180 HUNTING THE SEA OTTER. 



with fell purpose all its forces of destruction, and was only 

 holding its hand until darkness should add to its terrors ; 

 and we, speeding homewards under the ever freshening 

 breeze, should have entered the narrow straits where sharp 

 pointed rock and hidden reef \vould complete the work of 

 ruin that wind or sea should fail to accomplish. 



Like the passengers in the junks, we too, were merry, 

 for was not our cruise as good as completed. Ever since 

 leaving Jap Bay, our progress had been exceedingly slow, 

 the winds being very light and baffling. Taking a straight 

 course from Hitokatpu Bay (Jap Bay) to Cape Yerimo, which 

 would be about S.W. half W., would just pass inside the 

 island of Shikotan and cut Nemoro, the distance is about 

 two hundred and eighty miles. Then W. half S. past Cape 

 Yesan to Cape Blunt on chart, Siwokubi one hundred 

 miles, then W. by N., twelve miles to Hakodate Head. It 

 was now August 2ist, and we had only averaged about 

 fifty-seven miles a day. A good deal of our progress was 

 no doubt owing to the favouring impulse of the Oya Shiwo, 

 or Arctic current, which, sweeping down the Pacific side 

 of the Kuriles and the south-east coast of Yezo, meets 

 the warmer Kuro Shiwo about Inuboye Saki, where these 

 waters mingle. The spring temperatures north and east of 

 this cape being respectively 40 and 60 F. The tem- 

 perature off the Kuriles varying from 30 to 36 during 

 the summer. 



After two o'clock the wind began to freshen steadily, and 

 from four to six we were bowling along with everything we 

 could carry, with every prospect of anchoring in Hakodate 

 Harbour in the course of a few hours. Six months' growth 

 of beard and whiskers had been shaved off and the garb of 

 civilisation assumed. But we did not know what was before 

 us. By six o'clock we were abreast of Cape Shiriya, the 

 eastern extremity of Niphon which marks the entrance to 

 the Tsugaru Straits. The wind steadily increased during 

 the next two hours, when it was blowing with hurricane 

 force, making it advisable for us to " heave to," which we 



