Identifier: narrativeofexped05perr (find matches)
Title: Narrative of the expedition of an American squadron to the China seas and Japan
Year: 1857 (1850s)
Authors: Perry, Matthew Calbraith, 1794-1858 Hawks, Francis L. (Francis Lister), 1798-1866
Subjects: United States Naval Expedition to Japan (1852-1854)
Publisher: New York, D. Appleton and company (etc., etc.)
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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bly refreshing to one familiar with the squalor and filthof China. The sight of the Cung-qua, which occupied the place of honorat the top of the promontory, completed our raptures. Its roof of red tilesglittered in the sun; a row of feathery sago palms threw their brilliantleaves over the wall of the enclosure; the whitest and softest of mats cov-ered the floor; the garden blazed with a profusion of scarlet flowers; andstone basins, seated on pedestals, contained fresh water for our use. Itsaspect of comfort and repose was a balm to travellers as weary as ourselves,and I directed Terry at once to hoist the stars and stripes upon the roof Ihastened back to make a sketch of the beautiful valley before sunset, whileMr. Heine occupied himself with a view of the Cung-qua. A venerableold man, with a snowy beard reaching nearly to his knees, approached thebank where I sat, but upon noticing me, made a profound yet dignified rev-erence, and retired. The village was named Un-na. We had not yet
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EXPLORATION OF LEW CHEW. 205 reached the region of fowls, hut the people sent us two small fresh fish, witha pumpkin and some cucumbers. Our own stores were quite low, both sugarand pork having been exhausted, so that we had nothing left but tea, coffeeand ship biscuit. The natives kindled a fire inside the grounds of the Cung-qua, and halfa dozen of them sat around it all night. The morning was dull, and a capof mist on the mountain threatened rain. A bath in the sea before sunriserefreshed us for the days march. For our breakfast, there were sent two long,eel-like fish, resembling the gar, a few young egg-plants, two gourds and abasket of sweet potatoes. So much time was occupied in cooking and con-suming these delicacies, that we did not get under way before 8 oclock.Another consultation was held with our attendants, who declared that Sheudiwas 90 li distant, and that it would require three days for us to reach Napha;this did not correspond with our own ideas of our position, and w

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