296 
THE GREAT CITY OF MATSMAI. 
the unavoidable drawbacks attendant upon all cruises of 
this nature, made us long more and more for San Fran- 
cisco and a month’s respite. We had seen enough of 
“Japan and the Japanese.” 
The next morning at an early hour wo had hove up our 
anchor, and were again under steam, standing in for the 
land, intending to skirt the face of the city as close as 
the depth of water would permit. 
Matsmai, from all that we could see of it while thus 
passing, is a city of considerable extent and imposing 
appearance. Situated in hit. 41° 25' N. and long. 140° 
02' E. of Greenwich, its inhabitants enjoy a temperate 
climate and that greatest of luxuries, — an abundant supply 
of pure and cool water. This water, as it flows from the 
springs which the purser and myself found around the 
base of every hill, is actually too cold to drink in any 
quantity. Ice, though covering the summits of the moun- 
tains, which lift their whitened crests over the inland por- 
tion of the city, has no charms for the people of Matsmai. 
Situated under the west point of the roadstead, and 
e.xtendiiiff along the beach some two miles to the east- 
^vard, — having its feet washed by the surf, and retreating 
some half-mile back among the lulls, — the elevated por- 
tions of the city rising from gentle undulations or from 
the summits of sloping hills studded invariably with 
fresh and green-looking trees, — Matsmai presents a most 
pleasant scene for the eye to rest upon. It is upon these 
lulls and undulations, surrounded by regularly laid-out 
grounds, groves of shade-trees, and apparently-beautiful 
gardens, that the Government-buildings and residences 
of the higher class appear to be located. ■ There was one 
