Columbia gazette., 1853-12-31

parade Of Japanese soldiers, when tht
surveying boats ascended the Bay. Tht
two mounds, which / had noticed
through glass, we're surmounted Will
batteries Of about FIVE guns each.
Changing our course We made owe,
toward the other side, steering for !
bold, projecting headland about twelve
miles beyond that Of Uraga. In the in.
tervening blight, to which Lieut.. Bent
as the first surveyor, gave the name Of
"Perry's Bay,n there are two lovely
green islands. The shores of the bay are
as thickly settled and as assiduously cul-
tivated, as about and below Uraga
During the voyage up, we had at no
time less than seven fathoms and gencr-
ally from thirty to forty. After going
a short distance beyond the point reach
ed by the Mississippi, and upward Of
ten miles beyond our former anchorage
We dropped anchor mile and hall
from the shore, in thirteen fathoms- The
inward bound junks, / noticed, made for
a point little east Of the north, from
our position. According to the Japan
ese charts, and thebest descriptions Of
Yedo, this must have been the direc-
'tion Of th capital. A long, low head
land was visible with the glass, with,
(apparently.) another blight beyond it;
but to the northeast, for segment oi
about 3Oo, no land could be seen. This
also corrcsponded to the form ofthe bay,
as given in Japanese charts.
Toward evening we had another visit
from Yczaimon, who had followed us
from Uraga, with the intention Of finding
out what our motives were in proceeding
so far up the Bay. Whatever ohjec-
tons he may have -made, they did not
appear to be efectual, for as long as we
remained the survey was prosecuted with
great spirit and activity. On the fol-
lowing day, (Friday,) Lieuts. Cooper,
of the Susquehanna; Clitz, Of the Mis-
issippi; Goldsborough, of the Saratoga,
and Mathews, of the Plymouth, sound
ed around the islands and up to the head
Of the blight, where they found deep
inlet, into which flowed beautiful river
The banks were studded with villages,
groves and gardens, and the officers
were enraptured with the beauty of the
scenery. The natives of both sexes,
old and young, came down the banks
and saluted them in u friendly manner,
bringing them cool spring-water to drink
and ripe peaches from their gardens.
On Friday afternoon, the commodore
went on board the Mississippi, transfer
ring his bread pennant to that ship for
few hours, while he made an exploring
trip still further up the Bay. After go
ing ten miles in the direction of Yedo,
the Mississippi put about in twenty faith
oms water, and returned to her former
anchorage, having reached, as was sup
posed, a point within eight miles of the
capital. Onth western shore the large
towns of Kanagawa and Kowazacki were
seen; while on the extremity of cape
in front, not more than four miles dis
tant, stood a tall white tower, resem-
bling light Three or four
miles beyond and within this point was
a crowd Of shipping, which was without
doubt the anchorage of Sinagawa, the
southern suburb Of Yedo. There was
every probability that the Mississippi
could have advanced to point within
cannon shot of the city. The head OF
the Bay rounded to the eastward, and
in that direction the shores became low
and fat, and finally disappeared below
the horizon. We have, therefore, ad
vanced twenty miles further up the Bay
of Yedo than any vessels before us, and
shown conclusively that, instead of being
shallow and unnayigable, as has former
ly been supposed, it contains abundance
of water and excellent harbors. It is,
in fact, one of the largest and finest
Bays in the world, and second to none
in the varied and delightful scenery OF
its shores.
Early on Saturday morning we NOV
ed from our first anchorage to another,
five or six miles further down the Bay,
and much nearer to the shore. There
was abundance of water everywhere,
and all around the beautiful little islands,
line dropped close to the shore gave
FIVE fathoms. The western coast, which
was less than mile distant, appeared
wonderfully green and beautiful. It
curved inward, SO as to form charm
ing, sheltered bay, near the head of
which the two villages of Otsu and Tor
igasaki lay cmbosomed in foliage.
There was small battery, almost mask
ed by trees, on the summit of the island
and another on the point of the Cape
below US. This part Of the bay is COM
pletely land-locked, the promontorY Of
Urega projecting so far as to cover one
third of the eastern shore. The sur
veying boats were occupied during the
whole Of the day, without any interfer-