THE INLAND SEA OF JAPAN. 305 



' ' Lovelier 



Than all the valleys of Ionian hills. 

 The swimming vapour slopes athwart the glen, 

 Puts forth an arm and creeps from pine to pine, 

 And loiters, slowly drawn. On either hand 

 The lawns and meadow ledges, midway down, 

 Hang rich in flowers, and far below them roars 

 The long brook, falling througli the cloven ravine 

 In cataract after cataract to the sea." 



Shortly after casting anchor, we were put in charge 

 of a couple of sworded custom-officers, who placed 

 in our hands the following interesting specimen of 

 Japanese English, which will be acceptable to all 

 students of idiom : 



" THE PROHIBITION. 



"To be throwed ballast out of all ships in this 

 port. 



"To be done any remain of ships at the outside of 

 this port, and 



" To be fished and hunted in this port and shore. 



1st year of banyan. 



The Government 



at 

 Nagasaky." 



This singular mixture of English, Dutch, and Japanese 

 idioms will be found quite intelligible after a little 

 study, but it stands in very unfavourable contrast 

 Avith the English spoken by the Japanese officials 



VOL. IL --U- 



