ARRIVAL AT S I M D A. 



401 



the moutli of tlie harbor, hut soon after took her position within, in the neighborhood of the 

 Powhatan. The Vandalia, Southampton, Supply, and Lexington, were found anchored there. 

 The Commodore had purposely dispatched the several ships in succession, in order to enable 

 those which arrived first, time for examining the harbor and selecting convenient anchoring 

 places for their consorts which were to follow. This turned out to be a well-timed precaution, 

 as the Southampton, in warping into the inner harbor, came upon a rock lying in the middle 

 of the channel, with only twelve feet of water upon it at low water, a danger which had escaped 

 the hasty examination of the surveyors. If it had not been for this timely discovery, one or 

 both the steamers would have probably struck upon tlie rock, as it lies directly in the way, and 

 is all the more dangerous from its being only thirty feet in diameter, and cone-like in shape. 

 Lieutenant Commandant Boyle had very j^rudently placed a buoy upon it, which enabled the 

 steamers to avoid the danger^ and pass in without inconvenience, although the channel at that 

 point is only six hundred yards wide. Both steamers found sufficient room to moor without 

 interfering with the Southampton and Supply, already in the inner harbor. The Lexington 

 subsequently came in also and anchored, but Captain Pope preferred a position further out for 

 his ship, the Vandalia. 



t^ ^.^..d^^S I ^•-^"- ^'^m-^^ 



sa? 



Simoiia from Ihc- Creek. 



There can be no better harbor than that of Simoda for a limited number of vessels ; "when 

 its conti uity to the sea, its easy and safe approaoh, its convenience of ingress and egress are 

 considered, I do not see," says Commodore Perry, "how a more desirable port could have been 

 selected to answer all the purposes for which it is wanted." 



The town of Simoda, or Shimoda, is on the island of Nippon, near the mouth of the lower 

 bay or gulf of Yedo ; latitude 34° 39' 40" north ; longitude i38° 57' 50" east. It is within the 

 51 J 



