Before reaching the bay of Yedo, sounding-spars had been rigged out from the end of the bowsprit of each steamer, from which depended sounding-leads, that were kept constantly going as well as the leadsmen in the “chains.” As previous knowledge of the water was rather defective, the ships proceeded in with caution. The sweep of the bay is a noble one, as you approach, and the morning being a clear and lovely one, every object, from the strange-looking crafts coming continually in sight, to the summits of the high shores, and bold bluffs, were sharply defined. Then too, simultaneously with our first sight of the nolli me tangere, we got our first sight of the mountain of Japan—Foogee Yama.

Perhaps the incidents which transpired during our first short visit to Japan, can be better conveyed by giving them as jotted down at the time.

July 8.—Ship cleared for action; fore and bow-rails and iron stancheons taken down and stowed away; ports let down, guns run out into position and shotted. Flag-ship made signal, “Have no communication with shore; allow none from shore.” Nine o’clock—standing up the outer bay of Yedo; a number of Japanese junks in sight. Smaller boats, in considerable numbers, making for the ships, and crossing their bows; but the sight of the revolving-wheels makes them haul up, and they give us a wide berth as we hold our way past them. To those in the boats who never before saw a steamship, particularly two large war-steamers, towing sloops-of-war through the water at a fast rate, how wonderful must be the sight! As the ships approached the town of Uragawa, or Uraga (about three o’clock), a fort, situated on a high hill, sent up a shell high into the air; and in a little while after we heard the explosion of another. As they did not appear to be aimed at us, but probably intended as signals, or to warn us not to come to anchor in their bay, we kept on. A few moments after stopping our wheels, long sharp-built boats of pine, fastened with copper, and ornamented at the prow with a black tassel, that had not been previously observed under the shadow of a high bluff, swarmed off under oar and sail, and surrounded the ships. They were all fully manned with men in uniform, and an old chap leaned over a rail in the stern. One of the boats that reached us first, contained a mandarin with two swords, who shook a letter at us, and then attempted to board us on the port bow, but the presentation of a loaded musket, by a sentinel, made him think a little while about it. He became much enraged, turned almost white with anger, his crew keeping up the while an awful pow-wow and noise; and, with them, he tries to board again, where our rail was down, but a division of pikes staring them in the face, and a steamer’s wheels kept revolving (rather ugly things for a boat to get under), made them adjourn their determination. Drifting aft to our port-gangway and finding the prospect no better, he put off for shore, pointing to, and motioning that we must not let go our anchor, drawing and sheathing his swords, and holding up a letter. (One of these letters was thrown aboard of the Plymouth, written in French and Dutch, warning us, if we anchored there, we did it at our “peril.”) But our ships went in under their guns and let go their anchors, forming a line broadside to shore, as previously ordered by diagram from Commodore Perry. Boats continued to circle around us, the occupants of some of them appearing to be making drawings of us, but they took care to keep at a respectable distance. In the evening, the lieutenant-governor of the province, Kayama Yesaimon, came off in a boat with streamers, and his rank being announced, he was allowed to come on board the flag-ship. The commodore would not receive him, but turned him over to his flag-lieutenant. In the meantime they commenced the formation of a cordon of boats around the ships. The Japanese functionary was first asked why this was being done. He said it was Japanese “custom.” He was at once told that it was an American “custom” not to allow any such thing; that these boats must be sent away, not only from the flag, but the other ships; and if not away in fifteen minutes, they would be fired into. The boats left for shore. The governor wished to know what these ships had come there for. He was told that our commodore had a letter from our chief magistrate to his emperor. He said that their laws would only allow them to receive the letter at Nangasaki; that he would inform the authorities at Yedo of the arrival of the ships and of the letter; and that it would be four days before any answer could be received. The commodore directed it to be told him that he would wait three days and a half, and if, at the end of that time, there was not some one to receive our president’s letter, that with five hundred men he would land, and deliver the letter himself. The governor then went ashore. In the evening the steam-chimney was ordered to be kept protected; no coal to be taken from the bunkers so as to expose the engines; steam to be kept up, and every suitable person on board ship directed to stand strict guard during the night, armed with cutlass, carbine, &c., and blue and red signal lights agreed upon between the ships, to be hoisted upon the appearance of any burning junks sent down upon us, or other danger during the night.

