Transcriber's Notes:

Every effort has been made to keep to the original text as much as possible. Non-standard spelling and grammar have been mostly preserved. Changes have only been made in the case of obvious typographical errors, and where not making a correction would leave the text confusing or difficult to read. There is a fair amount of inconsistency in the author's transliteration of foreign words, especially in place and person names. Such inconsistency has been mostly preserved but in some cases names have been made more recognizable or the spelling has been standardized so that it is easier for the reader to follow the author's narrative. All changes are documented below.

Inconsistencies in the hyphenation of words preserved. (ahead, a-head; bluejackets, blue-jackets; cocoanut, cocoa-nut; eyebrows, eye-brows; Gen San, Gen-San; ironclad, iron-clad; Loo Choo, Loo Choo; outlined, out-lined; ricksha, rich-sha; seaboard, sea-board; semicircle, semi-circle; sundown, sun-down; stokehole, stoke-hole; Tientsin, Tien-tsin; Tsusima, Tsu-sima; topgallant, top-gallant; Yangtsze, Yang-tsze;)

The author's inconsistent style of making a diary entry has been preserved. In some cases, a date is followed by a period and emdash and then the entry proper. In others, there is a date, no period and an emdash. In yet others, the date is followed by a comma and then the entry proper.

Pg. 7, word "smart‘", in the original there was a lefthand or opening single quote mark just after the letter "t" and the whole word including the single quote mark was enclosed in double quote marks. The opening single quote mark is more plausibly a comma which printer has placed upside down. Changed to comma. (we are told he is "smart," meaning, of course, that)

Pg. 8, "fete" grave accent changed to circumflex, matching spelling on page 289. (a sort of fÊte was made of it)

Pg. 10, period after "aft" changed to comma, which is more appropriate in the context. (two forward and two aft, that they may be discharged)

Pg. 20, "aud" changed to "and". (beer and stout, and something)

Pg. 21, duplicated word "are" removed (we are invited to insert our names)

Pg. 28, "Pontellaria" changed to "Pantellaria", to match spelling later in the same paragraph. (for Pantellaria—an island of more interest)

Pg. 30, "criental". The word "oriental" might possibly have been intended, however, the original text is preserved. (criental love for colour)

Pg. 31, "ubiquitious May" changed to "ubiquitous Mary". The phrase "ubiquitous Mary" seems more appropriate in context, changed accordingly. (who does not know Mary the ubiquitous Mary)

Pg. 50, "laterel" changed to "lateral". (by dint of a little lateral pressure)

Pg. 54, "Simatra" changed to "Sumatra". (off Acheen head, in Sumatra)

Pg. 56, "liries" changed to "lories", seems more appropriate in context. (doves, pigeons, lories, and humming birds)

Pg. 61, "to the Hindoo god Brahin". Unclear what author's intended to refer to: "Brahmin", "Brahma" are among several possibilities. The author's original text is preserved.

Pg. 61, "becomiug" changed to "becoming". (becoming a fixture by planting his feet)

Pg. 64, "Lebaun" changed to "Labuan", to match spelling elsewhere in the text. (Coaling is a long process at Labaun)

Pg. 72, "Rowloon" changed to "Kowloon". (the peninsula of Kowloon)

Pg. 72, "wont". Throughout the text, when "wont" is used as a contraction for "will not" or "would not" the author did not insert an apostrophe. This original style is preserved in all instances. In other contexts the author also uses "wont" to mean "habitually".

Pg. 74, "Cirea" changed to "Corea", matching the spelling elsewhere in the text for the country now more commonly called "Korea". (beyond it in Japan, Corea, and)

Pg. 75, "Cirea" changed to "Corea", matching the spelling elsewhere in the text for the country now more commonly called "Korea". (after the style of the people of Corea)

Pg. 85, "blatent" changed to "blatant". (and other blatant pyrotechnical compositions)

Pg. 85, "univeral" changed to "universal". (there is but one universal fashion of garment)

Pg. 91, "as" changed to "at", which seems more appropriate in context. (arsenal was built at Foo-Choo)

Pg. 92, ship name "Eyera". Author was possibly referring to "Egeria", an English warship which is also mentioned elsewhere in the text. Original spelling preserved.

Pg. 92, ship name "Monocasy". Author was most likely referring to the USS Monocacy but the author's original spelling is preserved as it is a plausible rendering of an unfamiliar name as he heard it.

Pg. 94, a closing double quote mark is presumed after the word "delight" and has been inserted. ("unqualified expressions of delight,")

Pg. 96, "Yeso" also spelled "Yesso" and "Yezo" elsewhere in the text. The original text is preserved in all instances.

Pg. 97, "panace" changed to "panacea", seems more appropriate and easily understood in the context. (was the panacea he sought)

Pg. 98, "Sintor", elsewhere, also "Sintoo". This refers to the Japanese religion now more commonly spelled "Shinto". However, the author's original spelling is preserved as they are plausible transliterations of the foreign words as heard by an English seaman with no knowledge of Japanese.

