OHO-SIMA. — MIJAKO-SIMA. — CLEOPATRA ISLES. 325 



Olio-sima is the principal of what may be called the northern group of the Lew Chew chain 

 which, in connexion with the Mijako-sima, and other islands commencing with the Cleopatra, 

 extend from near the north end of Formosa to Kiusiu, the southwestern extremity of Japan 

 proper. The three groups of Mijako-sima, Great Lew Chew, or Okinawa-sima, and Oho-sima> 

 should he denominated the southern, middle, and northern Lew Chew islands, the central 

 government being established at the city of Shui, in the island of Great Lew Chew. Of the 

 people and government of these islands little is known, but it is presumed that they are all 

 subject to an intermediate sovereignty between Lew Chew and the Empire of Japan, or possibly 

 the Japanese prince of Satsuma. This potentate is stated by Von Siebold to receive about 

 2,240,000 guilders, or nearly $900,000, annually, from the Lew Chew islands. Oho-sima is in 

 circumference nearly one hundred and fifty English miles, and bears in its external aspect, 

 with its mountains and richly verdant valleys, a considerable resemblance to Great Lew Chew. 

 It is represented by various writers to be thickly populated, having all tlie advantages of cities, 

 towns, villages, and commodious ports. It is surprising that it has never hitherto been visited 

 by any Christian voyager. 



The Mijako-sima islands have been more than once visited by foreign vessels, and during the 

 progress of the Japan expedition, by the Saratoga, whose officers described the inhabitants as 

 being in language, manners, customs, and appearance, almost identical with the people of Lew 

 Chew. And it is reasonable to infer that this, in common with the other inhabited islands o 

 the chain, has been peopled for many hundreds of years. The Mijako-sima group was ascer- 

 tained to be governed by officers appointed by the king and council of Great Lew Chew, who 

 are frequently changed, in conformity with the policy practised throughout Japan and its 

 dependencies. 



The Cleopatra islands are only two in number, lying in close proximity to each other, and 

 are small and uninhabited. They are cone-shaped, and evidently of volcanic origin, the craters 

 being clearly visible, the larger one of which has been estimated at 1,650 feet in height. The 

 geographical position of all this chain of islands, extending from Formosa to Japan proper, 

 would seem to be so arranged as to suit the convenience of the commerce of the unskilful 

 Japanese navigators, who sail in their frail open-sterned vessels from island to island, always 

 being careful to have a port under their lee, into which to escajie on the least approach of foul 

 weather. 



On entering, upon the 11th of February, the outer Bay of Tedo, or as it may be more 

 suitably termed, the Gulf of Yedo, including the space embraced between Cape Nagatsuro on 

 the west. Cape Serafama or Cape King on the east, and Wodawara, Kamakura, and Cape 

 Sagami on the north, the steamers encountered a severe blow from the northward and eastward. 

 They were kept, however, during the night, under the lee of Oho-sima, {i. e. Great Island,) 

 and thus avoided the greatest violence of the gale. On the previous afternoon a cluster of three 

 dangerous rocks, showing above the surface of the sea from ten to twenty feet, were passed quite 

 near. These were supposed to be what are called on the charts the Broughton Rocks ; and if 

 they were, their position is evidently very erroneously laid down, and if they were not, they 

 have escaped the observation of previous European and American navigators. That these rocks 

 should have been hitherto unnoticed would not be at all remarkable, for few ships have ever 

 visited the southern and eastern coasts of Japan, and it is not reasonable to expect that the very 

 imperfect charts which have been compiled from the meagre information furnished by Broughton, 