July 9.—Still at anchor off the harbor and town of Uraga, each ship with springs on her cable. Uraga is the seaport of Yedo, and said to contain twenty thousand inhabitants. Innumerable junks, with white-laced sails, have been continually arriving and departing since we have been here, having to be examined by officers of the customs, both going up and coming down. We can only see a portion of the town, the remainder being shut in by the narrow entrance to its harbor. During my mid-watch, last night, the Japanese ashore were striking, at intervals, a sweet and deep-toned bell, probably as a tocsin; while from the stern of each of the immense number of boats, anchored side by side, in shore, shone bright lights through lanterns of every color, making one long necklace of light, in front of the town of Humai, situated in the midst of forts and water-batteries. At sunrise, through a spy-glass could be discerned a number of fortifications along shore, extending up to a point which marks the entrance to the inner bay. There was also visible a number of long striped-cloth curtains, containing armorial figures of the different princes of the empire, the encampment of whose soldiers they are designed to mark out. The soldiers, like those previously seen in the boats, wear loose sacks of red, green, or blue, unconfined in front, and having in white on their backs the insignia of the prince whom they serve. There was a great deal of marching and countermarching, with gay banners, &c., between the different forts. The calibre of the guns in the embrasures, could not be made out, being kept under cover, or, as the sailors say, in “petticoats.” On a very well-designed fort, circular in plan, intended to protect the entrance to the harbor of Uraga, were a number of the natives at work. About nine o’clock, boats well-armed were sent from each ship, with lead-lines, to ascertain the depth of water between the ships and the shore. These boats pulled as high as the upper fort, where the uppermost one was surrounded by Japanese guard-boats, who ordered them back, but did not attempt anything else, some of our oars being trailed, and the curtains over the muskets raised up for their edification. Our boats paid no further attention to them, but continued to stand in and pull close down the shore, getting soundings as they went, and at the same time making a rather bold reconnoissance of their guns and forts, who did not fire upon them, as many watching from the ships, at one time thought they would do.

July 10—Sunday.—A number of boats came off and rowed around the ship; troops, apparently, collecting on shore. Japanese at work on a fort just opposite to us. Weather clear. The steep shores, well-wooded, looking fine as they are brightened by the sun-light. Evening—A whale blowed not far from the ship. Foogee Yama obscured by cloud. During the day, the capstan having been dressed as usual, and books distributed, the chaplain gave out the hymn, commencing commencing—

and with the aid of many of the fine voices of the crew, and the assistance of the bass instruments of the band, in sight of heathen temples, and, perhaps, in the hearing of their worshippers, swelled up “Old Hundred” like a deep diapason of old ocean.

July 11.—By order of the commodore, the Mississippi was ordered to get under way, and stood up the straits, following slowly after our boats sent to sound the inner bay, to ascertain the practicability of reaching the capital, our present anchorage being twenty-five miles from the city of Yedo. Passed close in under the chief fort, on the point beyond which no “barbarian” ship had ever been permitted to go. Fort did not fire. On debouching we entered a magnificent bay, of great extent, bounded on its western side by picturesque slopes, bold bluffs, with here and there a village between them, deeply indented coves, and a well-wooded island, crowned with a three-gun battery, which on our survey chart was called “Perry island.” Our boats continued to sound ahead during the day, the Japanese guard-boats enveloping them and attempting to impede their progress by getting across their track, but attempted nothing further. Two little brass howitzers, on each of our forward guards, loaded with grape and cannister, would probably have caused some dancing among them if they had. On the east of us, on a long low sand beach, through a spy-glass could be seen an encampment of Japanese troops, near a breastwork, dressed in black figured clothes, and surmounted with banners. This was probably an “army of observation.” We continued to hold our way up the bay until a late hour, as far as a high bluff of clay-stone, which was named “Mississippi bluff,” as a token that it was nearer to the palace of the ziogoon of Japan than any foreign ship had ventured to go before. Our boats were then taken in tow, and we started on our return to the anchorage we had left in the morning. A two-sworded mandarin attempted to make his boat fast to one of our boats astern, that he might get a tow back, and I was surprised to hear him ask in English, “Are you going back?” The sailors in the boats were ordered to cut his line if he made fast to them. He was much angered as our wheels left him in the distance. We regarded his proposition for a tow, as cool as a fellow who would play spy on you all day, and then ask you to take him home in a carriage at night. On our way back we passed through a flotilla of their boats, when our chief engineer opened our steam-whistle. Never were human beings more astounded, when the unearthly noise reached their ears, the fellows at the sculls dropped their oars and stood aghast. To all of the day’s doings the inhabitants of the different towns, and the troops strung along shore, have been constant and watchful observers. They could not understand what our movements meant. Jonathan’s boldness had dumbfounded them.

