CONTENTS. 



Page. 

 Ijjtkoduction 3 74 



CHAPTER I. 



Probabilities of a successful mission from the United States to Japan. — Such a mission proposed to the Govern- 

 ment by Commodore Perry. — Expedition resolved on. — Vessels selected for the squadron. — Vexatious delay 

 in their equipment. — Commodore Perry sent in the Mississippi to the Gulf of St. Lawi-ence. — Applications 

 of scientific men to join the expedition refused. — Causes of such refusal. — Dr. Von Siebold. — Visit of the 

 President and Secretary of the Navy to Annapolis to take leave of the expedition. — Failure of the machinery 

 of the steamship Princeton on the passage down Chesapeake Bay. — Substitution of steamer Powhatan in 

 place of the Princeton. — Final departure of Commodore Perry on the mission with the Mississippi alone.. 75 — SO 



CHAPTER II. 



Voyage from the capes of the Chesapeake to Madeira. — View of the island. — Funchal. — Hospitality of the in- 

 habitants. — Salubrity of the climate. — Exports of the island. — Novel mode of conveyance. — Departure from 

 Madeira and arrival at the Canaries. — Early failure of northeast trades. — Extraordinary swell from the 

 northwest. — General order as to private journals and communications to public prints. — General order as 

 to scientific Investigations by officers. — The " Harmattan," consideration of hypotheses as to its origin. — 

 Southeast trades. — Ship steered for St. Helena. — Observations on the currents. — Chaplain's observations on 

 the zodiacal lights. — Ai-rival at St. Helena. — Description of the island. — Jamestown. — Longwood. — Tomb 

 of Napoleon. — The calculating hospitality of the inhabitants of the island. — Adventure of Lieutenant 



. — Fortifications of the island. — Their sufficiency against sailing vessels. — Probable insufficiency 



against an approach fi-om the west by steam. — Departure from St. Helena 81 — 96 



CHAPTER HI. 



Passage to the cape. — Fuel for steamers. — Table rock and Cape Town. — Description of Cape Town. — Climate. — 

 Annoyance from dust. — Violence of winds and difficulty of holding to anchorage. — Supplies at the cape. — ■ 

 Caft're war and its effects. — Mode of transporting produce on land. — Vineyards of Constantia. — Effects of 

 emancipation of slaves on agricultural labor. — Mode of cultivating the vine. — Population of Cape Colony. — 

 Bushmen. — Tlie Caffres. — Physical characteristics. — Fingoes. — Military organization of Caftres. — Condition 

 of the emancipated slaves. — Departure from Table Bay. — Passage to, and arrival at, Mauritius. — Harbor of 

 Port Louis. — Dangers of the harbor. — SkUl of port officers in mooring vessels 97 — 106 



CHAPTER IV. 



Mauritius, its discovery. — Geological formation and physical aspect. — Production of sugar. — Effect on agricid- 

 ture of the abolition of slavery. — Coolies. — Population of the island. — State of feeling between English 

 and French residents. — Hospitable treatment of the expedition. — Description of Port Louis. — Grand Port. — 

 Paul and Virginia. — Facts on which St. Pierre founded his story. — Tombs of Paul and Virginia, — Built by 

 an eccenti-ic Frenchman. — Cyclones. — ^Their probable causes. — Interest felt in them at Mauritius. — Depart- 

 ure of the Mississippi from Port Louis. — Her com-se thence to Point de Galle, island of Ceylon. — Reasons 

 for taking it. — Point de Galle, description of. — Great rendezvous of steamers. — Difficulty of procuring fuel 

 there. — American consul. — ^Thoughts on consular system. — Early knowledge of Ceylon. — Its several Euro- 

 pean possessors. — Clima' j. — Salubrity. — Causes of its diminished prosperity. — Productions. — Value of cocoa- 

 nut palm. — Pearl fishery. — Immense numbers of elephants. — Great slaughter of them. — Boa constrictor. — ■ 

 Population of Ceylon. — Physique of Cingalese, Malabars, and Mahomedans in the island. — Religious con- 

 dition. — Buddhism. — Pilgrimage to the temples. — Intercourse with a Siamese naval officer at Ceylon. — 

 Commodore's letter to the second king of Siam. — Departure from Ceylon. — Passage through the Straits of 

 Malacca. — Arrival at Singapore 107 — 124 



