The prospect, as you approach Great Loo-Choo island, clothed in masses of deep green, is very delightful to the eye, after it has been resting for days on the slate-colored ocean. We reached our anchorage late in the afternoon in the midst of a heavy rain, on the 26th of May. The roadstead off the city of Napa is enclosed by large fields of coral, and the entrances through the reefs are quite narrow. When we had gotten inside, large numbers of the natives appeared on the shore, no doubt greatly astonished at the sight of the two large steamers; and shortly after, the sloop-of-war “Saratoga,” from Hong Kong, also arrived. In a short time a rude dug-out boat came off to our ship, containing some officer, but as the flag-ship had previously made signal forbidding any communication with shore, he was directed to that ship—now the Susquehanna. He wished to know what we wanted in their harbor; the answer to this was, “Ask no questions and I’ll tell you,” &c. He was given to understand that he was rather too “small pigeon” for our commodore to see, and that he must go back and send off their “first chop” mandarin, as we could hold no intercourse with any other. This was trying on the _dignitate_ early, but nothing else will answer in the East; any concession of equality, or manifestation of too great courtesy, would be at once construed by them into an admission of their superiority. Our stripes and stars were a new sight to them, and the sudden advent of our ships in their waters was more than they could comprehend. At night their chief men took counsel together, and came to the conclusion that we were in want of _kam-yum-muru_, or something to eat; so the next morning off came, in a string of canoes, bullocks, pigs, chickens, and vegetables, as presents. These were sent back with the information that we could not receive presents. Become quite uneasy about our presence, they consented to their prince regent’s coming off to the flag-ship, which he did at an appointed hour, with a _suite_ in their canoes. He was well received, and given the cheap salute of three guns, which small compliment he would have preferred to dispense with. They were shown over the ship: the engines were moved for their observation, and they evinced immense surprise: some of the attendants, however, when the great pistons moved, bolted up the hatchway and made for their boats. The higher officers were quite dignified in appearance and demeanor, but the lower class showed a simplicity most childish. They giggled at a looking-glass, and continually felt behind it; a sight through a spy-glass was most puzzling; a wine-glass they held tightly with both hands, and elevated to the forehead before tasting contents; a watch was most miraculous, and as they gathered round they were all wonderment, and imitated its “tick tick;” when the works were exposed to them, their exclamation of surprise was more like one of pain. The contents of the purser’s chest when exposed to them they