. Narrative of the expedition of an American squadron to the China seas and Japan. ness of the interior became so great that objects could no longer bedistinguished; it was found, however, by groping along, that the cavebranched ofi to the right and left, with apparently the same depth of waterand the same height of roof as at the entrance. Within, a perfect calmnessreigned, the water being almost motionless, and the atmosphere close and un-disturbed by a breath of wind. When the light was sufficient, the bottomcould be seen glistening brightly with a deposit of white sand. Whenstorms prevail,
. Narrative of the expedition of an American squadron to the China seas and Japan. ness of the interior became so great that objects could no longer bedistinguished; it was found, however, by groping along, that the cavebranched ofi to the right and left, with apparently the same depth of waterand the same height of roof as at the entrance. Within, a perfect calmnessreigned, the water being almost motionless, and the atmosphere close and un-disturbed by a breath of wind. When the light was sufficient, the bottomcould be seen glistening brightly with a deposit of white sand. Whenstorms prevail, there must be a great rushing of waters, and war of thewinds, through this cavernous channel. The entrance to the cave is arched,and the rocky cliff in which it opens has a columnar formation, extendingfrom the curve of the arch, high up the rock. At first sight it was sup-posed to be basalt, as it had a similar appearance to the columns of theGiants Causeway in Ireland; but on further investigation, the geological iiiii.#.liiie i>i ?II |i|i||||p;iHi|{ < !!llil,i ilili. [i<. ! ^r-^i^nm^ I \ i, COMMERCE OF HAKODADI. 519 formation proved to be tlie sienitic form of granite, like the main body ofthe mountain. The peninsula on which the town stands affords but a few score of acresof arable land lying on the eastern slope of the highest hill, near the fishingvillage of Shirasawaki on the seashore. It is cultivated in vegetables, prin-cipally for the consumption of the people of Hakodadi. Onions, a fewsweet potatoes and radishes, are the chief products, the last of which are avery favorite article of food, and are served up raw, being grated and usedas a condiment with fish, and cooked by stewing and boiling. The low isth-mus which connects the site of the town with the main land is mostly leftuncultivated, although it might be by proper tillage rendered tolerably pro-ductive. Further in the interior, the soil is more worked, and large cropsare obtained, but with very littl
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, bookpublisheretcetc, bookyear185
