Columbia gazette., 1853-12-31

Of our departure had proceeded US. A
We drew abreast Of Cape Segami, ant
made down the center of the bay, keep
| ing much nearer the eastern shore thai
! on our entrance, We found the waite
! covered with boats, which had brough
out loads Of the Japanese to get near
4 er view The bay was sprinkied viii
them, far and near, and at a moderate
calculation, should say that there were
at least FIVE hundred Some of then
| were so curious as to approach within
four or FIVE hundred yards, when the
men lay on their oars, and remained
standing motionless until long after We
had passed. caught parting glimpse
of the cone Of Fusi- Y ANNA through the
riffs ola pile Of heecy clouds, high ovel
the head of the Bay of Kowadzu.
| DIscovERIEs-voYA TO Loo Cuoo.
/ We steered for the northern or main
entrance of the bay, keeping between
three or four miles from the northern
shore, which belongs to the province Of
Ava. Vries Island, or Oosima, lay to
| the south of us. It has bold, convex
outline, and its summit was lost in the
clouds. It. is an admirable landmark
/ for mariners, and in connection with
tCape Jdzu and Rock Island, forms a
sure guide for vessels entering the Bay
of Yedo from the east or south.
Our course was nearly due south for
the remainder of the day, and the chain
of islands which extends from the mouth
Of the Bay to the penal colony of Fatsi-
sio, gradually rose to view. They seem
to have been very imperfectn explored,
for in rene of our charts we're they laid
down correctly. Vulcan Island is con-
spicuous for its lofty, conical summit,
! the sides of which are streaked with de-
posits Of lava. It was covered, from
the brink of its sea-worn crage, with the
most luxuriant vegetation. To the east
Of it was another island, not given in any
chart, and the Commodore accordingly
took tn, explorers right to name. it
"Mississ;ppi Island" A cluster of very
peculiar, pointed rocks, rising like bro
ken obelisks, to the height Of hundred
feet, received the Susquehanna's name,
and the Plymouth and Saratoga were
also honored-the first with large iso-
lated rock, the second with an island
both of which we claim the merit of dis
covering.
The features of this group are grand
and imposing. The shores Of the islands
are mostly precipi:ous, presenting few
accessible points, and being nearly cir
cular in form, enhance the effect of the
lofty SUBMITS into which they rise. I
counted eight around us at one time,
some bold ard strongly defined, from
their vicinity, others distant, blue, and
floating in vapory atmosphere, like the
phantoms of islands. We could not
discern any dwellings upon them, but it
is probable that they are partly inhabi-
ted. We passed through them oil be-
fore sunset, and, still steering south
ward, hoped to have caught glimpse
of Fatsisio, which could not have been
more than twenty-five miles distant; but
night,set in, and the vessels were put
upon their course for Loo Choo.
For the next two days we ran in a
south-westerly direction, aided by a
strong east wind. The Saratoga was
cast off in lat. 800 north, and left to
make her way to Shanghai, where she
will winter. The Mississippi also cast
off the Plymouth; which was ordered to
sound and survey along the weastern
side of Ohosima, (the island supposed to
have been discovered by the preble, J
while the Susquehanna cruised along the
eastern SIDE Commodore Perry's in
tention was to spend two or three days
in fixing the position and dimensions Of
the island, and communicating, if the
nature of the coast woull allow, with the
inhabitants. We looked forward to the
visit with interest, as there is no account
of any vessel ever having touched there,
and in these days of discovery, piece
Of virgin earth is very rare. 1t is not
often that one can find a large
community of semi-ciyilized people, to
whom the European race is unknown.
On Wednesday, July 20, however,
an easterly gale came on. Our topnasts
and topgallant masts we're sent down,
and we scudded along with only the try
sails set. The Susquchanna rolled in a
NEST extraordinary manner, and the
great pivot-gun on her poop was SO Sc
cured with lashing and bindings of every
description, that it resembled an i'm
mense cast iron babe in swaddling bands.
For two days the gale continued to rage
with considerable violence. Both our
fore ana main trysail-gafts were carried
away, and the Mississippi lost two of her
boats We stood off and on for two
days, but the sea continued SO rough
that the idea Of proceeding to OhesiIna
was finally abandoned, and We made for