April 15^th
"Fleet weighed under steam and proceeded up to Yeddo."

April 16^th
"The Mikado�s uncle visited the flag ship. We manned and armed boats and sent them away firing for his edification and a very pretty sight it must have been to see all the boats of the squadron on one line firing away as fast as they could. The next day the Admiral went onshore with all the Captains in full dress for a presentation to the Mikado ¹ and I believe they saw the whole of him except the upper part of his face which was hid under a sort of meat screen."

"There are some places worth seeing about Yeddo, especially the burial ground of the Tycoons at Hoiba."

"They still send a guard of two or three two sworded men with foreigners round the city."

"Yeddo occupies more ground than London and the whole way from Yeddo to Yokohama, a distance of 24 miles, is like a street with houses both sides."

"Burial Ground on the Tycoons. The Tycoons of the dynasty founded by Tycyan are all buried either as Shiba or at Uyeus in Yeddo with the exception of Tycyasio himself. The view represents the gateway and front of a small but highly finished temple or shrine immediately behind the main temple in the centre of the burial ground of Shiba. This small temple is erected to Kuro-how-you or the Black true Buddah who according to the legend came to the aid of the Tycyasu on occasion when he was on the point of being overwhelmed by his enemies. The doors both inside and out are exquisitely coloured and gilded and covered with carvings of Peacocks and other birds all in the natural hues of their plumage."

"There are five main roads that radiate from Yeddo. The Tokaido which leads to Osaka and there terminates is the greatest and also the one by which ??? and their retinues most frequently travel. It is broad, kept in good order and for the most part level although it crosses considerable mountain passes such as Haktoni, numerous rivers and more than one arm of the sea."

View of the Tokaido

In the early years of the 17^th Century one of the first foreign travellers thus remarked upon the Tokaido � On whatever side one turns his eyes he perceives a concourse of people passing to and fro. The road is lined on both sides with superb lime and pine trees which keep off the sun. The distances are marked by little ?????? planted with two trees.

Sunday April 16^th
"Fleet got up steam and we proceeded to Yoyohama. Found the French Admiral had arrived during our absence in frigate Venus. I went onshore and had a farewell look at Yokohama a place where I have spend many pleasant days. Commander Cleveland joined the ship having been sent out from England for that purpose."

April 18^th "Fleet Weighed at daylight under under sail and towards evening wind increased to a gale."

April 19th "Bowling along with a fair wind."
April 22nd "Flag ship lost a man overboard, heard afterwards he was a Midshipman named Warren."
April 26th "HMS Scylla lost a man overboard whilst making eleven knots an hour."
April 29th "Admiral inspected Scylla and Pearl. We find the Pearl is not such a crack sailor as her predecessor, the Barrosa."
May 1st "Lost the fleet in a squall and did not pick them up for two days as the weather was very foggy."
May 2nd "Having passed the Meridian of 180 and consequently gained one day since we left England we had two Mondays."
May 5th "Picked up the Phoebe having lost sight of her since the 30th. The squadron are now all together again and bowling along with a fine strong westerly wind and plenty of snow squalls. We have had very good runs, as yet, this cruise having made 2,200 miles the first fortnight."

¹     The Meiji Emperor (1852-1912) took the throne in 1867. Although a young man, he had significant presence and charisma and was an inspirational figurehead during the rapid and tumultuous changes of Meiji period . Unlike his successors, he intervened from time to time in political affairs although historical records do not tell us much about his interventions. He had an interest in Japanese history and traditional rituals. He made a trip along the Nakasendo to Kyoto stopping at nearly every interesting place on the way; each of these stops is commemorated with an inscription. When he died in 1912, there was a general feeling that a momentous period had ended and that much uncertainty lay ahead.

© Copyright Charles Fountain May 2002

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