ld the phenomenon.

Before our arrival at Singapore it had been Mrs Vansittart's intention
to proceed from that port to Manila, she being somewhat curious to see
something of the United States' farthest East possession on our way
north. But the United States' consul at Singapore had very strongly
dissuaded her from making such a visit; we therefore skipped the
Philippines, and, after spending a week at Hong-Kong, during which the
saloon party made a trip to Canton and back, weighed and stood out of
the harbour _en route_ for Yokohama.

We had a good run up through the China Sea, doing the trip in ten days
from port to port without being obliged to use the engine at all.
Arrived in the magical land of the chrysanthemum, our lady skipper
"spread herself", as she graphically expressed it, devoting a full month
to the exploration of the country, and returning to the ship loaded down
with priceless treasures of porcelain, pictures, carving and lacquer
work, mostly designed as presents for her more stay-at-home friends in
"little old N'York", when she should get back. Of course her children
went with her, and Monroe, equally of course, "went along" as escort.

While Mrs Vansittart and her party were enjoying themselves the crew
also had an opportunity to see something of what many regard as the most
wonderful country and people in the world, the same generous rule with
regard to shore leave prevailing here as elsewhere. For myself, I did
not see nearly as much of the country as I should have liked, for it
unfortunately happened that at the time of our visit the relations
between Japan and the United States were somewhat strained in connection
with the settlement of Japanese subjects on United States soil, and the
Stars and Stripes was not altogether welcome in Japanese ports. Indeed,
within the first week of our arrival in Yokohama harbour we had reason
to suspect that a malicious attempt had been made either to damage or to
destroy the yacht; and as she was in my charge during the owner's
absence I did not care to leave her for more than a day at a time--and
only once as long as that. But of course it must be understood that
such ill feeling as undoubtedly existed was only openly manifested by
private persons, and those almost entirely of the lower classes.
Official Japan was the very essence of politeness and urbanity whenever
we came into contact with it.

There was just one element of regret for Mrs Vansittart in