EXTRAORDINARY HARBOUR. 
Chap. X. 
the night. We therefore bore up for the main- 
land of Nipon, to the westward, and made for a 
place called, in Japanese charts, Kamino-saki. 
This is a most extraordinary anchorage, and well 
worth the attention of those who navigate this sea. 
As we approached the land there seemed to be 
no shelter except an open bay, protected indeed by 
the land on the west, hut fully exposed to the 
eastward. On nearing the shore, however, we 
observed an opening on our left, not more than 
sixty yards wide, which looked at first sight almost 
artificial, hut was merely natural nevertheless, and 
which led into a beautiful land-locked harbour. 
We steamed through this narrow passage, and 
anchored in thirteen fathoms water. 
The place in which we now were had all the 
appearance of an inland lake, and was protected 
from the wind in all directions. On each side of 
us two small towns were observed, pleasantly situ- 
ated on the banks of the lake, and forming little 
crescents along its shores. The houses had white- 
washed walls, and appeared to be clean and com- 
fortable looking buildings. Little temples also 
appeared on the hill-sides, surrounded by pine- 
trees; and Buddhist priests were seen! about the 
doors. Hills filled the background, well-wooded in 
some parts, and terraced in others all the way up 
to their summits, showing that here the soil was 
fertile and productive. Pinus Massoniana seemed 
to be the most common timber-tree in this quarter. 
On our approach the whole of the inhabitants of 
