390 EXPEDITION TO JAPAN. 



generally pleasant until the 1st of June, when the fog set in. It was usually calm in the 



morning, but towards the middle of the day a brisk breeze from the S.W. sprung up. 



Latitude mouth of Kamida creek, 41° 49' 00" N. ; longitude mouth of Kamida creek 140° 47' 



45" E. ; variation, 4° 30' W. ; high water, F. and 0., 5 hours ; extreme rise and fall of tide, 



3 feet. 



By order of Commodore M. C. Perry. 



SILAS BENT, Flag Lieutenant. 



The Southampton visited Volcano bay and Endermo harbor, and verified the accuracy of 

 Captain Broughton's survey. She placed Cape Ietomo, at the entrance of the harbor, in lati- 

 tude 42° 21' N., longitude 140° 56' 30" E. The following sailing directions are quoted from 

 Broughton's voyages, pp. 102, 104. 



Volcano bay is to the west of Cape Eroen. It was visited and named by Broughton in Sep- 

 tember, 1196. He thus speaks of it : "I have seen few lands that bear a finer aspect than the 

 northern side of Volcano bay. It presents an agreeable diversity of rising grounds, and a most 

 pleasing variety of deciduous trees, shedding at this time their summer foliage. 



" The entrance into this extensive bay is formed by the land marking the harbor, which the 

 natives call Endermo, and the south point, which they call Esarmi. They bear from each other 

 N. 17° W., and S. 17° E., 11 leagues. There are no less than three volcanoes in the bay, 

 which induced me to call it by that name. There are 50 fathoms of water in the centre, and 

 the soundings decrease on the approach to either shore. During our stay at the period of the 

 equinoxes we experienced generally very fine weather, with gentle land and sea winds from the 

 N.E. and S.E., and no swell to prevent a ship riding in safety, even in the bay, and the harbor 

 of Endermo is perfectly sheltered from all bad weather. 



"Endermo harbor, as before said, affords good shelter from all winds, bringing the bluff on 

 the extreme part of the isthmus, which forms the starboard point in coming in, to bear N.W. 

 In this situation we found 4 or 5 fathoms, and the larboard entry point on the north shore was 

 on with the bluff. In running for the harbor, the island must be kept open with the starboard 

 entry point till within half a mile of a small islet, (which is only so at half tide,) and then you 

 must steer in to the S.W., when the water will be shoaled, and any berth taken you may prefer. 

 The soundings gradually decrease from 10 to 2 fathoms, soft bottom. A few houses were scat- 

 tered on the south side of the harbor, and towards the head the shores are low and flat, so much 

 so as to prevent boats landing within one hundred yards. In all other parts wood and water 

 are procured with the utmost convenience. The small island was named Hans Olason Island, 

 from one of Broughton's seamen, who was buried there. The harbor is formed by the apparent 

 island, which is an extensive peninsula, of a circular figure. Latitude of the entrance 42° 19' 

 29" N., longitude 141° 07' 36" E. High water, full and change, 5 h 30 m ; rise and fall, 6 feet." 



The Japanese islands are exceedingly broken and mountainous, with numerous peaks rising 

 to a considerable height. Mount Fuzi, or Fuzi-yama, is the highest ; it lies in latitude 35° 21' 

 30" N., and longitude 138° 45' 45" E., and attains an elevation of about 12,500 feet. In 

 clear weather it can be seen at a great distance, and is an excellent landmark for vessels 

 approaching the Gulf of Yedo. 



The positions given above of islands, rocks, &c, are not pretended to be strictly correct, as 

 the surveying operations were secondary and subordinate to the great object of the Expedition, 

 but it is believed they are sufficiently so for all practical purposes. 



