271 



EXrEDITION TO JAPAN. 



CHAPTEE XV. 



AMAEIRIMA ISLANDS. — STATE OF FEELING IN LEW CHEW. COMHODORe's MEASfRES FOR PERMANENT ARRANGEMENTS WITH 



THE AUTHORITIES. COAL DEPOT. PROTEST AGAINST ESPIONAGE. TRADE IN OPEN MARKET. LETTER TO THE REGENT. 



INTERVIEW WITH THE REGENT. ENTERTAINMENTS OF THE COMMODORE. DURING DINNER THE REGENT*S ANSWER IS 



BROUGHT. UNSATISFACTORY TO THE COMMODORE.. — LETTER HANDED BACK TO THE REGENT, AND THE COMMODORE PREPARES 



TO LEAVE THE HOUSE. — INFORMS THE REGENT THAT HE MIST HAVE A SATISFACTORY ANSWER ON THE NEXT DAY, OTHER- 

 WISE HE WILL LAND AND TAKE POSSESSION OF THE PALACE AT SHUI AND RETAIN IT UNTIL MATTERS ARE ADJUSTED. 



PROBABLE EFFECTS OF HUNTING UP THE OLD SEDAN CHAIR ON SHORE. COMMODORe's PROPOSITIONS ALL ACCEPTED. 



COAL DEPOT BUILT. VISIT TO THE CASTLE OF TIHA-GUSKO PURCHASES IN THE BAZAAR. DEPARTURE FROM NAPHA FOR 



CHINA. PLYMOUTH LEFT BEHIND WITH ORDERS TO VISIT BONIN ISLANDS AND MAKE FURTHER SURVEYS. CAPTAIN KELLy's 



REPORT OF THE VISIT AND SURVEYS. FORM OF GOVERNMENT AND CONSTITUTION OF THE SETTLERS ON PEEL ISLAND. 



GENERAL EFFECT OF THIS LAST VISIT TO LEW CHEW. ARRIVAL OF THE VANDALIA ; OF THE POWHATAN. OVERHAULING 



OF THE VESSELS OF THE SQUADRON AT HONG KONG. 



HE storm whicli began to blow soon after the de- 

 parture from the bay of Yedo continued for three 

 days, and tlie two steamers rolled heavily and 

 were much tossed by its violence, making it neces- 

 sary to send down the topmasts and secure tlie 

 great guns by strong lashings ; they, however, rode 

 :iut the storm in safety, and finally arrived at 

 ^Xajdia on the 25th of July. On the approach 

 'to the coast of Lew Chew the weather was so hazy 

 that the land could not be discerned at any dis- 

 tance, and, night coming on, it was thought ad- 

 visable for tlie ships to stand off, which tlicy did, and were carried very much to the southward 

 and westward by the current. This current, according to the generally received accounts, 

 should have been setting in a contrary direction, and consequently the allowance for a northeast 

 set was wrongly made. 



The atmosphere continued hazy througliout the night, and as the day dawned the land was 

 still concealed from view, and it was .some hours before the position of the steamers could be 

 determined by the sight at last of the Amakirima I.slands. At some distance from the islands a 

 patch of breakers was observed, which was duly noted in the chart. Tlie discovery of these 

 breakers and other dangers among the Amakirima group show the necessity of a thorough 



