166 



EXPEDITION TO JAPAN. 



miserably deficient in this as he was in all other useful qualities. His comrade, however, who 

 spoke no English, could write Chinese, and the message having been thus communicated and 

 written, was finally read by the old Pe-ching. The latter refused to accept either cash or dollars, 

 saying that they were of no use to the people whatever, but that everything we needed would be 

 furnished us. The Chinese suggested — probably on their own account — that we should pay the 

 people in ship's biscuit, but we had scarcely enough for our own wants. It was at length 

 decided that we should take what we required and settle for its value with the Pe-ching on our 

 return. 



The people were tardy in bringing our firewood, and we were obliged to eat our supper by the 

 light of our camp fire. I succeeded in getting a sketch of the bay, while daylight remained. It 

 is deep and spacious, and protected by reefs across the mouth, but, judging from the appearance 

 of the water, too shallow to be made available for naval purposes. A large village lies at its 

 bead, and several fishing junks were at anchor before it. At night the plain sparkled with 

 lights, some of them moving to and fro — probably lanterns carried by persons passing from one 

 village to another. The officers determined to remain with us at all hazards, and ^i their 



Kxplorcrs. — Lew Chew. — Night Camp. 



command the people brought up bamboo poles and matting, out of which they erected a tempo- 

 rary structure beside our tent. They were perfectly good-humored in their demeanor, and 

 submitted with great patience to what they could not avoid. Before going to sleep we arranged 

 four watches of two hours each, from 9 p. m. until 5 a. m., and the subordinate native policemen 

 kindled a fire and kept a counter-watch. We were all somewhat fatigued with our first march 



