t a few yards
of canvas, more or less, does not affect her much. Away they go, listing
over under the strong pressure, and rising and falling in all the
majesty of ships of war. The "Pegasus" now shoots ahead, bidding fair to
overhaul the corvettes, but her ambition is speedily curbed by the
springing of her main-topsail yard. Placed _hors de combat_, she drops
astern to shift her wounded spar. Many little accidents such as this,
calling for prompt seamanship, occurred during the forenoon, and hence
the value of such trials of speed.

For eight hours the squadron disported themselves in this manner, when
the "Encounter" was declared the winner by 400 yards. At the moment of
shortening sail, our lame duck, the "Mosquito," hove in sight astern, in
a sad plight, as is usual with lame ducks. She had lost her fore-topmast
and jib-boom during the night, off O'Kosiri. She was at once signalled
to repair to Hakodadi with all speed, to effect repairs.

By the time the race was finished we were broad off Hakodadi, on the
opposite side of the strait, but as it was not intended to push on until
next day, easy sail was kept on until daylight.

September 7th.--At daybreak a man-of-war, with the Japanese royal
standard at the main--sky blue, with a white chrysanthemum in the
centre--was observed making out of Hakodadi. Our larger ships at once
saluted, the smaller ones lowering their upper sails at the same time.
Subsequently we fell in with a Japanese squadron, all with royal flags
displayed. They were in attendance on the mikado, who is now on a tour
of his empire.

By the evening we had arrived and anchored in a double line, at right
angles with the town.

We have, doubtless, all seen, heard, or read of the various devices
adopted by the different peoples of the globe in the capture of the
finny tribe, from our own familiar hook and line to the Chinaman's
trained cormorant or the Chenook Indian's tame seal. These are all good
in their way, only they involve a great loss of time and require no end
of patience. But the method illustrated to us the morning after our
arrival, besides being a more certain is also less cruel than anything
else in the shape of fishing I have yet seen. Observing a vast quantity
of fish disporting themselves near the ship, our experimental torpedo
officer armed himself with a small torpedo, pulled himself into their
midst, quietly dropped the missile overboard, and pulled away again. The
beautiful uns