But the disadvantages of proximity to sand dunes have become apparent in the past year. War is being waged on wind-blown sand by planting marram grass.

While Victoria acknowledges that he is more talented, better looking, and more stylish than her, it seems that his calm appearance is something of an illusion as well. He recently admitted that he suffers from ataxophobia (fear of disorder) to the point where he feels compelled to throw out drink cans in the refrigerator if there is an uneven number.

A Jardine Matheson schooner came in from the east coast with $15,000 in treasure, the proceeds of hardly more than forty chests, and there seemed nothing better to do than send her to join others on the west coast, for it was thought some opium might still be disposed of at Tinpak and other stations between Saint John Island (Shangch’uan) and Hainan.

With exceptional capabilities and expertise unmatched by his peers—such as flexible thinking and tactful negotiation skills—Takasaki succeeded in accomplishing many missions impossible that nobody else could.