NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN. 17 



atout 120 tons. The junk was dismasted and floating in a helpless condition . 

 Sakaki-bara Katsiibe, mate, and Tomokitchi, sailor, the only survivors of 12 

 men, were rescued from the wreck, and made the following statement, which 

 is very interesting as an illustration of many doubtless similar struggles. In 

 October, 1875, the Junk loaded at Shari and Abashiri, on the northern 

 coast of the island of Yeso, with salted salmon and preserved roe of salmon. 

 Left latter place November 5th, and touched at Hakodate, whence they sailed 

 December 6th for Tokio, Niphon. On the 9th, when on the east coast of 

 Japan between lat. 390and 40^ N., and about long. 142-* E.. a severe westerly 

 gale was encountered. December 12th carried away mainmast. Afterwards 

 got it in and fished it with a piece of the main yard. On the 18th carried that 

 mast away, and the yard was washed overboard, A sea soon after disabled 

 the rudder, which was unshipped and taken in, the vessel in the meantime 

 making water freely. To lighten her, 300 kokus of cargo (nearly two-thirds), 

 was thrown overboard. From this time the vessel floated helplessly. 



Early in January, 1876, fresh water gave out, and all the rainwater possible 

 was saved and used. Then three seamen were taken down with the scurvy, 

 which soon appeared among the balance. Towards the close of January, fire- 

 wood gave out, but a small nucleus of fire was preserved in a stove. As a last 

 resort, the junk's boat was broken up for firewood. All hands subsisting on 

 a little rice cooked in rain water, and principally on salt fish, with a very 

 small allowance of water. February 5th Chojero died — the first death. 

 March 9th, Capt. Sato Sangoro died; then followed Kitsaburo, April 16th; 

 Bunkichi, 21st; Kizo, 24th; Kenkitchi, May 2d; Skedjero, 2d; Taske, 2d; 

 Heihichi, 14th, and finally, Matsutaro, June 10th. The two survivors, anti- 

 cipating a similar death, lingered until the forenoon of July 3d, when they 

 sighted a vessel, had strength enough to raise a signal, and were rescued. 

 They caught rain May 24th, after nearly all had died, which largely assisted 

 in preserving the survivors. They also caught fifteen large fresh fish called 

 bonita. Before the captain died, he wrote and handed to the mate letters to 

 his family and owners, describing all details. The two survivors, expecting 

 death themselves, boxed these up, with the ship's papers, and fastened them 

 in a conspicuous place, whence they were taken and preserved. After the 

 death of each person, the survivors enclosed their bodies in a Japanese coffin 

 suitably inscribed, and stowed them in the hold of the junk, hoping they 

 might reach some land and receive burial. The survivors reached San 

 Francisco August 15th, 1876, and after recuperating, were returned to Japan 

 by Mr. Takaki.* 



Many more might easily be added, but these suffice to establish many facts 

 valuable to science. 



The annual rainfall of Japan averages 70.33 inches, occurring on 197.7 

 days, two-thirds of which falls between April and October; at Tokio the ther- 

 mometer varies from a monthly maximum of 91o Faht. in August, to a min- 

 imum of 20^ in January, averaging 580 22 for the year, and averages 48=^ 33 

 at Hakodate, where the average number of hard gales per annum is 16.79. 

 [See Kaitakushi Keports and Tables, Tokio, 1875.] 



* — Note. — These last two cases laave been submitted by Mr. Brooks as additions to the 

 Ist for publication since the reading of this paper. 



