Sunday, February 11th.—­About 7 a.m., two Japanese officers came on board with a message which nobody could understand.  When we went on deck, we saw that all the ships were dressed, and concluded that we had been asked to do the same; but we thought it better to send ashore to ascertain positively.  The next difficulty was to get a Japanese flag.  Tom went on board the ‘Thabor,’ a Japanese ship, to borrow one, and found everything was in bustle and confusion, news having arrived from Kiusiu that the rebels were mustering in great force, and that they had seized some ships.  The ‘Thabor,’ ‘Mihu Maru,’ and three others, are therefore to go through the Inland Sea to Nagasaki this afternoon.

The Japanese admiral sent word early this morning that he would come on board at two o’clock with some of his captains, and the French admiral also expressed a hope that it would be convenient to receive him and his captains at three.  Their visits occupied nearly all the afternoon.  We afterwards landed with the French admiral, paid some farewell visits, and went to look at a collection of old lacquer and Satsuma china, before we returned to the yacht.

CHAPTER XXI.

THE INLAND SEA.

Dipped in the lines of sunset, wreathed in zones, The clouds are resting on their mountain thrones; One peak alone exalts its glacier crest, A golden paradise above the rest. Thither the day with lingering steps retires, And in its own blue element expires.

Monday, February 12th.—­Fires were lighted at 4 a.m., and by six we were steaming slowly out of the beautiful bay of Kobe.  It was a cold bright morning, with a strong head wind, increasing every moment as we proceeded, until, in the straits of Akashi, it became almost impossible to make any way against it.  There was not much sea, but the wind impeded our progress so much, that it was at last reduced to one mile instead of nine an hour.  The straits are very fine, and the old castle presents an admirable specimen of the architecture of a Daimio’s residence.

We proceeded across the Harima Nada, where we were more or less exposed to the open sea, and where we took more water on board than we had done in the gale before arriving at Yokohama.  There were no big waves, but we rolled tremendously, and the spray came over us, though the mere force of the wind seemed to keep the sea down.

After struggling until twelve o’clock, and having done but little good for the last three hours, Tom determined to run back, and in a short time we found ourselves once more at anchor in the harbour of Kobe.  It was a work of considerable difficulty, owing to the strong wind and tide, to steer safely among the numerous vessels, and for a few minutes we thought we were aground, as we did not make the slightest progress, though the engines were working ahead full speed.  The proveedor’s boat came out to us as soon as we were perceived, and we landed in her; but it was as much as the six stout oarsmen could do to make way against the wind.