lutely required by the nature of the circumstances. An instance of the necessity of these precautions occurred on the 7th of September, at four o'clock in the afternoon, when, it being quite calm, we were drifting along with the tide, which suddenly shifted and carried us rapidly towards a reef of rocks, which was invisible till the strong rippling of the water shewed us our danger: we let go the anchor immediately, but the jerk was so great, as to break the Lyra's cable. A second anchor, however, brought her up at sufficient distance from the reef.' pp. 42-43.

On some of these islands they landed, and found on all occasions the same uneasiness at their stay, and the same evident gratification at their departure. They had an excellent opportunity, in one instance, of examining the interior of a native habitation, which, though it was dark, dirty, and uncomfortable, seemed to be well constructed, and furnished with many articles of convenience. The people here walked with them, laughed with them, smoaked with them, and drank with them, but testified the same unvarying anxiety to get rid of them. On the 13th Sept. the vessels were off Sulphur Island in the sea of Japan, but from the high wind and dangerous surf they were unable to land. In the course of the following day, after a difficult and hazardous navigation among coral reefs, they anchored off the great Loo-choo island.

We fell in with several people in canoes: one man, who seemed to know what we were searching for, directed us to a point of land to the northward, and waved for us to go round it. While the boats were away, several natives came off to the Lyra. No people that we have yet met with have been so friendly; for the moment they came alongside, one handed a jar of water up to us, and another a basket of boiled sweet potatoes, without asking or seeming to wish for any recompense. Their manners were gentle and respectful; they uncovered their heads when in our presence, bowed whenever they spoke to us; and when we gave them some rum, they did not drink it till they had bowed to every person round. Another canoe went near the Alceste, and a rope being thrown to them, they tied a fish to it, and then paddled away. All this seemed to promise well, and was particularly grateful after the cold repulsive manners of the Coreans.' pp. 61

-62.

The chiefs who visited them, conducted themselves with admirable propriety. The dress of these personages is described as singularly graceful, consisting of flowing silken drapery, and a cylindrical cap, convenient and not inelegant in its form. On political subjects, the higher classes maintained an extreme reserve, referring on many occasions to the Great Man,' but evading all explanation respecting his peculiar character and prerogatives. The required permission to land and to enjoy unrestrained intercourse with he shore, was put aside by repre

senting the necessity of reference to this mysterious individual, and the whole of the stores which were sent with the utmost liberality to the ships, were tendered in his name. At one period, it was strongly suspected that he had been on board the Alceste in disguise, a supposition which, although afterwards rejected, would seem, from the character of the natives, not to have been without probability. On the 22nd, the frigate was visited by a chief of higher rank than any of their previous acquaintance, an elderly man of venerable aspect and prepossessing manners.

From the first moment he seemed quite at his ease. Every thing about him, in short, indicated good-breeding, and a familiarity with good society; and we could not help remarking his decided superiority in appearance over the other chiefs

When the pumps were ready, he was escorted to the main deck, where he sat for some time in great admiration of the machinery; and secing the labour required to work it, he seemed really affected at our situation, which he naturally thought must be very bad, from the immense quantity of water thrown out by the pumps. The ship being upright, the water did not run off freely from the deck, and in a short time it flowed round the chair in which the old man was seated. Three or four of the sailors seeing him somewhat uneasy at this inundation, took him up chair and all, and placed him on a dry spot. The old gentleman was surprised, not displeased, and very graciously replied to the low bows which the sailors made him. pp. 87-88.

He went all over the ship, accompanied by the other chiefs, and his own personal suite, consisting of a pipe bearer, a man who carried his large camp chair, another with a cover of red cloth for the chair, and a man who carried a round Japan box for the hatchee matchee. Two others took it in turn to fan him, and to hold his arm by the elbow and wrist whenever he walked about; probably as a piece of state, for the ship had very little notion: these fanners were very expert at their business, for not content with cooling his face and neck, they lifted up his large sleeves and fanned his arms.' pp. 90.

