in Japan, and we are informed that a special committee is
appointed to make arrangements for their reception. This has given
offence in certain quarters, and shortly before our arrival a
proclamation was issued by a secret society, which threatened, if no
change were made, to kill one of the ministers and one of the
foreigners who were entertained in this, in the opinion of the
secret society, extravagant way. One of my Japanese friends promised
me a copy of the proclamation, but did not keep his promise,
probably because it was impossible for the uninitiated to get hold
of the dangerous writing.

On the 13th September a grand dinner was arranged for us by the
German Club, the photographer ANDERSEN being chairman. The hall was
adorned in a festive manner with flags, and with representations of
the _Vega_ in various more or less dangerous positions among the
ice, which had been got up for the occasion, the bill of fare had
reference to the circumstances of our wintering, &c. A number of
speeches were made, the feeling was cheerful and merry.

On the 15th September there was a grand entertainment in Tokio, given by
the Tokio Geographical Society, the Asiatic Society of Japan, and the
German Asiatic Society. It was held in the great hall in Koku-Dai-Gaku,
a large stone building surrounded with beautiful trees, which were
lighted up for the occasion by a number of variegated paper lanterns.
Several Japanese ladies dressed in European style took part in the
entertainment. I sat by the side of the chairman, Prince
KITA-SHIRA-KAVA, a young member of the imperial house, who had served
some time in the German army and speaks German very well. During the
disturbances which were caused by the removal of the residence from
Kioto to Yedo (Tokio), a group of insurgents had seized the prince, then
a minor, who under the name of RINNOJINO-MIYA was chief priest in a
temple, and endeavoured to set him up in opposition to the Emperor. The
plan failed, and in consequence of the reconciliation at the end of the
conflict, which distinguished in so honourable a way the many involved
and bloody political struggles in Japan during recent years, this
adventure was attended with no other insult for him than that the former
chief priest was sent to a German military school. He was recalled
sooner than was intended because he wished to marry a European, which
was considered below the dignity of the family of the Mikado. After his
return he was d