162 
FORTRESS OF MEARA-SAMA. 
Chap. X. 
trees. Our pilots informed us that this was a por- 
tion of the Tolcaido , or imperial highway, which 
leads all the way from Yedo to Nagasaki. Some- 
times the sea appeared completely land-locked, and 
resembled a lake with its bays and inlets ; at 
other times it had the river-like appearance I have 
already noticed. Some of us compared it to Loch 
Lomond, Loch Katrine, or the Kiles of Bute ; but, 
although probably it had a partial resemblance to 
all these places in the Scottish Highlands, yet it 
had a character peculiarly its own. 
In the afternoon we had a good view of the 
castle and fortress of Meara-sama, situated at the 
head of a deep bay. This castle is said to be 
remarkable in Japan for its great strength. It is 
supposed to be one of the strongest in the empire, 
and perfectly impregnable. A massive sea-wall 
was built along the sea-shore ; while behind this 
wall were seen castles, turrets, and watchtowers, 
inhabited by this feudal chief and his numerous 
retainers. Leaving this bay and its stronghold on 
our right and to the westward, our course led us in 
a more southerly direction, the channel still narrow 
and winding. This part continued as populous as 
that which I have already noticed when we entered 
the “ narrows,” and large villages, composed of 
comfortable-looking houses — not densely packed 
together, hut divided by fields and gardens — were 
everywhere seen along the shores. 
In the evening we passed out into a wider part 
of the sea, and anchored for the night at a place 