Our countrymen, finding that it was impossible to obtain a direct permission to land, ventured to give themselves an invitation to visit their new guest, and announced to him their intention, through the awkward medium of a Chinese interpreter, whose knowledge of English seems to have been very imperfect. The party landed in the midst of a large yet orderly assemblage of the natives, the trees, walls, and house-tops, being literally covered with people.' They were conducted, through a lane of spectators, to a temple where a feast had been prepared, which deserves honourable mention in the Almanach des Gourmands: eggs boiled bard, fish fried in batter, smoked pork, pig's liver, cakes of different kinds, and a strange' dish, very

little to the taste of those to whom it was a novelty, consisting of a mess of of coarse, soft, black sugar, wrapped up in unbaked "dough, powdered over with rice flower, dyed yellow.' A light kind of wine, called Sackee, drank hot, was passed gaily round, till they became exceedingly good company, and the old chief's ' eyes at length began to glisten, and observing that we felt it hot, he requested us to uncover, shewing the example himself. He seized the doctor's cocked hat and put it on, while the doctor did the same with his hatchee-matchee. The oddity of the Chief's appearance produced by this change overcame the gravity of the attendants, and the mirth became general; nor was the joke relished by any body more than the Chief's two sons, who stood by his chair during all the entertainment: they were pretty little boys, with gaudy dresses, and their hair dressed in high shewy top-knots.' p. 97.

During the feast, several Bodezes, or priests, made their appearance, a class of men whose precise habits and character among the Loo-chooers it does not seem easy to determine. Their dress differs only in some trifling respects from that of the secular tribes; their look is timorous, patient and subdued, " with a languid smile, and ghastly expression of countenance.' They seem to be held in no respect, and the attentions which the English officers were disposed to pay them, were looked upon as ridiculous by the chiefs.

Notwithstanding the hospitality with which the navigators were treated, they were not yet permitted to hold communication with the shore. Even when they requested permission to send the boats for fresh water, a very short time after the intimation had been given, the ships were surrounded by canoes with large tubs of that indispensable article. By way of employment, during this state of unpleasant suspense, it was determined to measure a base on a low island in the harbour, surrounded by a coral reef, and as this led to a minute inspection of the latter, Captain Hall has given a very excellent description of its structure, and of the animals which inhabit its cavities.

'The examination of a coral reef during the different stages of one tide, is particularly interesting. When the tide has left it for some time it becomes dry, and appears to be a compact rock, exceedingly hard and ragged; but as the tide rises, and the waves begin to wash over it, the coral worms protrude themselves from holes which were before invisible. These animals are of a great variety of shapes and sizes, and in such prodigious numbers, that, in a short time, the whole surface of the rock appears to be alive and in motion. The most common worm is in the forin of a star, with arms from four to six inches long, which are moved about with a rapid motion in all directions, probably to catch food. Others are so sluggish, that they may be mistaken for pieces of the rock, and are generally of a dark colour, and from four to five inches long, and two or three round. When the coral is broken about high water mark, it is a solid hard stone, but if

any part of it be detached at a spot which the tide reaches every day, it is found to be full of worms of different lengths and colours, some being as fine as a thread and several feet long, of a bright yellow, and sometimes of a blue colour: others resemble snails, and some are not unlike lobsters in shape, but soft, and not above two inches long.

The growth of coral appears to cease when the worm is no longer exposed to the washing of the sea. Thus, a reef rises in the form of a cauliflower, till its top has gained the level of the highest tides, above which the worm has no power to advance, and the reef of course no longer extends itself upwards. The other parts, in succession, reach the surface, and there stop, forming in time a level field with steep sides all round. The reef, however, continually increases, and being prevented from going higher, extends itself laterally in all directions. But this growth being as rapid at the upper edge as it is lower down, the steepness of the face of the reef is still preserved. These are the circumstances which render coral reefs so dangerous in navigation; for, in the first place they are seldom seen above the water; and, in the next, their sides are so steep, that a ship's bows may strike against the rock before any change of soundings has given warning of the danger.'

