ward. The passage from Lu-chu to these islands, in October, was exceedingly boisterous.

The Mariana islands lie in the region of the northern tropic, and consequently in that of the north-east trades. But this is not the prevalent wind. The N.E. and S. W. monsoons, which are met with in the China Sea and on the coasts of China, extend as far as the Mariana islands, and sometimes even beyond them; so that the limits between the monsoons and the trade winds must be found near this archipelago. The months of July to November are the season of bad weather, storms, thunder, and rain.* In December, January, and February the weather is variable. March, April, May, and June are the finest months; the wind is then from East and N.E. The winds blow strongest in August, September, October, and November; their direction at these periods is from N.W. to S.W. by W., sometimes from South and S.E., but in general more between North and West than from North itself. Hurricanes are rare, but are not unknown; there had not been one of these scourges for seven years prior to the Uranie's visit. Earthquakes are frequent.

+ Voyage of the French corvette Uranic in 1819, by M. Louis de Freycinet.

SAILING DIRECTIONS FOR THE JAPAN

ISLANDS.

VARIATION in 1861, 2° 30′ W.

CHAPTER X.

The empire of Japan is composed of three large islands, Kiusiu, Sikok, and Nipon, and numerous smaller islands. Nipon, the largest and most important of the group, and that which gives name to the whole, is more than 700 miles in length in a N.E. and S. W. direction, and its breadth varies from 50 to 150 miles. South of Nipon, and separated from it by a narrow channel, is the island of Kiusiu, about 180 miles in length, north and south, and about 80 in average breadth.

Lying north-east of Kiusiu, and eastward of the south extreme of Nipon, is the island of Sikok, about 130 miles in length, N.E. and S.W., and 60 in breadth. It is separated from Nipon by a long strait, named the Misima Nada, and from Kiusiu by the Boungo channel. The island Kiusiu, Sikok, and the western end of Nipon form a basin or interior sea named Suwo Nada, or the sea of Suwo. This sea has many islands, and according to the Japanese the largest ships may navigate it. It is separated from the Pacific ocean by the island of Sikok, and communicated with by the Kino channel to the east, and the Boungo channel to the west, and with the Japan sea by the Fiki channel between the islands of Notch and Wilson. North of Nipon, and separated from it by the strait of Tsugar, is the large island of Yezo, a conquest and colony of Japan. The southern portion of the island of Saghalin, or Karaft, which is separated from Yezo by Lapérouse strait and the three southernmost of the Kuril islands-Runashir, Iturup, and Urup-belong to Japan.

The Japanese islands are exceedingly broken and mountainous, with numerous peaks rising to a considerable height. Fuziyama is the highest; it is in about lat. 35° 36′ N., long. 138° 48' E., about 12,450 feet above the level of the sea, and an excellent landmark for vessels approaching the Gulf of Yedo. Winds. -During the stay of the American squadron in Japan, from February to July 1854, the weather was generally fine, but occasionally interrupted by strong winds and heavy rain. Northerly winds were prevalent in February, March, and April, south-westerly winds in May and July, and variable winds in June. The gales came on suddenly from the south-west, with a low barometer, and continuing for a short time, hauled round to the northward and westward, and moderated. There were no easterly gales; in fact the wind was rarely from that quarter, except when veering round from the northward

(as it invariably did) by the east to the south ward and westward. In the bay of Yedo the mean temperature for the month of February was 46° Fahr. There were but few fogs; they commenced at Hakodadi about the 1st June, but did not extend as far southward as Simoda.

In the months of August and September 1858-the period H.M.S. Furious remained in Yedo bay-heavy gales from the E.N.E., shifting round to the S.W. and increasing in force, were frequent. Winds from West, round northerly to E.N.E., generally brought fine weather, and rain when between S.E. and S.W.

From information obtained at Yedo, it appears the prevailing winds throughout the year are to the northward of East and West, and that those to the southward generally bring bad weather; always, however, causing the barometer to fall in sufficient time to enable a vessel to obtain a 60 or 80 miles offing, should she be near the coast.

