86 HUNTING THE SEA OTTER. 



hint and when two of the Yakonins, who had been seated 

 on our side of the table, rose and seized him, the former 

 turned in a moment and threw one of them prone upon the 

 form from which he had just risen, while I seized the other 

 and sent him staggering into the corner. It is impossible 

 to say what might have happened next, as our blood was 

 up, and our hands almost unconsciously sought the hilts of 

 the hunting knives in our belts, the only weapons we 

 possessed. Everyone had risen to his feet, the cabin was 

 blocked with men, the rifles of the soldiers outside rattled 

 against the woodwork as they strove to look in through the 

 barred windows of the cabin. 



Seeing my opportunity in the indecision displayed in not 

 proceeding to further extremities, I called out in Japanese : 

 " You see, this will never do, you must let us all go." 

 Almost simultaneously with these words the interpreter 

 called out : " Stop, stop, we will consider again." Now it 

 is said that he who hesitates is lost, so we remained in a 

 state of armed neutrality for a few minutes while the usual 

 consultation took place. The interpreter then turned to us 

 and said : 



'' We shall not take you to Hakodate, but you are now in 

 Japanese waters ; if at any time we find you here again, we 

 shall confiscate your vessel and cargo and carry you all to 

 Hakodate ; in the meantime, we give you ten hours to clear 

 away, and on no account are you to return." 



So far we had triumphed ; the interview had been a long 

 one, for it had lasted four hours, it being past seven when 

 we got back to the schooner, after a more than usually 

 exciting two days. The preceding night, it will be re- 

 membered, we spent on the sand. 



Baker, who had been anxiously awaiting us, had dinner 

 ready, and received with mingled consternation and amaze- 

 ment the story of our bearding the lion in his den, " The 

 Douglas in his lair." He had witnessed our capture, and 

 feared our long detention boded no good. The verdict that 

 we were never to touch the coast again was startling, to say 