July 12.—Governor of Uraga came aboard and urged Nangasaki as the proper place at which Japan could receive foreign communications. Commodore Perry replied that his government had sent him to Yedo, and that he would go nowhere else to deliver his letter. The Japanese officials then pretended to hold a conference ashore, and afterward brought off word that they would receive the letter at a point which they would make known. It was afterward arranged that the reception of the letter was to be by a high officer, sent from the capital for the especial purpose; the place, a bay below the town of Uraga, and that it would take two days for them to get up a building for the ceremony. They said they had selected this spot for its privacy, that their rabble population might not be present; and as the whole thing was without precedent with them, and against their laws;—also, probably, because they did not wish us to get a sight of their towns, or a nearer view of their forts. The governor and his two interpreters at this interview remained aboard some time, and were very observant of everything, and evinced more information than could have been expected. The engine-room astonished them, though with Japanese self-possession they concealed much. They laughed, and were untiring in their attention to cherry brandy. On being shown a daguerreotype, they immediately called its name. On a globe they pointed out Boston, New York, Philadelphia, New Orleans, &c.; gave the boundaries of Mexico, and said our country had a part of Mexico; if our mission was a peaceful one, why did we have four ships-of-war to bring one letter? (Commodore told them that it was a greater compliment to their emperor—probably!) Wished to know why the steam-vessel “Mississippi” went up the inner bay so far? It was replied that the commodore had more ships in these waters, and if they should render it necessary that they would all come with him, the next time he came; he desired an anchorage less exposed than the one we were then lying at.

July 13.—Some little suspicion of treachery ashore; much conference going on among chief mandarins. Boats were sent from the ships to go and sound off the mouth of the appointed place, to see whether any of the ships could get in sufficiently near to cover and protect the landing of the boats; orders issued prescribing who were to compose the landing party; some will have to stay on board the ships; poor fellows! Bad day for Japanese to-morrow, if they attempt with us the treacherous game that they played upon Golownin:—

July 14.—Bright and beautiful day. Much activity and preparation for the landing; boats being lowered away, percussion-caps distributed, and twenty rounds of ball-cartridges delivered to each man; officers rigging in undress uniforms, and arming mostly with cutlasses and Colt’s six-shooters. Quartermasters fastening American ensigns on pikes. General orders received early in the morning. The Susquehanna and Mississippi will anchor in the position assigned them. The Plymouth will retain her present position, and the Saratoga to get into her berth if possible, but not to get out of range of the forts and town. The ships will watch the proceedings on shore, having their guns primed and pointed, and their remaining boats alongside, with arms in them, ready in a moment to shove ashore, if the commanding officers think there is need of them. The boats which carry the officers, sailors, and marines on shore, are all to have anchors, and after landing their respective crews, are to haul off about fifty feet from shore and anchor, keeping their men at their arms and watching the proceedings on shore, and if they are called on shore the officers of the boats will land with all but two men, who are to be left as boat-keepers; bread and water in the boats. At daybreak the Susquehanna and Mississippi steam-frigates tripped their anchors, dropped down, and anchored immediately across the entrance of the bay where we were to land, to protect and cover the landing, having springs on their cables, that their broadside of guns might be trained on the shore. The sloop-of-war Plymouth commanded the town of Uraga, and the Saratoga, that of Humai, and the forts surrounding it. At nine o’clock, our boats armed and manned, went alongside of the flag-ship, where were the boats of the Saratoga and Plymouth. After some delay the boats moved ashore. The captain of the Susquehanna and officers, leading; Captain Walker of the Saratoga and officers next, then the Mississippi’s boats, in the first of which I was, under Lieutenant Taylor. Following in line came the remaining boats of all the ships, with sailors, marines, two bands, &c.

