The Macedonian, after a little over two weeks absence, returned from the Bonin islands, bringing the intelligence, that the man, that we had previously left at Port Lloyd, had decamped from there on some whaler, after regaling himself on Uncle Sam’s bullocks. We hailed her approach with much gratification, as she brought sixty large sea-turtles—a perfect God-send—an oasis in the desert of salt junk. “Soup! soup!” resounded in the messes, louder than the “Beef! beef!” in the American camp, that invoked the thunders of Henry. The Lexington was sent to Loo-Choo to look after things till the return of the other ships; carrying out the recommendation contained in the introduction to the work of Golownin: “Provided judicious means shall be used and a foundation laid by a progressive acquaintance through Loo-Choo.” The Macedonian, Vandalia, and Southampton, were despatched to Hakodade, or as it was then spelt on Russian authority, Chackodade, in the island of Yeso. A poor fellow, killed by falling from the topsail yard of the Powhatan, was buried without difficulty or objection in the ground of a temple, back of Kakizaki. On a fine sunshiny morning, in the latter part of April, I had landed, according to previous appointment, to take a botanical tramp into the country with the author of the “Middle Kingdom,” and with a gentleman from South Carolina, our botanist. I reached the shore before them, and, a number of the villagers around, stood on the glistening white beach between Simoda and the fishing village of Kakizaki, watching the lazy swell as it came in a roll against Centre Sima, or broke with a low splash through its Gothic cavern, when I was approached by two young Japanese, whose dress and address told, that they were gentlemen in their land. They wore the rich brocade breeches; the handles of their short and long swords were decorated with amulets, and the light blue oval on the summit of their fresh shaven polls, shone far smoother than “a stubble land at harvest home.” After the characteristic bended and knee-pressing salutation, accompanied with the aspirated “Eh!” which only a Japanese can do exactly, which I jocularly replied to with “Abeyo!” they came quite close to me. Pointing to our different ships in the harbor, they attempted to pronounce their names, but as they scarcely succeeded, either in their sequence or their articulation, particularly of Mississippi and Powhatan, I did it for them, and at their request wrote all of their names down, with one of their camel’s hair pencils. This done, they affected to examine with some interest the chain attached to my “tokay,” or watch, and at the same time slipped into the bosom of my vest an enveloped letter, which noticing, I immediately attempted to withdraw, when they gently restrained my hand, cast an anxious glance around, and gave a most imploring look for secrecy. A moment’s thought, and I was willing to indulge them in