ADVENTURES IN THE “ SNOWDROP” 75 
which was not sufficient to hold the schooner if it 
came on to blow. I had not provided more, as I 
fully relied on getting those belonging to me when I 
arrived in Nemuro. They then decided to let me 
have my anchors and chains. These were stored 
in a wooden shanty on the beach, and two officials 
were sent down with the keys of this go-down to 
enable us to take them out. We landed the whole 
of our crew in three boats, and the go-down being 
opened, we carried out all our anchors and chain 
cables, depositing them on the beach close to our 
boats. When the last of the chain was out, I ordered 
the sailors to take out everything else they could get 
hold of belonging to me, and ropes, tackles, blocks, 
tools, lamps, tins of paint, and other articles, were 
carried away. The officials tried to prevent this, 
but it was of no use ; two of us put our backs against 
the sliding go-down doors, and prevented them being 
closed, until the Government office, being informed, 
sent down reinforcements, and we were eventually, 
after a hard struggle, ousted, and the go-down closed, 
but not before we had got all we wanted out of it. 
We left a lot of pig-iron, wire rope, iron knees, and 
old copper sheathing, but that was of no consequence. 
I must say I was surprised at the way in which 
our Japanese crew backed us up. They would 
scarcely do it nowadays. 
After we had stowed everything away, the officials 
sent on board, and asked for a receipt for what we 
had taken. This appeared very comical after the 
way in which we had obtained possession. However, 
I gave them a receipt, and also with it a demand for 
the rest of my property, which included some 
cooking utensils, crockery, cutlery, and table-ware, 
