braced between Cape Nagatsuro on the west, Cape Serafama or Cape King
on the east, and Wodawara, Kamakura, and Cape Sagami on the north, the
steamers encountered a severe blow from the northward and eastward
Iheywere kept, however, during the night, under the lee of Oho-sima
m Great Island,) and thus avoided the greatest violence of the gale. On
the previous afternoon a cluster of three dangerous rocks, showing above the
surface of the sea from ten to twenty feet, were passed quite near. These
were supposed to be what are called on the charts the Broughton Rocks •
and if they were, their position is evidently very erroneously laid down, and
if they were not, they have escaped the observation of previous European
and American navigators. That these rocks should have been hitherto
unnoticed would not be at all remarkable, for few ships have ever visited
the southern and eastern coast of Japan, and it is not reasonable to expect
that the very imperfect charts which have been compiled from the meagre
information fonished by Broughton, Gore, King, Krusenstern, and the thfee
or four American and English vessels which have visited the coast within a
tew years back, should be in any manner correct.
I t is true that the Japanese have constructed charts, but they are on a
plan peculiar to themselves, and of little benefit to the bold navigators, with
their large vessels, of Europe and America. The Japanese charts, without
meridian or scale, and totally destitute of any record of soundings, are hardly
of any use, except in their own timid navigation. The Japanese never venture,
if they can possibly avoid it, beyond sight of land, and always seize
upon favorab e seasons, weather and winds, for making their longest runs.
Their junks skirt the coast by touching the land here and there, and going
from island to island, and seldom make a run of a longer duration than
twenty-four hours. The largest Japanese junks seen did not draw more
than eight feet of water, and, as has just been remarked, they run from port
o port invariably seeking shelter on occasions of adverse winds or appearances
of bad weather. The pilots, familiar with every rock on the coast, need
no charts, and conduct their vessels, in accordance with their cautious navigation,
with general safety. Every harbor, however small, is furnished with
conveniences for securing the Japanese craft, holes being artificially made
rough the angles of the rocks for passing the cables, and where this is not
practicable, upright pillars or posts are hewn or morticed in the stone, and
all chafings of the moorings provided against by a careful rounding and
smoothing of the neighboring projection or detached parts
il , ° n f \ m°rning °f the 12th of February UK weather became more settled,
and the steamers stood up the bay. The outlines of the land were
recognized from the familiarity of the previous visit, but a change had come
over the face of the landscape, m consequence of the difference of season.
The lofty summit of Eusi-Yama was distinctly visible as before, but was now
completely clothed in its winter garb of snow. The rich verdure of the surrounding
land had lost its cheerful summer aspect, and looked withered,
bleak and sombre. The rising uplands were no longer reposing in their beds
of green, shaded from a summer’s sun beneath spreading groves, but were
bare and desolate, while the distant mountains stood chill in their snowy
drapery and frowned upon the landscape. The weather was cold and blustering.
As the steamers approached the land, two vessels were observed
close in and apparently at anchor. On approaching them it was discovered
that they were the Macedonian and Vandalia. The latter had a signal displayed
announcing that the Macedonian was aground. I t was soon ascertained
that Captain Abbott, on the day previous, had mistaken the indents
tion in the coast within which his ship was aground for the entrance to the
passage to Uraga and Yedo. He had, accordingly, on venturing too near
the shore, grounded his vessel on a ledge of rocks not, of course, laid down
.upon the imperial chart which he had ; said chart being nothing more than a
copy of one of Yon Siebold’s maps, which had been copied from the Japanese
authorities, with a fekv notes upon it, made during the first visit of the
squadron to the Bay of Yedo. Captain Abbott, finding his ship in this
dilemma, adopted the usual means of getting her afloat by starting the
water, making her guns ready for throwing overboard, and actually throwing
over the side many miscellaneous articles. Commander Pope of the Van-
dalia, at that time in company, immediately anchored and sent his boats to
the assistance of his consort the Macedonian.
The fortunate arrival of Commodore Perry with his three steamers at
once gave assurance of effectual aid. Commander Lee of the Mississippi
was accordingly ordered to approach with his steamer as near as he could
safely venture to the ship on shore, and run a couple of hawsers to her with
the view of hauling her off by the power of steam. This duty he executed
with his usual promptitude and judgment, and before night the Macedonian
was towed into a safe anchorage. Meanwhile the other vessels were brought
to anchor for the night, having been joined on the same afternoon by the
Lexington, which, it will be recollected, sailed from Napha in company with
the Macedonian and Yandalia. In the course of the night a boat came
alongside the Commodore’s flag-ship, having been dispatched by Lieutenant
Commanding Boyle of the Southampton, which vessel, another of Captain
Abbott’s division, had arrived the day before at the American anchorage in
the Bay of Yedo.
Lieutenant Boyle had received information from the Japanese authorities
that tjro ships had arrived off Kama-kura, and that one of them was
ashore, and very promptly and properly dispatched the launch of the Southampton,
with two officers and a suitable crew, to render all practicable assistance.
The friendly disposition of the Japanese toward the Americans was
handsomely illustrated by their offers of assistance as soon as the Macedonian