THE STRAITS OF TSUGAR 



71 



Yesso and approached the Straits of Tsugar. The 

 sea of a deep dark blue rippled quietly around the 

 ship, and several islands on either side rose out of it 

 and stood against the sky like huge sugar-loaves. /\t 

 six p.m. we entered the straits, and could distinctly 

 make out with our glasses the large fishing village of 



PASSING JAPAN. 



Matzmai, picturesquely situated at the foot of the hills. 

 Several Japanese steamers and junks were sighted in 

 the distance, and we were presently overtaken by the 

 Rurik conveying M. Isvolsky to Yokohama. She 

 had started from Madivostok twenty hours after we 

 left, and overtook us in no time. W^e all stood on 

 deck, watching her pitch in the heavy ocean swell that 