The place selected by the Japanese for the delivery of the letter, was a bay of some mile and a quarter in depth, surrounded by an amphitheatre of bold hills, its entrance being narrow, and defended by forts on either side. At the head of this bay, following the line of a crescent beach of black and white sand, ankle-deep, is the town of Gorihama. In the distance, with its veil of blue, and patches of snow, towering up fifteen thousand feet, shone the extinct volcano of Foogee. The boats, as they pulled in, presented a fine sight; the “flower-flag,” as the Chinese call it, waving gracefully from the stern of each boat; the bright muskets shining in the sun, and the epaulettes glistening. The landing was done in fine order, and with great promptitude, under the command of Major Zeilen, of the marine corps. Each man, as the boat touched the beach, jumped ashore, and took his proper place in line, which, when formed, presented a bold front, notwithstanding officers and men all told, it scarcely exceeded four hundred men; and encircling them a few paces in rear, and as far as one could see, on either hand, in horse-shoe form, were Japanese troops, who had been collected there for the occasion, armed with spears and bows, long bayonet brass-mounted muskets, and matchlocks, with ready fuses, coiled on their right arms. In their front, equi-distant, sat their officers on stools, armed with two swords. Near by, not very large, were a number of horses richly caparisoned about the head, and with gaudy housings, belonging to the officers. Extending all around were canvass curtains supported by stakes driven in the ground, with different insignias painted on the front, and festooned with blue cords and tassels; at the termination of each one floated the colored flag of each particular prince, whose men were present. The shining and gilded lacquered broadbrims of the Japanese; the varied costumes, brilliant colors, flapping flags, and curtain enclosures, all overhung by a dense green of trees, as the eye took them in, made one think that he had come to be a spectator of some joust or tourney. The Japanese say they had five thousand men present, but I hardly think there were as many, unless some were hid in the town, whose houses in our direction were concealed behind temporary walls of thatching straw.

A salute of thirteen guns from the flag-ship, which caused some little stir among the Japanese troops, who did not seem exactly to understand it, announced that the commodore and his immediate suite had left, in his barge, for shore. In a little while he landed on a small jutty, made of rice-straw and sand, passing through a street formed of his own officers, to his place in line, when the squadron band struck up “Hail Columbia” in a style, and with a force that made the Japanese open their ears (they may have to listen to it again), and the hills around sent each note of “Hail Columbia” back again. “Hail Columbia” never sounded better. The column of escort with the marines in front, a stalwart sailor with the broad pennant; commodore and staff; suite of officers; boxes containing president’s letter, &c.; two men over six feet high, each, with pikes upon which American ensigns were fastened, with revolving rifles slung across their shoulders; sailors with bronzed muskets; Mississippi’s band, &c.; and marines then marched to the building for the ceremony; shown the way by two Japanese officials. The sailors were in blue trousers and white frocks, prettily bisected with the slings of their cartridge boxes, and wore blue cloth caps, with bands of red, white, and blue, ornamented with thirteen stars in white. The marines were in full uniform. The room of ceremony was reached by passing through a small canopied court; enclosed with primitive landscape screens, the floor of which was covered with matting. The place of audience was a room in a thatched building, limited in space, and entirely open in the direction of the court, ornamented with gauze curtains as drapery. At the back of the room were representations of shrubbery, and of cranes wheeling in flight over it, while on the two remaining sides, were hung large blue flags, having in the centre one large and eight smaller satellite representations. Overhead you looked up to thatching, and each rafter was marked with Japanese characters, as if the building had been originally constructed at some other place, probably at Yedo, and sent down for erection. On the left of the room as you entered by ascending one step, was seated the chief Japanese functionary, appointed by the emperor to receive the president’s letter, the prince of Idzoo; beside him was the prince of the province of Iwami; behind him quite a number of two-sworded mandarins. The chief man was attired in a maroon silk robe, with an over-garment of red, blue cloth socks, with places left for the great toe. On the back of the red over-garment, were figures worked in white, some resembling cornucopias. His suite were attired in the same manner with slight exceptions. On the other side of the room were placed ornamental chairs, with well-designed arm-rests, in which were seated Commodore Perry and suite.

