Idzoo, and by three o'clock were up with Rock island, that marks the mouth, and ran into the harbor of Simoda. This place from having been visited in May, 1849, by the English man-of-war Mariner, our own sailing ships, which preceded us, were no novelty to the people, but the approach of the Powhatan and Mississippi running in a straight line through the narrow entrance, filled the height on either side with a throng, looking for the first time, and with wonder, on steamships.

CHAPTER XII.

SIMODA in Japanese "Lowerfield"-situated in the principality of Idzoo, which occupies about the same latitudinal, though not isothermal lines-as our state of North Carolina, is a place containing a population of twenty thousand. The streets are narrow, though regularly laid out, and at their intersections have gates, which may be easily closed in the event of any emeute. At their points are also placed stone structures, surmounted by little roofs protecting copies of the laws and municipal regulations so conspicuously posted, that all who run, may read. The houses, which are usually and ornamentally stuccoed in light blue and white diamond shapes, are nearly all of one story with parapets, and without chimneys. Between the parapets wires are stretched to prevent the bird, which "by the hoarseness of its note doth indicate a crow," from alighting on the roofs. The Japanese certainly can't regard them as a bird of evil omen, from the great numbers that fill their streets. Perhaps they are kept from injury, for sanitary purposes, like one more ungainly, found in our southern cities.

There are a number of temples in and near the place, dedicated to different deities. Behind the town stretches a lovely level valley for some miles, through which flows a little stream-Simoda gawa, and surrounded on either side by towering bluff-hills, that make the resemblance very great to the scenery on the Potomac, at Harper's Ferry. From this stream, junks and ships are supplied with fresh water, and on its banks are built rice and grain mills, with undershot wheels, to turn which, the water is diverted from its course by artificial excavations. The amphitheatre of high hills that surround the place in other directions, is very thickly wooded, and presents a green and lovely prospect from the water. The town has about fifteen hundred houses, and it is wonderful to see how many people a Japanese town will hold.

The harbor of Simoda, though of rather difficult access at times to sailing vessels, and subject to quite a heavy swell, when the wind blows from a southerly direction, is quite a secure one, after getting in. The entrance is narrow between high bluffs, but on passing inside, the water spreads into a fan-shaped bay, with a bight, on which the principal town of Simoda is situated, on the left hand, which place is not visible until reaching a central island. It is encompassed on every hand by high hills, bleak and uninviting in some patches, and others cultivated in terraced fields of rice and wheat, or clothed in the deep verdure of

the pine and other trees. Across the bay of Simoda about half a mile round a sweep of white level-shiny beach, on which the waves sullenly chafe, is a little fishing village, called Kakizaki, which also has its temples. Here was a spring possessed of sulphurous qualities; and on the beach the ship's seines were hauled with some success.

Having to remain at Simoda some time, a party under Lieutenant Maury was at once set at work to make a survey of the harbor. The officers spent their time ashore in strolls through the town, visits to the temples, rambles into the country, occasionally taking a gun, though there was very little to kill. The people, when we landed, appeared glad to see us, and were always inclined to be sociable, but for the omnipresence of their police. They would gather around and examine the cloth of our clothes with much curiosity-particularly the old women-and the designs on our buttons. The remarkable and unremitting espionage of the Japanese is everywhere shown. Should you give some peasant a button, even while apparently out of sight of any one, it will be most singular, if one of the officers does not return. it to you before or after you are on shipboard again. At first our steps were dogged by the police wherever we went. This did not require much effort in the town, but when we struck into the country and climbed hills with thick and sharp undergrowth, these officers not being as well habited as ourselves to withstand brier

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and thorn, their scratched legs usually paid the penalty. Besides this, their lazy habits had made them very indifferent pedestrians. In a walk of any length they generally broke down; they would rub their legs and beg us to return, but as we were not aware of having solicited the pleasure of their company, we declined compliance with their requests. The commodore complained to the acting chief magistrate, Kimakawa Kahei, of this practice of spying upon the movements of his officers, and said, that if it were not stopped, he should recommend them each to take a stick with them, and stop it. They contended, that it was a precaution for our protection, the people not yet being accustomed to the sight of us. They were answered, that we felt ourselves quite competent for our own protection.

In a

After this, these gentry, if they attempted to follow, were driven back at once, and if they spied upon our movements at all, it was at such a distance, that their presence was not perceived by us. short time, the officers moved as freely in the area of country granted by the treaty-a radius of about sixteen English miles, as if they were in the United States. The chief objects of interest ashore to visit, are the Sintoo, Buddhist temples, and some smaller ones, dedicated to the tutelar deities of the soldiers, and the marines. The Japanese display great rural taste always in their locations, selecting the most picturesque, and at times, the most elevated spots for