ever, having heen passed, and the ship continuing to run along the land by
the lead until seven o’clock in the evening, came then to anchor in front
of a small village. As the night advanced, the atmosphere cleared, for a
moment, sufficiently to allow of the sight of several junks anchored near a
large town about three miles distant. The fog soon gathered again, and continued
so thick all the rest of that night and the next day, with fresh
breezes from E.S.E., that it was deemed more prudent to remain at anchor,
and the ship did not again get under way until the 27th of May.
At sunrise on that day, the fog having partly dispersed, the Southampton
stood for the eastern coast, sounding with a boat in five fathoms to
within a mile and a half of the shore, and also running a line of soundings
in the ship. As the morning advanced the fog cleared off, and revealed to
view a charming scene of picturesque beauty. The land rose from the
sandy beach in undulating heights covered with trees of dark green foliage,
interspersed here and there with yellow spots of culture, while innumerable
houses were seen everywhere grouped at the openings of the
ravines toward the sea, into which streams of fresh water poured, after
irrigating the cultivated fields on the hill sides and the fertile bottoms of
the valleys, and passing though the villages.
The meridian observation having been taken, which gave the latitude 42°
17', the ship, heading east, made for an indentation in the land, supposed
to he the entrance to the harbor of Volcano Bay, and with a depth of
water of seventeen fathoms and a fair wind, before which she was going at
nine knots, the whole circuit of the large hay soon opened to the sight.
An amphitheatre of lofty mountains, with summits covered with snow,
.jsurrounded the land, which gradually lessened in height as it descended
“toward the hills and uplands that rose immediately from the shore. To
the northeast were two volcanoes in active eruption, throwing out convulsively
their tliick smoke, which, as it swept before the breeze, darkened with
its passing hut ever recurring shadow the snow which glittered like silver
upon the sunlit summits of the neighboring mountains.
Passing a small island, called Olason, from one of Captain Broughton’s
men who was buried there, the Southampton stood up the channel of Ender-
mo, and anchored in the evening near the land, where a few houses, a fortification
upon an adjacent hill, and some sheds upon the shore, indicated a
settlement. Soon two officials came off in a boat, rowed by a number of
Indians, (as they are called,) the native ainos, and upon reaching the- ship
the Japanese functionaries produced a hit of paper in which was wrapped
some rice and a piece of wood, and displaying the contents, pointing at the
same time to some water, asked, by signs, if either of these was required.
The chief dignitary, who, in addition to the usual Japanese official costume,
wore am outside coat with a red collar and a great deal of embroidery, and
seemed to he a military personage, was not apparently disposed to be very
friendly towards his visitors. Upon his being made to understand that if
any fish, vegetables, eggs, or poultry could he obtained from the land, the
Americans would he glad to purchase them, the Japanese officer sent his
boat ashore, apparently with the view of ascertaining. Upon its return,
the only, article brought hack was a bundle of stems, looking like those of
the rhubarb plant, with the information that, in consequence of the weather,
there were no fish, and only three chickens in the place.
Next morning a surveying party commenced their operations in the bay,
and continued them during the stay of the ship. Little was to be had from
the shore in the way of provisions, but the bay abounded in clams, muscles,
and fish, and large supplies were obtained. The inhabitants, who
were mostly ainos, had been very much alarmed at the arrival of the
Southampton, and were seen hurrying away from the harbor and village
with all their property heaped upon their backs, so that tKe land was quite
deserted. The few Japanese officials became gradually more friendly, and
frequently visited the ship and partook of its hospitalities. Nothing
occurred of especial interest during the visit to Endermo Bay beyond
the blazing up one night of another volcano, making three which were
seen from the ship in a state of active eruption at the same time. The
sudden starting up of a broad and vivid flame from the summit of a mountain
in the midst of the night, dispelling at once the darkness which enveloped
sea and land, produced a grand effect. The other two volcanoes
merely emitted smoke, while the third continued in a blaze.
Lieutenant Boyle, commander of the Southampton, visited Olason
island, at the mouth of Endermo Bay, previous to his departure, and
found the grave of the buried sailor left there by Captain Broughton.
The Japanese authorities had respected the remains, though they had been
interred more than three-fourths of a century, and built on the spot where
they rested one of the usual tombs of the country, with the ordinary marks
of mourning. The survey having been completed, the ship sailed to join
the squadron at Simoda, pursuant to orders.
The Commodore, on the next day after the visit from Kangsayu, went
on shore to call upon this dignitary, who, after having presented his credentials
from the Prince of Matsmai, and emphatically declared that the
latter could not possibly come to Hakodadi, was officially recognized as
the representative of his superior. He, however, refused to settle definitively
the question of the boundary within which the Americans, in their
intercourse with the place, were to be restricted, and the subject was finally
disposed of by a mutual agreement that it should be referred to the commissioners
who were to meet the Commodore at Simoda. During the frequent
visits of the Americans on shore, occasional disagreements arose in
regard to their relations with the shopkeepers and the extent and freedom
of their walks in the town and about the country. These little troubles,