266 SAFE ARRIVAL OF THE VINCENNES, JR. 
water was smooth and the mud soft. That same night, 
however, we hauled off again, and the next morning 
steamed up to the regular anchorage off the town, where 
our store-brig, an American whaling-brig, and an English 
surveying-schooner, were quietly stowed away among a 
fleet of the clumsy-looking Japanese junks.’* 
As day by day now rolled on, bringing in first the Vin- 
cennes, and then the Cooper, we continued to tremble for 
the missing launch, and to think that the risk had been 
almost too great. 
Finally, she arrived, to our great satisfaction; and the 
next day brought in the nomadics also, who told us that 
couriers had arrived daily at Si-mo-da after our departure, 
reporting the launch at her various stopping-places along 
the coast, and causing the officials a vast deal of annoy- 
ance. Here is what we learned from the combined gossip 
of the two vessels. My journal says: — 
“The Vincennes, Jr., left Si-mo-da on the morning of 
a fine day, and for some time had a continuation of plea- 
sant weather and easy sailing. They passed the first 
night in a small bay some miles above Si-mo-da, with 
their boat anchored near the beach and their tent pitched 
upon a grassy knoll, before which a bright fire was soon 
kindled and a warm supper subsequently discussed. The 
natives of a small village near at hand received them 
quite civilly, but took care to send a courier over to Si- 
ino-da, reporting their arrival and asking for instructions 
as to what they should do. The arrival of this messenger 
at Si-mo-da is said to have caused no little annoyance to 
tb^ pompous officials before whom he presented himself, 
and they immediately started Tatz-nosky in hot haste to 
