cky islets.
On the left of the volcano island a point of land rising into a bold
and rocky coast, along which the eye is carried till it encounters a
mighty bank of white clouds piled up one upon another, out of which
rises clear and blue, with a white streak upon the side which seems to
tell of perpetual snow, the cone-shaped top of Fusiama. Passing on the
eye from this magnificent object to the left still farther, the rocky
coast is followed till it loses itself in the distance. What is almost
more charming than the scene is the fresh breeze which is carrying off
the accumulated fever of weeks.

[Sidenote: Simoda.]

_August 12th._--At sea again. (Grouse day. I am following different
game.) We dropped anchor in the harbour of Simoda on the 10th at about
3 P.M. I went off immediately to see the American Consul-General, Mr.
Harris, the only foreigner resident at Simoda. I found him living in
what had been a temple, but what in point of fact makes a very nice
cottage, overlooking the bay. As soon as we anchored we began to feel
the heat, though not so great as at Shanghae. I found that the Consul
had contrived to make a pretty good treaty with Japan, evidently under
the influence of the _contrecoup_ of our proceedings in China. He had
had an interview with the Emperor, but it transpired that he had a
letter of credence, which I have not, and that Putiatine, not having
one, is not permitted to go to Yeddo. I also learnt that there is no
way of communicating with the Japanese officials except through the
Dutch language. Being without a Dutch interpreter, and without letters
of credence, my case looked bad enough. However, I made great friends
with the American, and the result is that he has lent me his own
interpreter, who is now beside me translating into Dutch a letter from
me to the Foreign Minister of the Japanese Emperor. You see how I was
situated. The problem I had to solve was:--How to make a treaty
without _time_ (for I cannot stay here above a few days),
_interpreter_, or _credentials_ !! When I say credentials, I do not
mean _full powers_. _These_ I have, but prestige is everything in the
East, and I should not like to be prevented from seeing the Emperor,
now that the American has been received. We shall see how we can get
out of all this.

The lack of credentials was practica