The boy travellers in the Far East : adventures of two youths ... - Library

SIGHTS IN YEDDO BAY. 77
Cape King, they were in front of Yokoliania ; tlie engines stopped, tlie
anchor fell, the chain rattled through the hawse-hole, and the ship was at
rest, after her long journey from San Francisco. Our young adventurers
were in Japan.
With the first streak of dawn the boys were on deck, where they were
joined by Doctor Bronson. The sun was just rising when the steamer
dropped her anchor, and, conserpiently, their first day in the new country
was begun very early. There was an abundance of sights for the young
eyes, and no lack of sulijects for conversation.
Hardly was the anchor down before the steamer was surrounded by
a swarm of little boats, and Frank thought they were the funniest Ijoats
he had ever seen.
JAVANESE JUNK AND BOATS.
" They are called ' sampans,' " Doctor Bronson explained, " and are
made entirely of wood. Of late years the Japanese sometimes use copper
or iron nails for fastenings ;
ticle of metal about them."
but formerly you found them without a par-
" They don't look as if they could stand rough weather," said Fred.
"See; they are low and square at the stern, and high and sharp at the
bow ;
and they sit very low in the water."
" They are not in accordance with our notions," replied the Doctor
" but they are excellent sea-boats, and I have known them to ride safely
where an American boat would have been swamped. You observe how
easily they go through the water. They can be handled very readily,
and, certainly, the Japanese have no occasion to be ashamed of their
craft."