24 
VAN DIEMAN’S STRAIT. 
Chap. II. 
CHAPTER II. 
We leave Nagasaki — Van Dieman’s Strait — Gale of wind — Vries’s 
Island — View of Fusi-yama — Bay of Yedo — Yokuhama — Its 
value as a port for trade — Foreign houses — Native town — 
Shops — Bronzes, ivory carvings, and curiosities — Lacquer ware — 
Porcelain — Rock-crystal balls — Toys — Books and maps — Mena- 
gerie — The Gan-ke-ro — Surrounding country — Its geological 
formation. 
Leaving Nagasaki and its beautiful scenery at 
daylight on the 19th of October, we proceeded 
on our voyage to the port of Kanagawa, near 
Yedo, the capital of Japan, and distant from 
Nagasaki about 700 miles. When outside the 
harbour of Nagasaki the mariner has two courses 
open to him : he may either go northward, and 
pass through the inland sea which divides the 
islands of Nipon and Kiu-siu, or he may take a 
southerly course and go through Van Dieman’s 
Strait, and thus out into the waters of the Pacific 
Ocean. Sailing vessels generally choose the latter, 
as being the safer and more expeditious way of 
reaching their destination, and this was the £ Mar- 
mora’s’ course in the present instance. Luckily 
we had a fair wind all the way from Nagasaki 
until we got through the strait. Near the entrance 
to the strait there are some small islands known to 
