CBUISE IN THE INLAND SEA. 
301 
It seems impossible to do justice to tbe beauty of 
the scenery here ; talented writers have attempted 
the description, but the best have failed, and to my 
mind fall far short of the beautiful reality. Assuredly 
I cannot paint its loveliness adequately by any words 
of mine. 
Amidst this beautiful scenery we remained for a 
week, occasionally dredging, but not with much 
success. At the close of each day we anchored off 
some pretty little village, and then made our way on 
again early in the morning, until reaching Matsu- 
hama, which is about halfway through, when our 
course was altered so as to return to Hiogo. There 
appears to be an extensive traffic, from the vast number 
of junks and coasting-steamers daily met with, and 
swarms of fishing-boats seem to abound everywhere, 
making quite a lively scene. All this, with the 
marvellous richness and fertility of the innumerable 
islands, leaves nothing to be desired. On the 29th 
we reached Hiogo, and once more anchored in Osaka 
Bay. 
On the morning of June 2 we left Osaka Bay for 
Yokohama, where we arrived and anchored on the 
5th. Swung ship for magnetic and azimuth cor- 
rections; coaled, and filled up with stores and pro- 
visions for a long voyage. Before finally leaving 
Yokohama, a large number of the European residents, 
together with many of the members of the imperial 
government from Tokio, Sir Harry Parkes (British 