Dr. Williams, of Canton, was present as interpreter of the Japanese language; although his services were not called into requisition. Mr. A.L.C. Portman, the commodore’s clerk, as it was most agreeable to the Japanese, acted as interpreter in the Dutch language. The floor of the chamber was covered with mats, having spread over them in the centre of the room, cloths resembling red felt blankets, indifferently dyed. After the manner of the Japanese, two interpreters were in attendance on the prince, one of them squatted on the floor near our interpreter, partially facing the chief and another (Kayama Yesaimon, governor of Uraga) on his haunches immediately in front of him. Midway, in rear of the room, was placed a brightly-lacquered red chest, resting upon eight feet, with its deep and projecting lid, confined by tasselled cords of blue. The gilt ornamental design in front resembled the rose of the Gothic style. The officers of the ships occupied the court facing the platform.

Everything being announced ready, and obeisance interchanged between the prince and commodore, beautiful rosewood-boxes, hinged, clamped, and clasped with gold, having inscriptions with German-text letters, let in with gold on their tops, which had been carried by side-boys, were then brought in, and displayed upon the chest. Mr. Portman opened them to assure the Japanese of the presence of the letters; and the interpreter was directed to inform the prince, which was done, one interpreter whispering to the other, that in the boxes were also translations of our president’s letter, in Dutch and Chinese. The credentials from the emperor empowering the prince of Idzoo to receive the letter, were then handed over by the prince, and taken charge of by the flag-lieutenant, having been duly examined the day before on shipboard. The letter of the president was as follows:—

Accompanying this letter was one from Commodore Perry, merely repeating the language embraced in the instructions from the secretary of state:—

A brief pause followed the delivery of the letters, the Japanese appearing dispirited, and their prince as if the day’s doings might result to him in being compelled to perform the “Happy Despatch” of his country; the commodore directed the interpreter to say, that as it would take some time to deliberate on the letter of the president, he should not wait for an answer, but would return in the spring; that he would leave in a few days for Canton, by way of the great Loo-Choo island, and would be happy to take any commands they might have. Owing to our pronunciation of the word “Loo-Choo,” perhaps, they did not seem to understand the latter part of this. The interpreter was then directed to tell them, that China was now in a state of revolution; that the rebels had taken Nanking, Ningpo, Amoy, and Cheang-foo. The Japanese interpreter, apparently for himself, asked what was the cause of the revolution. The commodore commenced a reply by saying, “Religion,” then correcting himself, said “Dissatisfaction with the government on the part of the people.” The interpreter reflected awhile, and then said he could not say anything to his prince about revolutions, but could only speak about the letter. The governor of Uraga then rose, placed the president’s letter in the lacquered chest, and tied the cords; then, turning, bowed very low, intimating that the audience was concluded; the prince rising and saluting as we retired.

The column of escort then reformed, and returned to the beach where we landed, in the same order in which we had come, passing down the front of the line of Japanese soldiers, many a scowling fellow meanwhile looking daggers at us; and their officers, affecting an indifference to the scene, which they could not have felt, perhaps thinking how agreeable a thing it would be, to hold one of those Americans on the end of one of their blades, as a fork, and hack him with the other as a knife; if they only dared to try. So closed the day that is to mark the opening of Japan to the world. America has said, “Open, sesame!”

I said to Major Zeilen, of the marine corps (a fine old soldier), the day before we landed, “Well, major, they have our cages ashore?” “No, sir; no caging to-morrow,” said he, “it will be fight to the death!” Our men marched past the Japanese troops with the greatest indifference, making such remarks as, “Jack, give us a chaw of tobacco.” “Robinson,” said the officer of the deck to a six-foot quartermaster who was to carry an American ensign, “don’t you let them take that away from you, to-day.” Robinson said, “Well, sir, they may do it, but the man who takes it won’t be able to carry it after he gets it.”

