course of the walks which they were permitted to
take in harness, the Russian captives sometimes saw the interior of
the temples, they were never permitted to enter while any religious
rites were celebrated.

With respect to the civil administration of Japan, our author seems to
have gathered little that was absolutely new to us. The empire
comprises above 200 states, which are governed as independent
sovereignties by princes called Damyos, who frame and enforce their
own laws. Though most of these principalities are very small, some of
them are powerful: the damyo of Sindai, for instance, visits the
imperial court with a retinue of 60,000. Their dependence on the
emperor appears chiefly in their being obliged to maintain a certain
number of troops, which are at his disposal. Those provinces which
belong directly to the emperor, are placed under governors called
Bunyos, whose families reside at the capital as hostages. Every
province has two bunyos, each of whom spends six months in the
government and six at Yedo.

The supreme council of the emperor consists of five sovereign princes,
who decide on all ordinary measures without referring to him. An
inferior council of fifteen princes or nobles presides over important
civil and criminal cases. The general laws are few and well known.
They are very severe; but the judges generally find means of evading
them where their enforcement would involve a violation of those of
humanity. In some cases, as in conjugal infidelity or filial impiety,
individuals are permitted to avenge their own wrong, even to the
taking of life. Civil cases are generally decided by arbitrators, and
only when they fail to settle a matter is there recourse to the public
courts of justice. Taxes are generally paid to the reigning prince or
emperor, in tithes of the agricultural, manufactured, or other
productions of the country.

Such were some of the leading particulars ascertained by Golownin
concerning the social and civil condition of this singular people. He
says, they always appeared very happy, and their demeanour was
characterised by lively and polite manners, with the most
imperturbable good temper. It seems at length to have been through
fear of a Russian invasion, rather than from any sense of justice,
that his Japanese majesty, in reply to the importunities of the
officers of the _Diana_, consented to release the captives, on
condition of receiving from the Russian government a solemn dis