324 EXPEDITION TO JAPAN. 



Chew, lie had, therefore, detached from the stiuadron two master's mates and ahout fifteen men 

 to look after the United States government property and other interests during his absence. 



These were merely measures of precaution, which seemed justified by the wily policy of the 

 Japanese, which forbade any confident reliance upon its justice, and by the probability of the 

 Kussians, French, or English, in their eagerness to anticipate the Americans, stepping in before 

 them and seizing a dependency like Lew Chew, which might so greatly further their purposes 

 in regard to Japan. It was not proposed by the Commodore to take Lew Chew, or claim it as a 

 territory conquered by, and belonging to, the United States, nor to molest or interfere in any way 

 with the authorities or people of the island, or to use any force, except in self defence. In fact, 

 there was not likely to be any occasion for violence, as the Americans already possessed all 

 necessary influence in Lew Chew, which had been acquired by kindness and non-interference 

 with the laws and customs of the island. 



The arrival of the Saratoga from Shanghai had been expected for some days previous to the 

 Commodore's departure from Napha, and, as she had not arrived before his setting out, it was 

 thought probable that the squadron would fall in with her outside the harbor. Accordingly, the 

 steamers' course was directed to the westward of Lew Chew, in view of intercepting the track of 

 the Saratoga, and it so happened that the steamers had scarcely cleared the harbor when a sail was 

 discovered standing toward the island, which, on approaching nearer, was ascertained, by signal, 

 to be the long looked-for ship. Captain Walker, who was in command of the Saratoga, soon 

 came on board the Susquehanna, and received orders to proceed direct to the American anchorage 

 in Yeddo bay. Upon his return to his ship, after sending some live stock brought from 

 Shanghai for the squadron, and three packages containing presents for the Japanese authorities, 

 he bore away with the intention of taking the passage east of Lew Chew. 



The passage of the steamers, until the islands lying at the entrance of the great Bay of Yedo 

 were made, was pleasant and by no means protracted. The northern group of the Lew Chew 

 chain, composed of the islands of Oho-sima, or as the Chinese call it Ta-tao, Tok-sima, Eatona- 

 sima, and Kikai-sima, were passed in full view. There was an opportunity, which was im- 

 proved, of establishing with some accuracy the positions of several of the headlands on the 

 western side of Oho-sima and the islets named by Captain Guerin, of the French corvette Sabine, 

 Cleopatra islands. In passing these islands. Commodore Perry was reminded of an order he 

 had received from the Secretary of the Navy to investigate, and report upon, a question touching 

 the original discovery of Oho-sima, by Commander Glynn, in February, 1846, being at the time 

 in command of the United States sloop-of-war Preble. A diligent investigation was accordingly 

 made, and the results embodied in a communication to the Navy Department. The island repre- 

 sented to have been seen in June, 1849, and described in Commander Glynn's letter to Commodore 

 Jones, dated February 21, 1850, as bearing in a southeasterly direction from the Preble, and as 

 a new discovery, is called in the Japanese charts, Oho-sima, and by the Chinese, Ta-tao. The 

 islets stated to have been discovered at the same time, and described as bearing north-northwest, 

 were examined, in 1846, by Captain Guerin, of the Sabine, and named by him "Cleopatra 

 Isles." The latter, as well as others lying contiguous to Oho-sima, were distinctly seen from 

 the decks of the several ships of the squadron, during the present voyage, on February 8, 1854. 

 Sketches of the islands were taken, and their positions established by cross bearings taken from 

 the steamer Susquehanna, at noon, after good observations. The results were as follows : 

 South end of Cleopatra Isles, latitude 28° 48' N., longitude 128° 59' 30" E. 

 North end of Oho-sima, latitude 28° 29' N., longitude 129° 30' E. 



