674 THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. [chap. 



of the southern part of the lake. We were sho-vvn into beautiful 

 Japanese rooms, which had evidently been arranged for the 

 reception of Europeans, and in which accordingly some tables 

 and chairs had been placed. On the tables we found, on our 

 arrival, bowls with fruit and confections, Japanese tea, and 

 braziers. The walls were formed partly of tastefully gilt paper 

 panels ornamented with mottoes, reminding visitors of the 

 splendid view. 



A whole day of the short time which was allowed me to 

 study the remarkable things of Kioto I devoted to Lake Biwa, 

 because lakes are exceedingly uncommon in the south, for they 

 occur only in the countries which have either been covered with 

 glaciers in the most recent geological periods, or, in consequence 

 of the action of volcanic forces, have been the scene of violent 

 disturbances of the surface of the earth. I believed that Lake 

 Biwa would form an exception to this, but I was probably 

 mistaken ; for tradition relates that this lake was formed in a 

 single night at the same time that the high volcanic cone of 

 Fusiyama was elevated. This tradition, in its general outUnB, 

 corresponds so closely with the teaching of geology, that scarcely 

 any geologist will doubt its truth. 



After our arrival at the inn we had to jWait a very long time 

 for the steamer I had ordered. On this account I thoughtlessly 

 enough broke out in reproaches on my excellent Japanese adju- 

 tants, who, however, received my hard words only with friendly 

 smiles, which increased still further my impatience at the loss of 

 time which was thus occasioned. It was not until far on in the 

 day, when I was already out dredging from a small steamer, that 

 I was informed as to the cause of the delay. The Biwa Steamship 

 Company had, at the request of the Governor, intended to place 

 at my disposal a very large boat well provided with coal, but after 

 taking the coal on board it had sunk so deep that it grounded 

 in the mud of the harbour. We had already got far out with 

 the little steamer when the large one at last got off. I was 

 now obliged to exchange vessels in order to be received " in a 

 more honourable way." It was not until this took place that 

 I was informed that I was guest and not master, on which 

 account I was obliged to employ the rest of the afternoon in 

 excusino- my former violent behaviour, in which, with the help 

 of friendly words, beer, and red wine, I succeeded pretty well, 

 to judge by the mirth which soon began to prevail among my 

 now very numerous Japanese companions. 



On the little steamer I had ordered two of my crew whom I 

 had brought with me from the Vega to prepare a meal for the 

 Japanese and ourselves. In this way the dinner that had been 

 arranged for us, without my knowledge, became superfluous. 

 I was obliged instead to receive as a gift the provisions and 



