Their visits occupied nearly all the
afternoon. We afterwards landed with the French admiral, paid some
farewell visits, and went to look at a collection of old lacquer and
Satsuma china, before we returned to the yacht.
CHAPTER XXI.
THE INLAND SEA.
_Dipped in the lines of sunset, wreathed in zones,_
_The clouds are resting on their mountain thrones;_
_One peak alone exalts its glacier crest,_
_A golden paradise above the rest._
_Thither the day with lingering steps retires,_
_And in its own blue element expires._
_Monday, February 12th_.--Fires were lighted at 4 a.m., and by six we
were steaming slowly out of the beautiful bay of Kobe. It was a cold
bright morning, with a strong head wind, increasing every moment as we
proceeded, until, in the straits of Akashi, it became almost
impossible to make any way against it. There was not much sea, but the
wind impeded our progress so much, that it was at last reduced to one
mile instead of nine an hour. The straits are very fine, and the old
castle presents an admirable specimen of the architecture of a
Daimio's residence.
We proceeded across the Harima Nada, where we were more or less
exposed to the open sea, and where we took more water on board than we
had done in the gale before arriving at Yokohama.
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