Chap. X. 
NAGASAKI IN WINTER. 
169 
fatal plunge. The sacrifice, however, was not 
required, as the tide rose before we could carry out 
our benevolent intentions, and the vessel floated 
safely into deeper water. 
As we had now passed out of the Inland Sea, 
Captain Dundas determined not to trust the native 
pilots any longer, and kept well out from all the 
dangers of the coast. It was now bitterly cold, 
and the tops of all the hills were covered with 
snow. We encountered another gale of wind 
when off the Gotto Islands, and reached the quiet 
little harbour of Nagasaki without any further 
adventures, all of us highly pleased with our 
voyage through the Inland Sea. As the ‘Eng- 
land’ remained three days at Nagasaki, I employed 
the time in visiting a number of places in the 
vicinity, and added several novelties to my collec- 
tions. The face of the country had undergone a 
great change since my former visit. It was now 
winter ; deciduous trees were leafless, the rice-lands 
were lying fallow, and the hill-sides were green 
with the young crops of wheat and barley. The 
dress of the people had changed with the season ; 
and the children, instead of being carried on the 
backs of children as before, were now borne about 
on their bosoms. 
As my Ward’s cases were all quite fall, it was 
necessary to pack the Nagasaki plants in baskets, 
and these were put away in the long-boat on the 
starboard side of the ship. On the 29th of Decem- 
ber we bade adieu, for the present, to the pleasant 
