APPROACH NANGASAKI. [1845. 



plies, should I find it either necessary, or politic, to 

 repeat my visit the ensuing season. Our progress, 

 however, was retarded by calm and variables in the 

 morning, and it was not until 8 o'clock that a favour- 

 able breeze sprang up, carrying us slowly along the land, 

 and enabling us leisurely to contemplate the scenery 

 before us. The forbidding aspect of the sea features 

 were agreeably relieved by the successful efforts of the 

 cultivators of the soil, who carried their terraced gardens 

 up the sides of, apparently, the most barren hills, pre- 

 senting the appearance of steps to pyramids : from 

 whence they derive water for the irrigation of these * 

 gardens, is yet problematical. As we continued to ap- 

 proach the Port of Nangasaki, the common fishing and 

 trading vessels were succeeded by the gay official, or 

 guard boats, despatched to reconnoitre so unusual a visi- 

 tant as an European ship of war, and increasing so 

 rapidly in numbers, as to afford the exhibition of a Re- 

 gatta, each boat being of beautiful model, elegantly 

 painted, and equipped with light and picturesque canvas, 

 occasionally varied by alternate stripes of white and blue, 

 as well as plain, and no two exhibiting the same flags, 

 each bearing the arms of its office or chief to whom it 

 belonged. 



The breeze continuing to freshen we soon out-sailed 

 these vessels, but one rather in the style of a Pratique, or 

 health boat, motioning a wish to communicate, our pace was 

 reduced and she came alongside ; the officer would not, 

 however, come on board. He presented a small box upon 

 the end of a staff, in which I found a letter, worded in 

 Dutch as well as French, requesting me to " anchor near 



