Columbia gazette., 1853-12-17
THE JAPAN EXPEDITION.

THE JAPAN EXPEDITION.
BAYARD TAYLOR'S REPORT
Editorial Correspondence Of the ~. y
Tribune.
q. s. STEAMSHIP SrsQuEHANNAH, !
CHINA SEA, Aug. A, 1853.
As we shall probably reach Hon:
Kong in two days more, / shall antici.
pate my release from the regulations o.
naval life, and transcribe for you some
particulars of our visit to Japan, begin.
ming with our
ARRIVAL ON THE JAPAN COAST.
The squadron, consisting of the Sus-
quehanna, (fagship,) Mississippi. Ply
mouth and Saratoga-the two sloops-of-
war being taken in tow by the two
steamers-sailed from the harbor OF Ma
pa-Kiang, Loo Choo, on the ed of July
On the night Of the Sd and morning Of
the 4th, we passed the large island of
Ohosima, part of the Kingdom of Loo
Choo. This island, which has been
known to the Dutch, through the jap
anese Charts, and was seen by the
French Admiral Cecille in 1916, is not
found on English Charts. The U. S.
ship Preble, in ls49, supposed she had
made the first discovery of it, and gave
it the name of "Preble Island" 1t has
never been visited by a foreign vessel.
1t is thirty or forty miles long, noun
tainous, and thickly inhabited After
passing it we had very sultry weather,
until we reached Japan-the thermom-
eter standing at $40 at night and $50 to
so0 at noon, in the coolest place on
board.
1T daybreak, on the morning of July
8, we first made land, which proved to
be Cape Idzu, lofty head-land on the
Coast of Niphon, not far south of the
entrance of the great Bay of Yedo.-
The Brocken and Vulcan Islands were
in sight on our right. After passing
Rock Island, we stood in nearer to the
shore, which loomed up grandly through
the hazy atmosphere. The promontory
of Idzu is group Of mountains, rising
to the height of five or six thousand feet,
their submits SCARED with slides, and
their sides mostly covered with forests,
though here and there We could discern
patches of cultivated land There were
a number of fishing junks off the coast,
some of which put back again as we ap-
preached. The wind was ahead, we had
all sails furled and the yards squared,
and the sight of our two immense steam
ers-tbe first that ever entered Japan
ese waters-dashing along at the rate
of nine knots an hour, must have struck
the native with the utmost astonishment.
Leaving the mountains of Idzu be-
hind us, We stood across the mouth of
the Bay of Kowadzu, Gas the southern
half of the bifurcate Bay of Yedo is
called,) toward Cape Sagami, at the
the extremity of the promontory which
divides the two. The noon observation
gave lat. $40 81 NJ, and soon after
ward Cape Sagami came IN sight. We
lay to while the Captains of the Miss's-
sippi, Plymouth and Saratoga came on
board, to receive Instructions, and then
resumed our course. The decks were
cleared for action, the guns sbottcd, the
small arms put in complete order, and
every precaution taken, in case We
should meet with hostile reception
Near Cape Sagami We deserted large
tower, and as we came within two miles
of the shore, number of junks, amount
ing to twelve or fifteen; put off, with the
evident intention Of visiting US. Each
one bore large banner, upon which
characters were inscribed. The rapidity
of our progress, against the wind, soon
left them behind, no doubt completely
nonplussed as to the invisible power
which bore us away from them. The
Bay now began to be thickly studded
with fishing smacks, with here and there
a large junk.
The shores of Sagami are exceedingly
picturesque and beautiful. They rise
in abrupt bluffs, two hundred feet in
height, gashed with narrow dells Of the
brightest yerdure, which slope steeply
down to the water, while the country
behind rises in undulating hills, display
ing charming alienation of groves
and cultivated fields In the distance
rose mountain ranges receding behind
each other until the vapor hid their far
thest SUBMITS. The eastern coast, be-
longing to the province of Ava, now
came in sight ahead of us, for we were
entering the narrowest part Of the Bay,
leading to the upper Bay of Yedo. The
distance from shore to shore here varies
from FIVE to eight miles, but afterward
expands to twelve or fifteen.
We kept directly up the Bay, and in
half an hour after doubling Cape Saga
mi saw. before us bold. promontory
making out from the western coast. at
the entrance ofthe Upper Boy. With