In the afternoon, of the day of the landing, the steamers got underway, passed the point or “Rubicon Fort,” as it was named, and went into anchorage in the inner bay, which had been sounded out by boats under cover of the Mississippi, three days before. In doing so we got the best view of the line of fortifications, which extend from a point on the western side, marking the narrowest part of the outer, or entrance to the inner bay, down to the city of Uraga. The first fort, built very well, was a kind of curtain-wall with four embrasures, fronted by an artificial plateau sloping to the water’s edge, and protected in the rear by a deep triangular excavation in high sandstone, whose sides sloped to the area below, and must have been made after much labor. This contained a barrack building, and the entrance was by a narrow “grotto pausilipo,” cut through a hill behind. Next, in a small indentation in the shore, was a circular fort, not very extensive, containing houses for troops, and having guns in barbette. The third was on a small circular promontory of some size. The space fortified was mostly occupied by a steep wedge-shaped hill, and was pierced for four guns. The fourth, divided from the third by a small town, as the third was divided from the second, was a rampart of earth and masonry, with a parapet, built across a narrow gorge, surmounted by a high hill with a small crown-battery, from which the shells were fired on our arrival. The principal and best fort, of some dimension, not yet completed, was situated on the north side of the entrance to the harbor of Uraga. This battery was placed some eighty feet above the water, the Japanese having no doubt learned, from their Dutch confreres, that during a calm, at this elevation, they might, by a ricochet-shot, reach the ships of an enemy even seven hundred yards distant. They had also cut into perpendicular steps the ground between this fort and the water, that shot may be stopped in ricochet firing, and their effect lessened if not destroyed. There were no crown batteries visible. Their guns were under cover, and their calibre could not be ascertained, but it is doubtful whether they were of the calibre to render harbor defences efficient.

As soon as the tide served, after our anchoring in the inner bay, the Saratoga and Plymouth got underway, stood up and joined us.

The next day the commodore came aboard of the Mississippi, when his broad-pennant was hoisted, the anchor hove up, and with boats ahead to make soundings, we stood up the bay, running nearer to the great capital of the empire than ship of any foreigner had gone before. The Japanese troops on shore kept watch on our movements, and their guard-boats rowed up in company with ours, but did not attempt to impede or molest them. Having gone up and made soundings, and a reconnoissance, until the water began to shoal, we put the ship about and returned to where we had left the Susquehanna. In the evening a Japanese functionary who had been looking with much solicitude upon our movements, went on board of the flag-ship, and said, “He hoped we would not attempt to go up their bay any farther, if we did there would be trouble.” He was told that if it became necessary to bring our whole squadron into their waters, that it was necessary that the ships should have a less exposed anchorage than the one we had occupied off Uraga, and the only way that such an anchorage could be found out, was by surveys and soundings.

On the 16th boats were sent down to survey and ascertain the depth of water in the cove which opens on the left hand just after entering the inner bay in which is situated the Saru-Sima, by some called “Perry island.” The steamers followed during the day down to this anchorage, but the wind proving light and baffling, the sailing ships did not get there until evening, one of them meanwhile having drifted afoul of the other, on having to come suddenly to anchor, and carrying away a flying-jib boom. Here, before dusk, a Japanese official, who spoke Dutch, brought off as presents game-fowls which had beautiful plumage, lacquered-ware, some of their small pipes and mild tobacco, and brocade interwoven with gold thread. These were refused until they consented to receive presents in return. They would not give one of their blades nor receive one of our swords; such an exchange did not indicate friendship according to their ideas, nor was the parting with any Japanese arms allowed by their laws. They expressed great desire to know when we should leave, and manifested much solicitude and anxiety about our remaining. This curiosity was not gratified.

