the anchor could be dropped.

[Illustration: Little Redcap.]

During this interval we were surrounded by a swarm of boats, the
occupants of which clamoured vociferously to be allowed on board, and
in many cases they succeeded in evading the vigilance of the man at
the gangway, by going round the other side and climbing over the rail.
A second man was put on guard; but it was of no use, for we were
invaded from all directions at once. We had a good many visitors also
from the men-of-war, Japanese and English, and from the reporters of
newspapers, full of curiosity, questions, and astonishment.

Having at last managed to get some lunch, Tom went to bed to rest,
after his two hard nights' work, and the rest of us went on shore.
Directly we landed at the jetty we were rushed at by a crowd of
_jinrikisha_ men, each drawing a little vehicle not unlike a Hansom
cab, without the seat for the driver--there being no horse to drive.
The man runs between the shafts, and is often preceded by a leader,
harnessed on in front, tandem fashion. Each of these vehicles holds
one person, and they go along at a tremendous pace.

We went first to the Consul's, where we got a few letters, and then to
the Post Office, where many more awaited us. We had then to go to
various places to order stores, fresh provisions, coals, and water,
all of which were urgently needed on board, and to give directions for
the repair of boats, spars, &c., with as little delay as possible. All
this business, including the inevitable search for a good laundress,
lay in the European quarter of the town, the appearance of which was
not remarkable. But the people we met in the streets were a study in