56 THE INLAND SEA REVISITED. 



where, and the peregrine falcon breeds on a patch of 

 red cliff on the south side. Thirty miles from Hime 

 Sima you reach the western entrance to the Inland 

 Sea, the straits of Simonosaki. This entrance is twelve 

 miles in length, winding, and in places very narrow, 

 being in one spot only three cables wide. 



In 1864 these narrows were virtually closed by the 

 chieftain of the north side firing at every vessel that 

 approached. A Dutch man-of-war went down, so did 

 an American, and both received the warmest recep- 

 tion. One returned with seven or eight men killed, 

 and two ports knocked into one. This sort of thing 

 could not be tolerated, though one hardly sees why, 

 considering the prince lived in his own castle, on his 

 own ground, and merely wished so to live, without the 

 foreigner's interference or assistance ! However, as our 

 friends who had got knocked about by his guns had no 

 force of their own, we were philanthropic enough to 

 take up the cudgels for them. We are often ready 

 to oblige our neighbours, as well as ourselves, when 

 the offending one is of the smallest dimensions, but 

 think over it a good deal if he is more our own size. 

 It is well known how our squadron went to Simonosaki, 

 accompanied by a gallant vessel, a tug, hired for the 

 purpose by the Americans, on which to hoist the insulted 



