PKEFACE. 



A FEW words are perhaps necessary by way of introduction to the 

 following pages. 



The Marchesa, an auxiliary screw schooner yacht of 420 tons, 

 Mr. C. T. Kettlewell captain and owner, was commissioned in the 

 Clyde in Novemlier, 1881, and left Cowes on the 8th of January 

 following. She reached Colombo April 24th, having touched at 

 Socotra and Oolegaum Island, one of the ]\Ialdive group, on her 

 way from Aden. From Ceylon she proceeded via Singapore to 

 Formosa and the Liu-kiu Islands, and thence to Japan. She left 

 Yokohama for Kamschatka July 29th, returning thither from the 

 north on the 6th of October. On the second visit to Japan four 

 montlis were spent in the country, and the yacht then proceeded 

 for a six weeks' cruise in Chinese waters. Leaving Hongkong at 

 the end of ]\Iarch, 1883, some weeks were devoted to exploring the 

 little-known islands of the Sulu Arcliipelago, and to visiting the 

 territory of the North Borneo Company. The Marchcm then 

 returned to Singapore to take in stores, and proceeded vid Sumbawa, 

 Celebes, and various other islands of the Malay Archipelago to New 

 Guinea. In her homeward voyage she again visited the Straits 

 Settlements and Ceylon, and calling at Boml^ay, finally reached 

 Southampton April 14th, 1884. 



To such countries as Ceylon and Japan, and others which lie 

 in the beaten path of the tourist round the world, I have not 

 thought it necessary to allude, confining myself entirely to an 



