THEY RETURN THANKS TOO SOON. 
281 
of about fifteen feet; while the water measured seven 
fathoms at the mouth, decreasing as you neared the 
rotunda. 
Knowing all this, it was very easy for me to return 
for Mr. Josh a few days later: but the sleepy old fellow 
had disappeared ; and, whether the Japanese fisherman 
or one of our own party had anticipated me, I have 
never learned to this day. 
Among other shell-fish we found a very fine mussel 
along the shores of this bay, which took the place of 
inferior oysters admirably. I don’t know what we 
should have thought of them had we had access to 
an ordinary market-place; but, living on salt beef as 
we then were, they proved any thing but unacceptable. 
Having almost completed the survey of the Straits 
of T’Sugar, which separate the great island of Nipon 
from that of Jesso, the Vincennes and Cooper now 
sailed upon their last cruises previous to our arrival 
at San Francisco, while the “ old John” remained quietly 
at her anchor. Seeing the Vincennes and Cooper thus 
put to sea, and knowing we were to follow their example 
upon the following day, the Japanese “chin-chined 
Josh” to an alarming extent, thanking their idols for 
relieving them of the foreign vessels. The sound of their 
huge drums and shrill wind instruments had scarcely 
died away, however, when a fresh arrivail took place in 
the shape of three English war-steamers, one of which 
was towing a fourth. This latter we at once took to be 
the Russian steamer Vostock ; but, as she drew nearer, 
she proved to be our old friend the Tartar, with whose 
officers we were acquainted. We therefore went on 