Strong winds from the S. E. are generally accompanied with thick weather and rain. At such a period it is recommended that a vessel bound to the westward from Yedo should run through the chain of islands to the southward of Van Diemen strait, instead of passing through the strait; for by taking this latter route, and not making sufficient allowance for north-easterly current, she would in all probability find herself embayed on a lee shore to the northward of Cape Chichakoff, and possibly off Cape D'Anville.

During H.M.S. Saracen's survey of the Strait of Tsugar, May, June, July, and August 1855, the prevailing winds were from the South, with much fine clear weather. The wind was less frequent from the N.W. than any other quarter. Dense fogs prevailed in May and June; after that period they were comparatively rare.

After a

The wind in shifting usually followed the course of the sun. few days of light southerly wind and fine weather it freshened, and veered to the westward, accompanied by fine clear and cold weather. At N.W.it usually died away, or flew round suddenly to the eastward; in the latter case it was always followed by a dense fog or a gale; the weather getting fine again as the wind veered to the southward.

The Kuro-siwo or Japan Stream is an immense oceanic current, which from observations appears to have its origin in the great equatorial current of the Pacific, from which it is separated by the south end of Formosa. The larger portion of this current, when it reaches the point just named, passes off into the China Sea; while the other part is deflected to the northward along the eastern coast of Formosa, until reaching the parallel of 26 N., when it bears off to the northward and eastward, washing the whole south-east coasts of Japan, as far as the Strait of Tsugar, and increasing in strength as it advances.

Near its origin the stream is contracted, and is usually confined between Formosa and the Meiaco-sima group, with a width of nearly 100 miles; but to the northward of the latter it rapidly expands on its southern limit, and reaches the Luchu and Bonin islands, attaining a width to the northward of the latter of about 400 miles. Its average maximum temperature is 86°, which differs about 12° from that of the ocean, due to the latitude. The north-western edge of

the stream is strongly marked by a sudden thermal change in the water of from 10° to 20°; but the southern and eastern limit is less distinctly defined, there being a gradual thermal approximation of the air and water.

Along the borders of the stream, where it chafes against the counter currents and torpid waters of the ocean, as also in its midst, where whirls and eddies are produced by islands and the inequalities in its bed, strong tide rips are encountered, often resembling heavy breakers on reefs or shoals. Its average velocity between the south end of Formosa and Tsugar strait has been found to be from 35 to 40 miles in 24 hours.

This current is, however, much influenced, both in direction and velocity, by local causes. It is sometimes entirely checked for a day by a north-east wind; when it may be again expected to resume its former course, and possibly run with greater rapidity than usual for one or two days. On one occasion, off the Gulf of Yedo, its maximum strength is recorded as high as 72, 74, and 80 miles respectively, on three successive days.

To the northward of lat. 40° N., in long. 143° E., there is a cold counter current intervening between this stream and the south coast of Yezo, as shown by the sudden thermal change in the water from 16° to 20°, which it is believed sets to the westward through the Strait of Tsugar.

Van Diemen Strait.The islands on the south side of this strait, and the south end of Kiusiu on the north side are high, and apparently of safe approach. On the north side is a large and deep bay, of which Cape Chichakoff forms the south-east point, and a remarkable mountain, named Kaimondaki or Horner peak, the north-west point. This mountain, with a similar mountain on Iwoga sima, on the southern side of the strait, both of great height, form two conspicuous land-marks when approaching the strait from the westward. The whole of the above bay, excepting to the north, is surrounded by high mountains, covered with verdure. At its head is the town of Kago sima and the island of Sakara.

Cape Chichakoff is about 500 feet high, and has three remarkable rocks lying close off it, one of which, bearing West from the extreme of the cape, is of a sugarloaf shape, and perforated at its base. These, with a small island lying south about 2 cables, and another East about a quarter of a mile from the pitch of the cape, will enable the seaman at all times to recognize this headland with certainty.

