e
steamer _A.E. Nordenskioeld_, which Mr. Sibiriakoff had sent to
Behring's Straits and the Lena to our relief, had stranded on the
east coast of Yesso. The shipwreck fortunately had not been attended
with any loss of human life, and the vessel lay stranded on a
sandbank in circumstances which made it probable that it would be
got off without too great cost.

As the report of our arrival spread, I was immediately waited upon
by various deputations with addresses of welcome, invitations to
_fetes_, clubs, &c. A series of entertainments and festivities now
began, which occupied a great part of the time we remained in this
splendid and remarkable country. Perhaps a sketch of these
festivities may yield a picture of Japan during the state of
transition, which still prevails there, and which in a decade or two
will undoubtedly belong to a past and to a great extent forgotten
period, a picture which to future writers may possibly form a not
unwelcome contribution to the knowledge of the Japan that now (1879)
is. Such a sketch would however carry me too far beyond the subject
of this narrative of travel, and require too much space, on which
account I must confine myself to an enumeration of the festivities
at the head of which were public authorities, learned societies, or
clubs.

[Illustration: FUSIYAMA. ]

On the 10th September a grand dinner was given at the Grand Hotel,
the principal European hotel--and very well kept--of Yokohama, by
the Dutch minister, Chevalier VAN STOETWEGEN, who at the same time
represents Sweden and Norway in Japan.

[Illustration: THE STEAMER "A.E. NORDENSKIOeLD," STRANDED ON THE EAST
COAST OF YEZO. (After a Japanese photograph.) ]

The members of the Expedition were here introduced to several
members of the Japanese Government.

[Illustration: KAWAMURA SUMIYOSHI. Japanese Minister of Marine. ]

We were invited to a _dejeuner a la fourchette_, at one o'clock P.M.
on the 11th September, at the Imperial summer palace Hamagoten, by
Admiral KAWAMURA, minister of marine. At this entertainment there
were present, besides the scientific men and officers of the _Vega_,
and our minister, Herr van Stoetwegen, several of the ministers and
highest officials of Japan. Some of them spoke one or other of the
European languages, others only Japanese, in which case officials of
lower rank acted as interpreter these however taking no part in the
entertainment along with the other guests. It was arranged aft