At length, the desired permission was obtained, and from this time, with certain easy restrictions, our countrymen were left at liberty to recreate themselves on shore. The face of the country was interesting and cultivated, and the cottages which they had the opportunity of inspecting, shewed much regard to cleanliness and personal comfort. In their attention to the sick, who were now landed, the natives manifested the greatest kindness; they supported them from the beach to their quarters, furnished them with all the delicacies which they had it in their power to supply, and attended them in their convalescent walks, with the most benevolent assiduity. All these details being now satisfactorily arranged, the Lyra was despatched to make the survey of the island, and the result of this investigation, which occupied about a week, under favourable circumstances of weather, was a sufficiently complete determination of the form, extent, and bearings of the great island. The most important of the discoveries made by Captain Hal!, during this short but interesting cruise, was that of a most singular and commodious harbour, consisting of narrow but deep and sheltered passages opening at intervals into basins, and terminating in an extensive lake several miles in length, studded with numerous small islands.' Lofty and richly wooded cliffs, interspersed with tracts of low and varied shores, romantic villages, and distant mountains, are among the attractions of this delightful place.

The depth of water in the lake varied from four to six fathoms; but in the narrow neck which connects it with the sea, the depth is from ten to twenty fathoms, being deepest at the narrowest parts. Ships might ride in any part of this extraordinary harbour, in perfect safety, during the most violent tempests, and the shores are so varied, that

every purpose of re-equipment might be served. At some places natural wharfs are formed by the rocks, and eight and ten fathoms water close to them. Ships might lie alongside these places, or might heave down by them: there are also shallow spots on which ships might be careened. Many of the cliffs are hollowed into caves, which would answer for storehouses; and in the numerous lawns on both sides, encampments might be formed of any number of people.'

Their intercourse with the people was but slight; access was obtained to one of the villages, and they had an opportunity of examining a very neat and comfortable farm; two handsome bay ponies stood in the stable, the pig-sty and poultry-house were well stocked, and there was every appearance of ease and prosperity. In the centre of this village

stood a building like a temple, surrounded by a stone wall. It was filled with elegant vases of different shapes and sizes, closed up and ranged in rows on the floor; the verandah encircling the building was also covered with vases. According to the account of the natives, the remains of the dead are deposited in these jars. Round the building bamboo poles were placed so as to lean against the thatched roof, having notches cut in them, to which bundles of flowers were hung, some fresh, others decayed, apparently funereal offerings; but their exact import Mr. Clifford was not able to learn. The elegant shape of the vases, and the tasteful way in which they were arranged, with the flowers hanging all round, gave to this cemetery an air of cheerfulness, which we are in the habit of thinking unsuitable to a depository of the dead.'

Another village, which they were permitted to examine, presented the same aspect of elegance and convenience. The streets were regularly disposed and carefully swept; the dwellings were separated from one another by fences, and each was shaded by its own little grove. In one part they found large houses, in which there were persons writing, who behaved with great courtesy, and gave them tea and cakes. In front of the village, towards the water, stood a splendid avenue thirty feet wide. The lofty trees which formed it, mingling their foliage, effectually excluded the sunbeams; and beneath them wooden benches and stone seats were placed at intervals. This richly ornamented spot is surrounded by high hills, one extremity of which is precipitous and over-hanging. In this part they discovered a cemetery which formed a perfect contrast to that which has been before described. In the face of the rock, where its summit projects considerably beyond its base, a horizontal gallery of great length has been formed, and in a number of small square excavations, in the side of this main shaft, stand the vases which contain the last relics of mortality. This laboriously constructed charnel-house is eight or ten yards from the ground, and was thrown into deep and awful gloom by the brush-wood which concealed it below, and by the trees and