Soundings, from 25 to 40 fathoms, were obtained by H.M.S. Roebuck, in 1859, between the parallels of 31° and 32° N., and the meridians of 124° and 126° E.; and 8 fathoms in Van Diemen strait, about 2 miles off Cape Chichakoff, the perforated rock of that cape bearing N.E.

Anchorage.—In Van Diemen strait, H.M.S. Furious, in 1858, experienced a strong breeze from the N.E., and being accompanied with a falling barometer, an anchorage was sought for under and to the westward of Cape Chichakoff, where the chart by Siebold appears to point out a small harbour. In searching for this anchorage, soundings were first obtained in 30 fathoms, with the cape bearing S. S.E., and the vessel eventually came to in 13 fathoms, abreast a small village near the centre of the first bay westward of the cape, with the extreme of the cape bearing S.S.W., Horner peak N.W., and northAPP. 27 209

west extreme of the same bay N.N.W.; here she was well sheltered for thirtysix hours, with the wind steady between E.N.E. and E.S.E., although it was blowing heavily outside, as evinced by the heavy gusts off the land and low barometer; but on its veering to the southward of S.S.E. the bay became too exposed from that quarter, which rendered it advisable to weigh and proceed

to sea.

There was no opportunity of verifying the existence of the above harbour; but there was every appearance of a small but well-sheltered inlet in the northeast corner of the bay in which the Furious anchored, which, if examined might prove of great service to vessels meeting with adverse winds, when bound eastward through Van Diemen strait.

Ohosaka Bay, formed at the south-west part of Nipon, is 35 miles deep, N.E. and S. W., and is bounded to the south by a peninsula, and to the west by the large, mountainous, and wooded island of Awadji. The shores of the bay are in general high and thickly wooded; in some places, however, they are low and sandy. Ohosaka stands on the north-east shore of the bay, on the left bank of the Sedogawa, a small stream which has its source in the lake Oity. At the river's mouth are two large towers; the position of the tower before the city is lat. 34° 41′ 38′′ N., long. 135° 29′ 27′′ E. The depth in the mouth of the river is sufficient to allow boats to enter to procure water.

Two small islands, lying between Awadji and the peninsula, divide the entrance of the bay into three straits, of which the widest is the western. The centre strait, between the islands, is narrow and rocky. The eastern or Dzinosetto strait, is between Dzino island and the peninsula. In approaching this latter strait from the southward, through the Kino channel, a mountainous and wooded headland, with a small summer-house on its summit, will be first seen on the eastern shore. Steer for this headland on a North bearing, and pass it at half a mile distant; a reef extends 3 cables from it. Farther, in a small bay running into the peninsula, is the town of Kada, the position of which is lat. 34° 14′ 28′′ N., long. 135° 4′ 20′′ E. After passing this reef, a N. by E. course will lead into the middle of the strait, from the points on both sides of which rocky reefs extend 1 cable. The depth obtained in the strait was 16 fathoms, over a bottom of sand and small shells.

From this strait the bay is quite clear to the city of Ohosaka, the course to which is N.E. There is anchorage on either side of the bay; the depths are less on the eastern than on the western shore, where there is anchorage only in a few small bays. Within 2 miles of the city the water shoals, and vessels should not go into less than 4 fathoms, for there is sometimes a heavy swell. The rise of tide is about 2 feet.

Port Hiogo is in the north-west part of Ohosako bay, abreast of Ohosaka, from which it is distant 10 miles.

Enora Bay, on the eastern shore of Toötomi gulf and in lat. 35° 10′ N., long. 139° 3′ 15′′ E., is 9 cables long, north and south, and 6 cables deep. Ara sima, a wooded island affording shelter from westerly winds, lies off the south point of entrance, and there is a small monument on the north point. The soundings in the bay are deep, 20 to 30 fathoms, and it is open to the west,