242 
IN FORBIDDEN SEAS 
could be sent to hospital if necessary. On the way 
down, when off the island of Rashau, we got into 
a severe easterly gale, in which we lost a boat, 
washed out of the davits by a heavy sea, one of the 
davits going with it. During this gale the barometer 
fell to the lowest point in the whole of my experience 
at sea, 27*80, remaining at this for six hours 
between midnight and 6 a.m. of the morning of 
June 5. 
On arrival at Nemuro I reported to the authori¬ 
ties the object of my visit and what had happened. 
Some officials and a doctor came off; the wounded 
men were examined, and their wounds dressed 
afresh. The doctor reported that the wounds were 
clean and had been properly treated, that the men 
were quite fit to remain on board and proceed to 
Yokohama, but that it might be necessary later to 
remove some of the bone splinters from one man’s 
arm. The next day we left, and arrived in Yoko¬ 
hama on the night of June 23. The following morn¬ 
ing I reported to the British Consulate, handing in 
the official log containing particulars of the whole 
affair. The Consul ordered a court of inquiry to 
be held, which occupied the two following days. 
The finding of the court was to the effect that the 
men came by their deaths from gunshot wounds 
inflicted by a party of natives on Copper Island, 
that the attack on the boats was entirely unpro¬ 
voked, and that, after the men were wounded, every¬ 
thing was done for them that was possible in the 
circumstances. 
The local papers were filled with accounts of the 
affair, and as much ink as there had been blood was 
shed in paragraphs, leading articles, and letters to 
