134 A VIOLENT WIND 



boat, was at length driven by a violent storm 

 to a distance from the coast. The prisoners were 

 well treated ; their prison v/as commodious, and 

 their food excellent. In fourteen days, sentence 

 was pronounced on them, probably at Jeddo, 

 and proved less mild than might have been ex- 

 pected in Japan : — they were ordered to be re- 

 placed in their boat, and immediately sent to 

 sea without any provisions, let the weather be 

 what it might. After wandering on the trackless 

 ocean for eight-and-forty hours, they had the 

 good fortune to meet with a whaler, which took 

 them in. These examples may serve as a 

 warning to all navigators-who may be desirous 

 of effecting a landing in Japan. 



The Californian winter being now fairly set 

 in, we had much rain and frequent storms. 

 On the 9th of October the south-west wind 

 blew with the violence of the West-Indian tor- 

 nado, rooted up the strongest trees, tore off 

 the roofs of the houses, and occasioned o-reat 

 devastation in the cultivated lands. One of 

 our thickest cables broke; and if the second 

 had given way, we would have been driven on 



