h requires no mean bravery. When not fighting the
two-legged enemies of their country, they are engaged waging war against
the four-legged ones, their land being infested with tigers of great
size and strength.

In the evening the local mandarin sent a present of fruits, fowls, eggs,
vegetables, and a pig, to the admiral. "Dennis," however, made a
terrible fuss at the prospect of being converted into a toothsome dish
for the sailors, and sent up such a squeal, in choicest
pig-Corean--piercing, prolonged, torturing--that the band was compelled
to cease, in the midst of the most pathetic part of "_La Traviata_," out
of respect of his superior music.

As the ladies of this country are for ever immured within the four mud
walls of their houses, the men have usurped a right generally conceded
to females, namely, that of indicating by some sign their state in
life--married or single. The married men do their hair up in a knot at
the top of the head; those who have not yet seen the girl they like
better than themselves wear theirs in a loose trace behind; whilst some
others who have successfully passed through both states, and are quite
willing to try it again--for marriage amongst them is honorable and
universal, as in China--indicate this desire by donning a sort of skull
cap. I thought it not a little curious that the men, and not the women,
should take the initiative in this matter. Men, in general, after having
committed a mistake, don't like to admit it.

After Gen-San we moved a little further south to Chosan, where, scarce
had we anchored, when the arrival of a small steamer threw the whole
squadron into violent commotion. She had been chartered either by Sir
Thomas Wade or Sir Harry Parkes expressly to convey despatches to the
admiral--what the subject was none of us could even guess, though it
subsequently leaked out that a disturbance of some sort had broken out
at Foo-Choo. The "Zephyr" was at once signalled to raise steam; and all
the admiral's staff were warned to hold themselves in readiness to turn
over to the "Vigilant" on the following day. Next morning the admiral
sailed, preceded by the "Cleopatra" by a few hours, and followed by the
"Swift."

September 12th.--We are now at Port Hamilton, and drawing towards the
end of our cruise. The "Vigilant" came in this morning with Mrs. Willes
on board to witness the regatta got up for the squadron. It was a
success in every way--especially so to the crew of our f