibit to the world the
intrepidity of a Japanese heart.