MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. 
Chap. XVm. 
size in Japan, and forms a most remarkable and 
beautiful object when in flower. 
I bad now accomplished the object which I had 
in view in coming to Zipangu. I had carefully 
examined the country during autumn and winter, 
spring and summer, in search of new trees and 
other plants of an ornamental character which 
were likely to prove suitable to our English 
climate. Large collections of insects and land- 
shells had also been made ; and my spare time had 
been employed in procuring examples of works of 
art, particularly of ancient lacquer, for which this 
country has long been famous in Europe. The 
agriculture of Japan — the productions of the hills 
and those of the plains, the wet crops and the dry 
ones — had been carefully examined at the different 
seasons, and fully described from time to time in 
my Journal. While engaged in work of this kind 
I came much in contact with various classes of the 
people, and had an opportunity of observing their 
habits and customs in daily life. The political 
state of the country, its relations with foreign 
powers, and the prospects of foreign trade, had all 
passed in review before me, and enabled me to 
draw my own conclusions. This was the work 
which I had proposed to myself to do, and thus far 
it had been brought to a successful termination. 
My collections of living plants and other objects 
of natural history were now very large and valu- 
able, and the whole had to be arranged and 
