Appendix 1 “Why I departed from Japan.” I was born in a house of a prince [Itakura Katsuakira] in Yedo. My father [Niisima Tamiharu] was writing-master of the prince's house and his writer, and my grandfather was an officer of whole, the prince's servant. I began to learn Japan, and China too, from six years age, but at eleven years age my mind had changed quite to learn sword-exercise and riding horse. At sixteen years age my desire was deepened to learn China and cast away sword-exercise and other things. But my prince picked me up to write his daily book, although it would not have been my desire. I was obliged to go up his office one another day, and I must teach small boys and girls too, instead my father at home. Therefore I could not get in China school to learn China, but I read every night at home. A day my comrade lent me an atlas of United States of North America, which was written with China letter by some American minister [E. C. Bridgman]. I read it many times, and I was wondered so much as my brain would melted out from my head, picking out President, Building, Free School, Poor House, House of Correction, and machine-working, etc. And I thought that a governor of our country must be as President of the United States. And I murmured myself that, ‘O Governor of Japan! why you keep down us as a dog or a pig? We are people of Japan. If you govern us you must love us as your children.’ From that time I wished to learn American knowledge, but alas, I could not get any teacher to learn it. Although I would not like to learn Holland, I was obliged to learn it because many of my countrymen understood to read it. Every one another day I went to my master's house to learn it. Someday I had been in the prince's office and I got none to write at all. Therefore I ran out from the office and went to my master's house. By and by my prince stepped into the office, wanting to see me; but he saw nobody there, and he stayed me until I came back into. When he saw me he beated me. 'Why you run out from the office? I would not allowed you to run out from there.' Originally written in English. The essay that Neesima (22 years old) handed to A. Hardy, the owner of the Wild Rover, and his wife, after arriving in Boston. Neesima was in his second year of studying English when he put all his energy into writing why he traveled to America in English at the Sailor’s Home in Boston. Mr. and Mrs. Hardy were impressed by this essay and decided to become Neesima’s guardians (foster parents).
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