140 EXPEDITION TO JAPAN. 



These men, as you are aware, have been kindly treated, and retained in the squadron for reason 

 that no opportunity has offered of sending them back to their native island, and they are now- 

 put on board the Macedonian to be taken to Manila, from whence they can doubtless find means 

 of returning home. 



Be pleased to consult with Mr. Edwards, and make such disposition of them as in your judg- 

 ment may seem most suitable. 



Kespectfully, &c, 



M. C. PERRY, 



Commander-in-chief U. S. naval forces, &c. 



Captain Joel Abbot, 



Commanding U. S. ship Macedonian. 



REPORT OF LIEUTENANT COMMANDING J. J. BOYLE. 



Extract of a report of Lieutenant Commanding J. J. Boyle, commanding United States storeship 

 Southampton, attached to the Japan Expedition, addressed to Commodore M. C. Perry, bearing 

 date United States storeship Southampton, Cum-sing-moon, China, August 29, 1853. 



August 5th, at 9 A. M., the ship being in latitude 18° 46' north, and longitude 124° east, 

 a boat was discovered to windward ; we were steering S.W. by W. ; wind from the north 

 and westward blowing a fresh top-gallant breeze, with considerable swell ; after heaving to, &c, 

 succeeded in getting on board six persons from the boat, which was hoisted in ; her dimensions 

 were 12 feet long, 4 wide, and 17 inches deep. The strangers were all males, four of them 

 middle aged, and two boys, apparently about fourteen. They were healthy, of a dark color, 

 hair cut close, not tattooed, and did not appear much exhausted ; I thought they had been adrift 

 two or three days ; they had no water with them, about two or three dozen ears of Indian corn, 

 and some prepared betel-nuts, a cask, with two gongs, an axe, a small piece of grass cloth as a 

 sail, and a colored piece supposed to be a flag ; no one on board can understand their language, 

 the words used most frequently by them is Silla-ba-boo. The nearest land to us was Cape 

 Engano, N.E. part of Luzon, distant about 100 miles. The Babuan and Barhio group were 

 directly to windward, distant about 180 miles, where it is thought they belonged, but in beating 

 through them, and passing near the principal ones, they saw them with indifference ; when 

 brought particularly to their notice, they shook their heads and made signs to the eastward, 

 and said Silla-ba-boo, shaking their heads at the same time. There is an island by that name, 

 described by Horsburgh, in latitude 4° north, longitude 127° east. Although the wind was 

 from the northward and westward when we picked these persons up, we had a short time previous 

 heavy southeasterly weather. After entering the China sea on the 9th, the winds were light, 

 variable, and occasionally sudden squalls, winds mostly from W.S.W. to W.N.W. At 11 

 A. m., Sunday, 21st, took an outside pilot near the Great Ladrone ; at 2 a. m., next morning, 

 anchored in Macao roads, where having received your orders, got under way at 8 p. M., and 

 anchored at Cum-sing-moon at 2.30 A. M. next day. Many have visited the ship; but nothing 

 more has been found out respecting the persons picked up than I have stated. The Japanese 

 from the flag-ship disowns them as countrymen of his. They have been taken on board of each 