We had now been in their waters about eight days, during which we had only one opportunity of noticing things and people, near by on shore, and then for not a very long time. But what we had been able to observe, assured us that the Japanese were a superior race, though they might belong to the same variety of the human family as their pig-tail neighbors. Their complexions were better, their features more regular, they had not a great obliquity of eye; their manners were more collected and impressive, their bearing more dignified, their costume less sacerdotal; and their crowns, instead of displaying a patch of hair the size of a dinner-plate behind, with a pendent plait, were shaven in an oval on the top, around which the hair was brushed perpendicularly, and pomatumed, terminating in a tie, from which the united ends, adhering together with the pomatum, laid like a cheroot-cigar in form, the end pointing to the brow, in the centre of the place that the razor has denuded. They look like the literary gentlemen whose bald heads cause their foreheads to run back nearly to their coat-collar. Certain it is that they can hardly be deemed descendants of the son of Manoah, of whom it was prophesied—“and no razor shall come on his head.”

Their boats were sharp, and by the continued action of the sculls—instead of rowing on their sides—were impelled with greater speed than the boats of the celestials; while the nice bows to their junks indicated great superiority, and the single white canvass sail, stretched by a yard from their enormous mast, was far more pleasant to the eye and sensible than the dingy mat-sail of the Chinaman. Their plan of reducing sail is singular: instead of lessening the hoist of the sail as other nations do, as in reefing, they reduce the width of their sail by unlacing a cloth from either side. We did not on this visit get in the vicinity of the large capital but could form some idea of its consumption by the immense number of coasting-junks for ever going up and returning, keeping white the bay, with their singular sails, in centre of which black characters told the district they were from, or it was indicated by strips of black cloth hanging on either end of the yard. It was soon apparent, and the Japanese were no doubt aware that we knew it, that if it should become necessary to resort to offensive measures, that the blockading of the custom-port of Uraga, and the stoppage of the passage of their junks with their supplies to the immense city, would make them very effective. Their forts would not have been able to have raised the blockade; we could have kept out of the reach of their guns, and peppered them with the long range of our own.

On Sunday morning, July 17, at daybreak, we lifted anchor, and the Susquehanna with the Saratoga in tow, and the Mississippi towing the Plymouth, we proceeded down the outer bay, and left for a time the waters of Japan, numbers on shore and the troops on the parapets of the forts of Kami Saki looking at us, and apparently much pleased with the movement. This time we kept down the opposite side of the bay from the one by which we had arrived, and by eleven o’clock we were abreast of Misaki Awa, or the southernmost point of the bay on the east, off which we noticed swimming a number of seals. The natives in the small boats, having gotten more confidence, on our approach, pulled as near to us as the revolving-wheel would permit them. We ran in sight of the large volcanic island, named on the Dutch charts as Vries, but called Oho Sima, or Bird island, by the Japanese. Evening saw us threading our way through a group of islands, whose barren surfaces presented a desolate sight. One of them was Fatisisio, the penal settlement or Botany Bay of Japan.

On the 18th a man fell overboard from the Plymouth, but by cutting away, promptly, a life-buoy which he struck out for and reached, and promptly lowering away a boat, he was saved. I could not but recollect that there was a man overboard from the same ship the day before, but under different circumstances, as was told by the half-raised ensigns at the peaks of the four ships. Poor Jack had died after we had gotten to sea, and the ocean which had been his home during life, before nightfall was to cover him with its waves. The boatswain’s call was not “Heave-to,” as to-day, but piped, which was echoed through the ship by each of his mates, “All hands bury the dead” and as the sun went down, with two of the iron messengers, which he had been proud to have hurled at the enemies of the star-flag, tied to his feet, and wrapped in the hammock in which with stormy lullaby he had often swung, and swinging, dreamed of home and its endearments, poor Jack was launched into the sea, and soon sank “deeper than ever plummet sounded.”

The next day we encountered a heavy swell and a stiff breeze, it then became squally, and there was every indication about the horizon of bad weather approaching. As it was getting quite rough, and there being danger of parting the towing-hawsers, the sloops-of-war were cast off from the steamers, the Saratoga being signaled to make the best of her way to Shanghae, and the Plymouth to proceed to our next place of rendezvous—Loo-Choo. By meridian of the 20th we had a strong gale of wind on us; top-gallant masts were sent down, top-masts housed, and storm-sails bent. At three o’clock the ship pitched away her head-sounding spars, springing the bowsprit in the cap; but the wreck of the spars was gotten on board, so as to give us no trouble by becoming entangled in our wheels. The Susquehanna lost her sounding-spars also, or cut them away.

