304 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



were carried off; but instead of presenting them to 

 the Admiral, the social highwayman distributed them 

 among his acquaintances over the fleet, with the view 

 of paving the way for future operations. 



But such stories were insufficient to make the time 

 pass profitably, and as vessels were running down to 

 Japan for horses and fodder, I took the opportunity 

 of visiting that country of paradisaical renown, and 

 of determining with my own eyes the truth of the 

 marvellous accounts concerning it. 



The first half of the passage was a dead calm, over 

 an oily sea, in which numerous sharks were swim- 

 ming down the coast of the Corea ; and we sighted one 

 or two of the Russian frigates that abound in these 

 waters ; but as we approached Nagasaki, there came 

 storm and rain, which greatly improved the wonder- 

 ful appearance of that picturesque harbour. After 

 the sterile hills of China, it appeared as if we had 

 reached something like the Highlands of Scotland 

 clothed with tropical vegetation, or the Ghauts of 

 Western India in a temperate climate. From the 

 dark-blue sea and white line of foam there suddenly 

 rose dark precipices, fringed with trees and streaked 

 with waterfalls. Above these were hills clothed with 

 the richest dark-green verdure, and varied with wood, 

 or else by terraced gardens and fields ; while still 

 beyond rose pine-covered mountains, breaking through 

 white mists, and capped with dark slate -coloured 

 clouds. Like Tennyson's Ida, it was 



