to avoid two reefs off Siyako and Usi Suria. Thus we threaded
the St. Vincent's Channel, and, avoiding the Conqueror bank by another
sharp turn, dropped anchor at Imo Ura, in Hurusima, precisely at 8.30
p.m. Tom had been on the look-out since 5 a.m., and we were all more
or less worn out with the fatigue and excitement of last night.

_Friday, February 16th_.--Off again at 4 a.m. The scenery was much
finer than yesterday, and the wind not quite so bitterly cold.

About 11 a.m. I heard a hurrying to and fro, and once more the cry of
'Fire!' This time it was in the store-room that it broke out. The iron
plates on which the saloon and galley grates are fixed had become
red-hot, and the wooden deck below had consequently caught fire. The
boxes on both sides, containing the stores, were in flames; but they
were quickly removed, water was poured down, and the second and third
fires were thus soon extinguished.

[Illustration: Hurusima, Inland Sea.]

_Saturday, February 17th_.--At 3.15 a.m. we began to slow; at 3.45 the
anchor was dropped near the lighthouse of Isaki, and we waited until
daylight before proceeding through the Straits of Simono-seki. About
nine o'clock a fresh start was made, under steam, but before long the
wind freshened, and as soon as the anchorage near the town was reached
we let go once more, near two men-of-war, who had preceded us from
Kobe, but who were now wind-bound, like ourselves.

To our astonishment, we also saw a large ship from Nova Scotia at
anchor, the 'Mary Fraser,' although this is not a free port, nor
within treaty limits. The gig was lowered at once, and we rowed
alongside to gain what intelligence could be learned, as well as to
ascertain what likelihood there might be of our obtaining fresh
supplies here. The captain was very civil and kind, and volunteered to
go on shore with us and act as our interpreter. We landed opposite a
large teahouse, where we were immediately surrounded by a crowd of
Japanese, who stared at us eagerly and even touched us, only through
curiosity. They pursued us wherever we went, and when we entered a
tea-house or shop the whole crowd immediately stopped, and if we
retired to the back they surged all over the front premises, and
penetrated into the interior as far as they could. A most amusing
scene took place at one of the tea-houses, where we went to order some
provisions for the yacht. It was rather a tedious process, and when we
came out of the back ro