n2 HUNTING THE SEA OTTER. 



superintendent of police, accompanied by one of his men, a 

 peon belonging to the Ceylon Rifles, entered the cabin for 

 the purpose of identifying some of the officers of the ship, 

 who were supposed to have taken part in a disturbance on 

 the preceding night on shore ; after picking out the delin- 

 quents, the peon, pointing to a large mirror, proceeded 

 gravely to identify two others, sitting in what he thought 

 was an adjoining cabin. 



The Yakonins informed us that they had no objection to 

 our taking at any time what wood and water we required, 

 at the same time requesting that this should not be 

 mentioned at Hakodate. We promised so much, and as 

 they were getting a little mixed for, like Cassio, they 

 have poor, unhappy brains for drinking we put them 

 ashore much pleased with their visit. There are two 

 things, and only two so far as I could discover, that will 

 make a Japanese blush : one is an extra allowance of 

 alcohol in the shape of saki, a rather pleasant, sherry-like 

 drink, prepared from rice and drunk hot ; the other is a 

 shell-fish, a kind of clam, and a favourite food amongst the 

 natives. 



Having been warned, I never tasted the latter myself, 

 but was with a man once who did, to his cost ; for he 

 speedily broke out into an irritating eruption, with feverish 

 symptoms. A Japanese has, consequently, a very admirable 

 excuse to offer for the apparent results of a too-convivial 

 evening " It was the shell-fish that did it." 



In the afternoon, though the fog was still as thick as 

 ever, both wind and sea had abated considerably ; so, 

 despairing of better weather, we put off in the boats, and 

 while groping our way about fell in with an otter, which 

 was, fortunately, shot before it had time to disappear in 

 the fog. Though next morning found us stirring as early 

 as usual, it was past eight before the clammy, vaporous 

 wreaths that clung so broodingly over the dark surface of 

 the water began to dissipate. Scarcely had we left the, 

 vessel's side, with all the pleasant anticipations of sport, 



