JAPANESE SHIP BUILDING. 449 



" Those whicli came within my observation, and I certainly could not have seen less than a 

 thousand, were all of somewhat similar dimensions and appearance ; the drawings to which the 

 reader is referred are so accurate that any precise description is rendered unnecessary, and it is 

 only requisite to say that they all have at this time open sterns, with a strong bulkhead aft to 

 keep the water from flowing into the hold. The rudder is of large and unwieldy size, and is 

 hoisted up or lowered by means of runners worked by a windlass fitted in the cabin, which latter 

 is also used in connexion with one on the forecastle for hoisting and lowering the mast 

 and sail. 



" The reasons assigned for requiring the sterns of all vessels to be constructed in this way, has 

 been to render more convenient the management of the rudder ; Kempfer and other writers 

 ascribe it to the suspicious policy of the government, which forbids any of its vessels to visit 

 foreign countries ; and, until the period of my negotiations, the punishment of death was 

 adjudged against all who, by design or accident, were thrown upon a strange land ; and hence 

 they very naturally assumed that the navigators of these frail and open stern craft would not 

 venture beyond the sight of land. It is known, however, that the Chinese junks usually have 

 sterns and rudders somewhat similar, and a presumption may be reasonably advanced that this 

 description of rudder was the first substitute for the paddle oar or sweep used in early times for 

 steering, and the recess in the stern has been left for the sole convenience of taking the rudder 

 out of the water. 



' ' It will be seen by the drawings that these vessels have a sharp tapering bow with a straight 

 projecting stern. They have but one mast, and that is placed considerably abaft the centre 

 beam ; one sail only is used, and that a lug with a square head. This is worked by braces to 

 the yard and by the usual tacks and sheets, and a number of bow lines attached to both leaches, 

 and extending well uj) towards the head ; these are intended to keep the sail flat, when on a 

 wind ; but with all these contrivances it cannot be prevented from bellying to such a degree as 

 to render it impossible for the vessel to work nearer the wind than seven points on either tack ; 

 and, to make the sail still more clumsy and unsuitable, the material of which it is made, either 

 cotton or grass cloth, is laced together in vertical breadths, instead of being closely sewed, as 

 with us. 



" The main or lower deck is flush, and intended to be sufficiently strong and water tight to 



secure the cargo ; over this and abaft the mast, is a sort of half deck, which covers the cabin, and 



is also of tolerable strength. In this cabin the officers, passengers, and servants are quartered, 



the different apartments being formed of moveable bulkheads or screens ; here also is the altar, 



surmounted by an image of some patron god. Forward of the mast, and above the main or 



only flush deck, is a sort of pitched roof, with sides resting upon the gunwales. This is covered 



with boards or thatch, and serves as a shelter for the crew, averaging about thirty in number, 



and the stowing of the least valuable part of the cargo ; forward of this is the cable windlass 



and a space for working the runner forestay ; here also the anchors are stowed when on board." 



By this description one may well judge of the unfitness of these vessels even for navigating 



the coasts and islands of Japan, made, indeed, more dangerous by the prevalence of boisterous 



and foggy weather in those regions ; doubtless many of them are lost, but their pilots (for each 



has an under officer of this class) rarely venture more than a few miles from the land, excepting 



when running from island to island ; and in these passages they never leave jwrt without 



favorable weather and a fair wind. 



57 J 



