Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1875-09-24
gelecteh Mlsrellany.
The Mediterranean of Japan.

In the far East, lying between the
islands which compose the Empire of
Japan-that ancient and mysterious
realm but recently explored and in
troduced into the circle of nations by
the greed or enterprise of Western
commerce-there ebbs and flows and
sparkles, with a gorgeous beauty truly
Oriental, fair Mediterranean, known
as the Seto Uchi, or Inland Sea.
Though smaller by far than its name
sake of the West, it has many physical
characteristics much more striking.
1t abounds in harbors, bays, snug
anchorages, deep channels. and shell
tering kian0s. 1t basks in q climate
almost perfect in its serenity and free
dom from extremes. The mariner
fresh from the chilly spring time and
ngenerous summer Of our own islands,
navigates its waters in June with a
cloudless sky
Beneath Il roof of blue Ionian weather"
unprotected by awnings, and fearless
of the sun, which at the same season
off the Spanish or Italian coasts beats
down on those who sail beneath it
with an insupportable and even dead
lv fierceness. Here are no tideless
waters; strong ebb and flow, running
to and fro between fairy islets, and
round verdant capes, with almost
headlong fury, purifies and freshers
every inlet with an influx from the
wide Pacific Ocean without. Remar-
kably free from storms and rain, the
frailest fishingboat is pushed fearless
ly ont to the mid waters of its widest
parts. No sir0cco blows across it to
render life scarcely worth having
throughout the length of many an
autumn day. In fine weather the
bosom of the sea does not undulate
sufficiently to rock even the smallest
bark; vet there is no lack of breeze.
1t should be the very paradise of plea
sure-seekers. The scenery is truly
lovely: u Devon foreground set in a
background of the Alps. Lofty noun
tains bound the landscape. In sum-
mer, light. feecy clouds hover about
the higher slopes; while, through dips
in the stately range of heights,
glimpses are caught of still higher
peaks beyond, bathed in a violet haze,
or dissolving into the misty distance.
Fronting the water are pine-clad hills,
with the varied and fantastic outline
natural to once volcanic region.
Their sides are scanned with valleys,
in which nestle pleasant villages, half
hid in the yariegated foliage Of shady
trees. The temperate zone meets the
tropics in groves and coppices of pine,
and fir, and camphorwood, and grace
| ful bamboo. Above, the lilac waves
in clusters, whilst underneath the
sleeps are all aglow with azaleas in
crimson masses. The quaint gables
and high-peaked roofs of temples peer
ont from leafy groves, traversed by
glades of brilliant green. Streams
gushing from the rocks trace silyery
lines upon the abrupt hillsides.
Rocky promontories, feStooned with
creepers, and crowned with clumps of
| frs, jut ont into the sea, and divide
white, sandy beaches, or form placid
little coves and bays. Here a huge
mass of gray granite stands out as a
monument of some ancient convulsion
of the soil; there succession of grassy
knolls and hanging woods undulating
backward from the shore, introduces
park-like feature into the panorama.
Art completes the picture. The slopes
of the mainland, and of innumerable
islands
''That like 10 rich and various gems inlay
The unadorned bosom of the deep"
are clothed with fields of waving corn,
of really golden hue, in the dazzling
June sunlight. The style of cultiva-
ton is high. The fields are arranged
in terraces, which climb in long
series of steps the sides of hill and
ravine, to goodly height above the
lower ground. Here and there the
fields are dotted with the brilliant
emerald of tiny patches of the young
rice-plant. Blue wreaths of smoke
rise from bonfres of brushwood, light
ed to Dream the sharp-bowed craft
hauled up on the beach below. The
sea is studded with the boats of fisher
men, and flecked with the white sails
of scores of native trading vessels
FortnighHg Recieac.