At night the sea having increased, both steamers having burnt out a considerable portion of their coal, rolled deeply and heavily. We lost, by being filled with the sea, the captain’s gig from our stern-davits,—one of the prettiest and fastest boats in the squadron. The next morning, from the port wheel-house a handsome whale-boat was washed away with oars, sails, mast, and breaker. By mid-day it became apparent, that we were in a cyclone, or revolving-gale, and both ships were “wore” to stand out of it. On the 23d the gale having moderated, though the barometer still continued low, we proceeded on our course. This being the first very ugly weather that we had had since leaving home, landsmen had a fine opportunity of enjoying the comforts of a gale of wind—such as holding on to your basin with one hand, and performing the ablution with the other; waking up in the morning, with your shoes floating about, underneath your cot: at breakfast, the delight of a sticky, salty atmosphere is increased, by your chair sliding with you down to leeward with each roll, or, if attempting to grapple the table with one hand, a cup of tea precipitates itself inside of your vest, while you are attempting to secure your nicely-prepared eggs, that in a moment fresco the deck under foot; the saccharine is largely mixed with the saline, by the mingling contents of the sugar-bowl and saltcellar. This is the pleasurable experience of those, who “go down to the great deep in ships.”

We reached the south end of Loo-Choo, on the evening of the 24th, but the weather being thick and foggy, could not run into the roads, so stood off during the night. This day we recorded the occurrence of the first death—one of the men, who contracted a fever on board of the Chinese junk lost at the mouth of the Yang-tse-kiang. He was buried the next day in the foreigners’ grove at Tumai.

On running into Napa-roads the next day, we had some hopes of finding there the steam-frigate, Powhatan, of whose sailing from the United States we had intelligence, but were disappointed. The Supply lay there alone. From her officers we learned, that the cyclone, that we were in, had been felt with great force at Loo-Choo. They had not only to let go all their anchors, but had also slung some of their carronades to prevent the ship’s dragging on the reefs.

We found that there had been no increase in sociability, and no improvement in the manners of our friends, the Loo-Chooans; and probably with the view to reduce the length of our stay, they had diminished the supply of provisions to the ships—although well paid for them. They plead scarcity, even to sweet potatoes and watermelons, though they might easily be seen growing in their fields. They preferred our loving and leaving them, but the commodore had another interview with his coy-friend, the regent, in which he desired to know, why they wished to cut off supplies; also that their officers must cease to dog our steps on shore, and that they must open their stores. As a mouse in the talons of the eagle, they promised everything, and promised a bazar on a subsequent day, at which the Americans might purchase whatever they had to sell. While this forcible diplomatic wooing was going on, the younger officers, who had the opportunity, were enjoying the delightful walk to the Komooe at Sheudi, or killing wild pigeons and curlew on shore—a delightful gastronomic episode, after a stretch of salt-junk.

At daybreak, on the 1st of August, in a public hall in Napa—the mayor’s office, I believe—the Loo-Chooan bazar (!) was open. The articles exposed for sale, were some Japanese fabrics, brought there by the junks, some domestic cotton-cloth, and specimens of Loo-Choo lacquer-ware, and chow-chow boxes. By nine o’clock, A.M.—having “opened a trade” with Loo-Choo, all were aboard, when the steam-frigates left for China, taking a look at the Amaccarima islands as we passed, during the day.

The next evening, we espied a sail, which proved to be the United States sloop-of-war Vandalia, which saluted the commodore, and then laid to for her captain to repair on board of the flag-ship. We had hoped for some letters and papers from home by her, but she had none.

After running separated for three days, in hopes of falling in with the Powhatan, the steamers came in company again, near the southern extremity of Formosa. At sundown on August 7th, the Mississippi and Susquehanna, after an absence of three months and eleven days, dropped anchor in the harbor of Hong Kong, China.