174 
A GALE IN THE STRAIT. 
Chap. XI. 
ter another equally severe. In order to get a little 
shelter we made for the high land near Cape 
Chichakoff. This time I had the advantage of 
being in a steamer. As the coast is not well 
known, we did not make any attempt to find an 
anchorage, but steamed under the high land and 
then stopped the engines. A current carried us 
slowly to the eastward towards the Pacific, and 
the gale told us, in language not to be mistaken, 
whenever the ship had drifted beyond the shelter 
of the land. Whenever this was felt, steam was 
got up, and we moved back again under the 
shelter of the Cape. For two days we were 
detained by this gale, now drifting outwards with 
the current, and now steaming back for the shelter 
afforded by the land. 
On the evening of the second day the gale 
moderated a little, and it was determined to steam 
out into the waters of the North Pacific Ocean, 
where we spent anything but a pleasant night. 
During the next two days we were sailing up 
along the land, and passed the Bungo and Kino 
channels, which lead into the Inland Sea. On the 
morning of the 19 th we were abreast of Cape 
Idsu, inside of which is the Bay of Simoda and 
the town of that name, so long the residence of 
Mr. Townsend Harris, the United States Minister. 
The weather was now fine, the sea was smooth, 
and a considerable number of junks were passed 
sailing in the direction of Yedo bay. Still, there 
was nothing on this coast like the busy, bustling 
