THE INLAND SEA OF JAPAN. 307 



and rough outer sea-passage. Consequently it was 

 resolved, with the not very willing permission of the 

 Japanese authorities, but under the guidance of pilots 

 which they provided, to try if a sailing vessel could 

 be towed through the Suwo Nada or Inland Sea of 

 Japan a passage which had been already explored 

 by a Dutch steamer, and by H.M. steamer Cruizer. 

 This inner passage runs from. Nagasaki up the west 

 and north coasts of Kiusiu, among the innumerable 

 small islands which lie between it and the Gotto 

 Islands. After a narrow strait at Hirado Island 

 there is a piece of clear sea on the north stretching 

 out into the Corean Straits ; thence by Wilson Island, 

 and about the 34th parallel of north latitude, the 

 course lies through a very narrow passage, not more 

 than a quarter of a mile in breadth, between Kiusiu 

 and Nippon, into the Inland Sea, which is formed 

 by these islands and that of Sikok, the principal 

 ones of Japan. This Suwo Sea stretches from nearly 

 131 longitude to a little beyond 135 3 , and is from 

 sixty to ten miles in breadth ; it is scattered over with 

 numerous islands, and has two other entrances be- 

 sides that just mentioned the Boungo Channel on 

 the east, and the Kino on the west, of Sikok. At 

 its eastern extremity there is the most important 

 port, Hiogo, which is to be opened to foreigners in 

 1863, beside Ohosaka, the greatest port of the em- 

 pire, and at the mouth of the river Engawa, on 

 which stands the city of Miyako, the residence of 