Pg. 98, "Kivto" changed to "Kioto", matching spelling elsewhere in the text. This refers to the Japanese city now more commonly spelled "Kyoto". (to the holy city, Kioto, where)

Pg. 108, "by putting on, in addition their long gown" would read more smoothly as "by putting on, in addition to their long gown". The word "to" has been added. (by putting on, in addition to their long gown, a European hat)

Pg. 110, "coure" changed to "course". (only of course on a much more gigantic)

Pg. 119, "shades" changed to "shade", seems more appropriate in context. (effect of light and shade playing)

Pg. 119, "Fusi-yama" refers to the mountain now more commonly spelled Fujiyama. The author's original spelling is preserved as it is a plausible rendering of an unfamiliar word as he heard it.

Pg. 119, comma after "days" changed to period, seems more appropriate in context. (of a few days. Few sights are likely)

Pg. 120, "usuage" changed to "usage". (the common usage of maritime nations)

Pg. 121, "part" changed to "port", seems more appropriate in context. (chief naval and foreign trading port of Japan)

Pg. 129, "nationalites" changed to "nationalities", seems more appropriate in context. (The two nationalities I have mentioned seem)

Pg. 136, "Saghalien" is also spelled "Sagalien" on page 168. Original text preserved in both instances.

Pg. 150, "infer" changed to "refer", seems more appropriate in context. (I refer, of course, to that bird which)

Pg. 159, "unusal" changed to "unusual". (such heavy and unusual evolutions)

Pg. 161, "billets deux" changed to "billets doux", seems more appropriate in context. (six or eight billets doux.)

Pg. 162, "bumbed". The author might possibly have intended "bumped" but unclear, so original text preserved. (From the manner in which the cable "surged" and bumbed)

Pg. 162, "their was still" changed to "there was still", seems more appropriate in context. (and as there was still a big lump of a sea on)

Pg. 163, "Golo islands". Author was probably referring to the "Goto islands". However the author's original spelling is preserved as it is a plausible transliteration of an unfamiliar word as he heard it.

Pg. 166, comma changed to period at end of sentence. (their sex. Can it be that this is)

Pg. 168, "daÏmios". This is also spelled "daimio" without diaeresis above the "i" elsewhere in the text. The original spellings have been preserved in all instances.

Pg. 173, "unusal" changed to "unusual". (presence of an unusual number of jelly-fish)

Pg. 175, "Liminoseki" likely to be "Simonoseki", as mentioned on page 99 and also as "Simoneski" on pages 113 and 153, both plausible transliterations. The author was most likely referring to the place now more commonly spelled "Shimonoseki". Changed to "Simonoseki". (we had cleared the strait of Simonoseki, we fell in with)

Pg. 176, "legecy" changed to "legacy". (come into a legacy from some of his)

Pg. 178 and 179, ship name "ThÈmis" is more correctly spelled "ThÉmis" and "Themis". The original spelling is preserved in all instances as all are plausible renderings on the part of the author and there is no ambiguity in reference.

Pg. 183, original text "January 28th" probably ought to read "February 28th" in order to conform to the chronological sequence. Changed accordingly. (February 28th.—So quietly, that the)

Pg. 185, "populaton" changed to "population". (The native population is Anamese)

Pg. 188, "gulf of Ne-chili" changed to "gulf of Pe-chili". (for evolutions in the gulf of Pe-chili)

Pg. 192, "slighest" changed to "slightest". (does not lessen her chance of coming in first in the slightest)

Pg. 192, period changed to comma after "sail". (At the moment of shortening sail, our lame duck)

Pg. 195, place name "Yokusuka" also spelled "Yokosuka" elsewhere in the text. Both are plausible transliterations and so the original is preserved in all cases.

Pg. 196, "pupose" changed to "purpose". (for the purpose of making the ships)

Pg. 204, missing period at sentence end, added. (in this neighbourhood. Dozens of these)

Pg. 211, "recalcitant" changed to "recalcitrant". (proved themselves so reckless and recalcitrant)

Pg. 217, missing period at sentence end, added. (set them at their ease. They were all)

Pg. 225, ship name "Vittor Pinani" is more correctly spelled "Vittor Pisani" on page 143. The author's original spelling is preserved as it is a plausible rendering of an unfamiliar name as he heard it and there is little ambiguity. Also closing double quote mark added after "Pinani". (the "Vittor Pinani," for Italy, in 1880)

Pg. 225, ship name "Ticonderego" is more correctly spelled "Ticonderoga". However, the author's original spelling is preserved as it is a plausible rendering of an unfamiliar name as he heard it and there is little ambiguity.

Itinerary, entry for 1879, August 9, point of departure "HakodatÉ". This should probably read "Hakodadi", a spelling which is used in the entry just above and also, consistently, elsewhere in the text (although the place name is in fact more commonly spelled Hakodate today). The difference in spelling between the names in the two adjacent itinerary entries is rather easy to spot, and so the inconsistency is puzzling. To allow for the possibility that the author might well have spotted the inconsistency and chose, for whatever reason, to let it remain, the original text is preserved.

Itinerary, entry for 1880, August 3, point of departure, "Okisiri Island". This should probably read "O'Kosiri Island", a spelling used in the entry just above and elsewhere in the text, being a place of some importance in the narrative. However the original spelling is preserved for the same reasons as for "HakodatÉ" above.