386 MATTHEW C. PERRY. 



Kong on the 7th of August. He embraced thia 

 opportunity to occupy the surveyors and artists of 

 the expedition in the completion of their hydro- 

 graphical reports, maps, and drawings. Six months 

 were employed in the accomplishment of these 

 various and important purposes; at the end of 

 which period Commodore Perry again sailed on his 

 fourth visit to the kingdom of Lew-Chew. It was 

 his purpose on this occasion to make a more 

 thorough examination of the interior of the chief 

 island of the group, and ascertain its geological 

 formation, the nature of the soil, and its minera 

 logical and agricultural resources. Various officers 

 from the crews of the several ships were selected 

 for this purpose, whose scientific attainments best 

 fitted them to accomplish it. 



The first peculiarity which attracted the attention 

 of these explorers was the vast amount of coral-rock 

 which everywhere abounded, even to the summits 

 of mountains which ascended to the height of five 

 hundred feet. The soil of the surface of the island 

 they found to be composed of the detritus or debris 

 of coral, and decomposed vegetable and animal 

 matter. In the valleys the soil is exceedingly fertile. 

 The absence of marshy land, and the pure and 

 balmy breezes of the ocean, render the island ex- 

 ceedingly healthy. It is traversed by streams of 



