the time specified
they returned with a long rigmarole letter, which was of course anything
but satisfactory. They looked very much surprised when ordered to
return on shore with an intimation that no further communication would
be held with the prince unless under a flag of truce.

In the mean time a boat expedition had been ordered to proceed further
up the gulf to ascertain what had become of the fleet of vessels which
the prince was said to possess. Tom and Desmond had the satisfaction of
going in one of the boats, their hopes being raised that some work would
be cut out for them.

The scenery presented on either shore was magnificent, while the weather
continued fine. No ships were, however, seen until they had got about
seven miles up, when they came in sight of three large steamers, with
the flag of the prince flying on board.

It was hoped that these would be at once captured and held in pledge
until the demands of the British were complied with; but the officer in
command having been directed simply to make a reconnaissance, ordered
the boats to be put about, and they returned to the squadron. They
found that the Japanese officials had been going backwards and forwards,
evidently with the intention, for some reason or other, of spinning out
the time. That the Japanese intended hostilities was manifest enough,
for they began to assemble large bodies of men in their batteries, and
to point the whole of their guns, numbering some seventy or eighty, upon
the squadron. Shortly after this, five large junks were warped out of
the inner harbour, and anchored out of the line of fire. Later in the
day, a number of Japanese boats came out of the harbour, and as they
approached the squadron, they were seen to be filled with soldiers,
although, at the same time they contained a few water melons, fowls, and
eggs, apparently intended to represent the provisions with which the
Japanese had promised to supply the ships. Instead of coming alongside,
however, they merely pulled round the squadron, evidently for the
purpose of counting the number of guns, that the garrisons of the forts
might be satisfied how far superior a force they themselves possessed.

The best scene of all, however, was a visit from a damio, or person of
high rank, who came off with a guard of forty men. He had the impudence
to ask to come on board the flag-ship with his guard, and, perhaps
greatly to his surprise, this was granted, but he looked