ow a large and flourishing town,
and the chief naval and foreign trading port of Japan, though, before
the English arrived here in 1854, it was little more than a village.

Having got through the noise and smoke of salutes to no less than four
admirals, and other minor consular expenditures of gunpowder, we
prepared ourselves for a pleasurable stay in the sailor's paradise.
Perhaps no place in the round of sailors' visits, certainly none on this
station, offers so many inducements, so many and pleasing channels of
getting rid of money, as does Yokohama. Certain it is that the officers,
who form the banking committee on board, never complain of being over
worked, during a ship's stay in this harbour, and plethoric bank books
are frequently reduced to a sad and pitiable state of emaciation after
having "done" Yokohama and its vicinity.

The residences of the Europeans are situated out of the town on a rising
ground to the left, known as the Bluff. Here the merchants live in rural
magnificence, each with his mansion surrounded by its own park-like
grounds. The English and foreign naval hospitals are also situated in
this healthy and beautiful spot; and it was here, too, that our recent
marine contingent to Japan had their barrack.

The European concession is a small town in itself, and from the
nomenclature of the landing places it would appear that the English and
French claim the greatest interests here. These landing stages are
called, from the division of the settlement which they front, the
English and French "_Hatobahs_"--the "_atter bar_" of the sailor.

As this town is the great point of contest between the Japanese and the
foreigner, everything in the shape of "_curios_" can be obtained in its
marts and bazaars. Most of the objects are novel to us, and from their
attractiveness generally induce sailors to purchase on the strength of
that very quality. Except in very rare instances a piece of real lacquer
can scarcely be obtained, most of it having already found its way to
Europe; that which we see here is made chiefly for sailors, who needs
must take something home--they care not what, nor are they very
particular about the price asked. And how well these people have
studied the "tar;" how they have discovered his weakness for startling
colours! I am writing this about four years subsequent to this, our
first visit, and one would think, that four years was amply sufficient
for the purpose of opening our eyes to