326 EXPEDITION TO JAPAN. 



Gore, King, Krusenstern, and the three or four American and English vessels ■which have visited 

 the coast within a few years back, should be in any manner correct. 



It is true that the Japanese have constructed charts, but they are on a plan peculiar to 

 themselves, and of little benefit to the bold navigators, with their large vessels, of Europe and 

 America. The Japanese charts, without meridian or scale, and totally destitute of any record 

 of soundings, are hardly of any use, except in their own timid navigation. The Japanese never 

 venture, if they can possibly avoid it, beyond sight of land, and always seize upon favorable 

 seasons, weather, and winds, for making their longest runs. Their junks skirt the coasts by 

 touching the land here and there, and going from island to island, and seldom make a run of a 

 longer duration than twenty-four hours. The largest Japanese junks seen did not draw more 

 than eight feet of water, and, as has just been remarked, they run from port to port, invariably 

 seeking shelter on occasions of adverse winds or appearances of bad weather. The pilots, 

 familiar with every rock upon the coast, need no charts, and conduct their vessels, in accordance 

 with their cautious navigation, with general safety. Every harbor, however small, is furnished 

 with conveniences for securing the Japanese craft, holes being artificially made through the 

 angles of the rocks for passing the cables, and where this is not practicable, upright pillars or 

 posts are hewn or morticed in the stone, and all chafings of the moorings provided against by a 

 careful rounding and smoothing of the neighboring projections or detached parts. 



On the morning of the 12th of February the weather became more settled, and the steamers stood 

 up the bay. The outlines of the land were recognized from the familiarity of the previous visit, 

 but a change had come over the face of the landscape, in consequence of the difference of season. 

 The lofty summit of Fusi-Yama was distinctly visible as before, but was now completely clothed 

 in its winter garb of snow. The rich verdure of the surrounding land had lost its cheerful sum- 

 mer aspect, and looked withered, bleak and sombre. The rising uplands were no longer repo- 

 sing in their beds of green, shaded from a summer's sun beneath spreading groves, but were 

 hare and desolate, while the distant mountains stood chill in their snowy drapery and frowned 

 upon the landscape. The weather was cold and blustering. As the steamers approached the land, 

 two vessels were observed close in and apparently at anchor. On approaching them it was 

 discovered that they were the Macedonian and Vandalia. The latter had a signal displayed 

 announcing that the Macedonian was aground. It was soon ascertained that Captain Abbott, 

 on the day previous, had mistaken the indentation in the coast within which his ship was 

 aground for the entrance to the passage to Uraga and Yedo. He had, accordingly, on venturing 

 too near the shore, grounded his vessel on a ledge of rocks not, of course, laid down upon the 

 imperial chart which he had ; said chart being nothing more than a copy of one of Von Siebold's 

 maps, which had been copied from the Japanese authorities, with a few notes upon it, made 

 during the first visit of the squadron to the Bay of Yedo. Captain Abbott, finding his ship in 

 this dilemma, adopted the usual means of getting her afloat by starting the water, making her 

 guns ready for throwing overboard, and actually throwing over the side many miscellaneous 

 articles. Commander Pope of the Vandalia, at that time in company, immediately anchored 

 and sent his boats to the assistance of his consort the Macedonian. 



The fort)inate arrival of Commodore Perry with his three steamers at once gave assurance of 

 effectual aid. Commander Lee of the Mississippi was accordingly ordered to approach with his 

 steamer as near as he could safely venture to the ship on shore, and run a couple of hawsers to 

 her with the view of hauling her off by the power of steam. This duty he executed with his 



