144 DEPARTURE OF THE GUARD. Chap. IX. 
the children bobbed about, in danger apparently of 
being shaken off, one could not help laughing. 
On reaching the temple in Kanagawa, in which my 
quarters were, my yakoneen guard informed me 
that their presence was no longer necessary, and I 
was free again to roam about by myself in any 
direction I pleased. I must confess that, however 
highly honoured I had felt during my visit to Yedo, 
by having a mounted armed guard attending me 
wherever I went, yet the departure of the yako- 
neens was a decided relief, and greatly did I enjoy 
a return to my former lowly estate. 
Mr. M‘Donald, of Her Majesty's Legation in 
Yedo, from whom I had received much kindness 
and assistance, had been good enough to forward 
my collection of plants in boats to Kanagawa, and 
these arrived in safety. My guide Tomi had been 
employed during my absence in making collections 
of seeds and plants ; but I am bound to confess that, 
according to the accounts I received of his pro- 
ceedings during my absence, it appeared his fa- 
vourite saki had had more attractions for him than 
natural history. As I had now secured living 
specimens and seeds of all the ornamental trees and 
shrubs of this part of Japan which I was likely to 
meet with at this season of the year, the whole 
were removed across the bay to Yokuhama, and 
placed for safety in Dr. Hall’s garden, until Ward’s 
cases were ready for their reception. 
The collection which had been got together at 
this time was a most remarkable one. Never at 
