THE INLAND SEA OF JAPAN. 303 



without committing himself to a positive statement, 

 that he was the correspondent of the 'Times' or of 

 the 'Daily iNews,' that he was an Admiralty agent, 

 or a secret agent of Lord Elgin, and that he would 

 so far condescend as to talk with the captain about 

 the matter over a glass of brandy-and- water. Being 

 of gentlemanly appearance, and possessing consider- 

 able power of conversation, the seance usually re- 

 sulted in his talking and drinking the skipper into 

 a rather confused condition, followed up by the loan 

 of a clean shirt, or an invitation to stay on board for 

 a fortnight. Some of the strokes of this ingenious 

 gentleman were not altogether unworthy of Sheridan. 

 In one vessel where he stayed there were a number 

 of Calcutta humps, articles of diet always acceptable 

 in the East, and especially so at Ta Lien Wan, where 

 many vessels were running short of supplies for the 

 table. Accordingly, he suggested to the captain that 

 in those difficult and troublous times, when transports 

 were liable to receive notice of dismissal, it was of 

 great importance to stand well with the Admiral, and 

 that no surer means could be found for securing that 

 end than presenting him with the humps in question. 

 " But," said the skipper, " I should scarcely like to take 

 that liberty." "Make your mind easy about that," 

 quoth our ingenious friend ; " I am intimate with the 

 Admiral, and will give them, to him, so that no lib- 

 erty shall be taken, while at the same time he will 

 know that they came from you." So the humps 



