ANCHORAGE AND FORTIFICATIONS. [1845 



preceded by their lanthorn bearer. The crews of these 

 boats are dressed in smock frocks, with the badge of 

 office worked on the shoulder, and glazed or japanned 

 hats similar to those used by firemen. But those who 

 labour at the sculls and probably are slaves, wear nothing 

 except a pair of short trowsers, reaching about one third 

 down the leg. Their hats, when they are covered, appear 

 to be composed of broad leaves of the Palmetto, woven, 

 and in some instances, of a frame work covered with 

 paper, prepared with the paste of the sea- weed Agal Agal. 

 Recurring to the anchorage and the appearance of the 

 fortifications as we entered, I shall now proceed to des- 

 cribe them. The outer roads of Nangasaki, or that 

 denoted by the anchorage off the Cavallos Islands, is 

 formed by the two thus named on the west and south, a 

 small island in the centre of the channel, leading to Nan- 

 gasaki on the east, and by a small chain of islets on the 

 north, leaving a space of about two miles in aperture open 

 to the north-west. All these points are more or less 

 fortified. The Cavallos Islands are about one hundred 

 and fifty to two hundred feet in elevation, and are disjoined 

 from each other and the main by channels, of about one 

 quarter of a mile in width. A few brass guns, apparently 

 nine- or twelve-pounders, are mounted on open terraces, 

 commanding the anchorage, but in the event of hostilities 

 would prove rather exciting to our mischief-loving tars, who 

 would desire no better amusement than tumbling them 

 into the sea, or turning them upon the inland batteries. As 

 it would be impolitic to play a bold game without closely 

 computing the force of the opponent, so did we distinctly 

 scan every line of the country we were approaching ; and 



