10 RETIRE TO THE SHIP. [1845. 



the guard for the night, and retiring with the other 

 rebel-quelling Chiefs, we were left in comparative ease. 

 By midnight I had obtained sufficient observations to 

 satisfy me for the position, and as the noise had ceased, 

 and with it the excitement, my return to the ship could 

 not be attributed by them to any efforts on their part ; I 

 therefore retired for the night, not even followed by a single 

 guard boat. As they had expressly informed me " that it 

 was forbidden to measure the land in Japan," this mandate 

 did not extend to the ship or the sea ; and as one very 

 stringent note of our Hydrographer clearly intimated to all 

 Officers holding such commands, that they are to exercise 

 their judgment in such emergencies, and that, at least, 

 an approximation to a survey of the works of a strange 

 place should be made, I took decided measures for 

 effecting this object on the first instant of landing, by 

 simultaneous observations at the land position and fore- 

 top-mast head. This afforded me some main triangles ; 

 many other schemes were adopted for its completion, too 

 tedious to mention, but the sounding part was very well 

 executed by the boats employed dredging for shells, 

 which they did not attempt to interrupt after they were 

 shown some of the objects which were collected, deeming 

 us, no doubt, great simpletons. As these boats were 

 commanded by Officers who had complete instructions, 

 and at certain signals from the ship had their positions well 

 fixed, a tolerable survey was commenced, to be finished 

 by the ship at her departure. The generality of my 

 readers may not feel interest in such matters, but I have 

 thought it advisable to introduce these observations, to 

 show to those who may be similarly circumstanced, 



