502 



EXPEDITION TO JAPAN. 



board of tlie boat, when the sliip thus picked her up, were six males, four of whom were adults 

 and two were hoys, the one about ten and the other fourteen years of age. They were all of 

 healthy appearance, of medium stature, of a dark color, the hair cut close, not tattooed, and 

 did not appear to be much exhausted. Captain Boyle supposed, from their appearance, that 

 they might have been adrift some two or three days. They liad in the boat about two or three 

 dozen ears of Indian corn, (maize,) a few sweet potatoes, some prepared betel nuts, a cask, two 

 gongs, a fishing net, an axe, a small piece of grass cloth as a sail, and a colored piece of cloth 

 supposed to be a flag. Of water they had none ; but, from the frequent showers encountered by 

 the ship. Captain Boyle concluded they had not suffered much from the want of it. 



To what nation or people these poor creatures belonged no one could tell, as nobody on board 

 could understand their language. It was observed, however, that the word most frequently on 

 their lips was Sil-U-ha-hM. The nearest land to the ship was Cape Engano, the N.E. point of 

 Luconia, distant about one hundred miles. The Babuan and Bashee group were about one 

 hundred and eighty miles directly to windward ; and the first conjecture was that jiossibly they 

 might belong to these. Their dress consisted of wide-legged trowsers extending a little below 

 the knee, with a dark-colored gown enveloping the entire person, and secured around the neck 

 by a drawing string ; their heads they would sometimes bind around with a cotton handkerchief, 

 after a fashion not unlike that used by the blacks of the southern States. Though seemingly 

 not much exhausted when they were taken on board the ship, yet they evidently experienced 

 great ditficultj' in walking, from their long confinement in a cramped position. Sleep, Avith 

 suitable diet, however, soon restored them to their usual condition. 



Uout witb isilUhubooi, picked up by tbu rioutbatnplou. 



