310 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



was too deep to allow of anchoring, and the current 

 was too strong to allow of our lying-to ; so there was 

 nothing for it but to make a bold attempt to sail 

 on, though the three Japanese pilots were all on 

 board the steamer ; and across the further entrance, 

 through which we had to take our perilous way, 

 there was an ugly line of reefs. Fortune, however, 

 was in our favour, and we sailed safely through into 

 more open water, where anchorage was found until 

 the steamer again took us in tow. This adventure 

 rather interfered with observations ; but I saw there 

 was a large town on the island of Hirado, with the 

 residence of a Damio or prince, surrounded with 

 trees and fortifications. The people on shore ap- 

 peared quite stupefied by the extraordinary, and, to 

 them, inexplicable nature of our manoeuvres. Per- 

 haps they thought that a sudden fit of insanity had 

 attacked the Fanny M'Henry, or that our motions 

 were preliminary to an attack upon their position. 



Towards evening Ave got pretty well clear of islands, 

 and on our left 



" There gloomed the dark broad sea " 



of the Corean Strait. As it was too dark then to 

 proceed farther, we steamed round and round till 

 daylight, Avhen we found ourselves beside Fiki Island, 

 and off the western entrance of the Inland Sea. The 

 mountains which stretched round were bolder, and 

 with less wood upon them, than those passed on the 



