John Manjiro

中浜万次郎は、またの名をジョン万次郎といいます。
1827年、土佐の漁師の家に生まれましたが、14歳のとき出漁中に遭難し、
アメリカのジョン・ハウランド号に助けられ、アメリカで教育を受けました。
後に日本に帰った彼は、幕府に召され武士となり、通訳者として活躍しました。
文字通り、波瀾万丈の人生を送った彼の足跡を辿ってみましょう

（教育出版株式会社　One World English Course 2のReading Lesson2）

TRACK32　万次郎は、どうやって英語を身につけたのでしょうか？

　Manjiro was saved by the John Howland, an America ship.

He was only fourteen years old.

Whitfield, the captain of the ship, liked Manjiro very much.

He gave him the name “John” after the ship.

The ship arrived in Hawaii.

Everything was new to Manjiro – beds, knives, forks, everything.

　Manjiro learned English by ear.

He had a very good ear, so he learned English very quickly.

After he came back to Japan, he wrote a book about English.

In this book he showed how to read each word in katakana.

For example, wara was for “water” and koshichan was for “question.”

TRACK33　万次郎はどうやって帰国費用を作りましたか？

　Two years later, the captain took Manjiro to his home in Massachusetts.

Manjiro went to elementary school, and he learned to read and write English.

After he finished school in 1846, he went to sea.

　He missed his mother all the time.

He often watched the sea and thought of his dear mother.

He wanted to go back to Japan, but he didn’t have enought money.

　The year 1849 is famous for the “Gold Rush.”

Thousands of people went to California.

Manjiro was among them.

In two months he saved a lot of money.

TRACK34　万次郎は帰国して何をしましたか？

　Manjiro wanted to go back to Tosa, but he was afraid to do so.

In those days Japan’s doors were closed to other countries.

So he went to Okinawa first.

In 1582, he went back to his hometown at last.

　The next year some America ships came to Uraga.

Only Manjiro knew about America.

Only he could speak English.

The Tokugawa Government called him to Edo.

　In 1860 the Government sent some messengers to the United States.

Yukichi Fukuzawa was one of them.

Manjiro, now a samurai, went with them as interpreter.

　The ships arrived in San Francisco.

The Japanese messengers were warmly welcomed.

Manjiro spoke English very well.

American people were very surprised at his English.

TRACK35　万次郎は日米間でどんな役割を果たしましたか？

　In San Francisco, Manjiro bought a Webster’s dictionary.

Manjiro also bought a camera for his wife and a sewing machine for his mother.

　More than one hundred years ago, Manjiro went to school in the United States and learned English.

He made friends with many Americans.

He was a bridge between Japan and America.