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responsible for my safety。
While they spelt through my passport by their dim lantern I opened
the Yedo parcel； and found that it contained a tin of lemon sugar；
a most kind note from Sir Harry Parkes； and a packet of letters
from you。 While I was attempting to open the letters； Ito； the
policemen； and the lantern glided out of my room； and I lay
uneasily till daylight； with the letters and telegram； for which I
had been yearning for six weeks； on my bed unopened！
Already I can laugh at my fears and misfortunes； as I hope you
will。 A traveller must buy his own experience； and success or
failure depends mainly on personal idiosyncrasies。 Many matters
will be remedied by experience as I go on； and I shall acquire the
habit of feeling secure； but lack of privacy； bad smells； and the
torments of fleas and mosquitoes are； I fear； irremediable evils。
I。 L。 B。
LETTER VI（Continued）
A Coolie falls illPeasant CostumeVarieties in ThreshingThe
Tochigi yadoyaFarming VillagesA Beautiful RegionAn In
Memoriam AvenueA Doll's StreetNikkoThe Journey's EndCoolie
Kindliness。
By seven the next morning the rice was eaten； the room as bare as
if it had never been occupied； the bill of 80 sen paid； the house…
master and servants with many sayo naras； or farewells； had
prostrated themselves； and we were away in the kurumas at a rapid
trot。 At the first halt my runner； a kindly； good…natured
creature； but absolutely hideous； was seized with pain and
vomiting； owing； he said； to drinking the bad water at Kasukabe；
and was left behind。 He pleased me much by the honest independent
way in which he provided a substitute； strictly adhering to his
bargain； and never asking for a gratuity on account of his illness。
He had been so kind and helpful that I felt quite sad at leaving
him there ill；only a coolie； to be sure； only an atom among the
34；000；000 of the Empire； but not less precious to our Father in
heaven than any other。 It was a brilliant day； with the mercury 86
degrees in the shade； but the heat was not oppressive。 At noon we
reached the Tone； and I rode on a coolie's tattooed shoulders
through the shallow part； and then； with the kurumas； some ill…
disposed pack…horses； and a number of travellers； crossed in a
flat…bottomed boat。 The boatmen； travellers； and cultivators； were
nearly or altogether without clothes； but the richer farmers worked
in the fields in curved bamboo hats as large as umbrellas； kimonos
with large sleeves not girt up； and large fans attached to their
girdles。 Many of the travellers whom we met were without hats； but
shielded the front of the head by holding a fan between it and the
sun。 Probably the inconvenience of the national costume for
working men partly accounts for the general practice of getting rid
of it。 It is such a hindrance； even in walking； that most
pedestrians have 〃their loins girded up〃 by taking the middle of
the hem at the bottom of the kimono and tucking it under the
girdle。 This； in the case of many； shows woven； tight…fitting；
elastic； white cotton pantaloons； reaching to the ankles。 After
ferrying another river at a village from which a steamer plies to
Tokiyo； the country became much more pleasing； the rice…fields
fewer； the trees； houses； and barns larger； and； in the distance；
high hills loomed faintly through the haze。 Much of the wheat； of
which they don't make bread； but vermicelli； is already being
carried。 You see wheat stacks； ten feet high； moving slowly； and
while you are wondering； you become aware of four feet moving below
them； for all the crop is carried on horses' if not on human backs。
I went to see several threshing…floors；clean； open spaces outside
barns；where the grain is laid on mats and threshed by two or four
men with heavy revolving flails。 Another method is for women to
beat out the grain on racks of split bamboo laid lengthwise； and I
saw yet a third practised both in the fields and barn…yards； in
which women pass handfuls of stalks backwards through a sort of
carding instrument with sharp iron teeth placed in a slanting
position； which cuts off the ears； leaving the stalk unbruised。
This is probably 〃the sharp threshing instrument having teeth〃
mentioned by Isaiah。 The ears are then rubbed between the hands。
In this region the wheat was winnowed altogether by hand； and after
the wind had driven the chaff away； the grain was laid out on mats
to dry。 Sickles are not used； but the reaper takes a handful of
stalks and cuts them off close to the ground with a short； straight
knife； fixed at a right angle with the handle。 The wheat is sown
in rows with wide spaces between them； which are utilised for beans
and other crops； and no sooner is it removed than daikon （Raphanus
sativus）； cucumbers； or some other vegetable； takes its place； as
the land under careful tillage and copious manuring bears two； and
even three； crops； in the year。 The soil is trenched for wheat as
for all crops except rice； not a weed is to be seen； and the whole
country looks like a well…kept garden。 The barns in this district
are very handsome； and many of their grand roofs have that concave
sweep with which we are familiar in the pagoda。 The eaves are
often eight feet deep； and the thatch three feet thick。 Several of
the farm…yards have handsome gateways like the ancient 〃lychgates〃
of some of our English churchyards much magnified。 As animals are
not used for milk； draught； or food； and there are no pasture
lands； both the country and the farm…yards have a singular silence
and an inanimate look； a mean…looking dog and a few fowls being the
only representatives of domestic animal life。 I long for the
lowing of cattle and the bleating of sheep。
At six we reached Tochigi； a large town； formerly the castle town
of a daimiyo。 Its special manufacture is rope of many kinds； a
great deal of hemp being grown in the neighbourhood。 Many of the
roofs are tiled； and the town has a more solid and handsome
appearance than those that we had previously passed through。 But
from Kasukabe to Tochigi was from bad to worse。 I nearly abandoned
Japanese travelling altogether； and； if last night had not been a
great improvement； I think I should have gone ignominiously back to
Tokiyo。 The yadoya was a very large one； and； as sixty guests had
arrived before me； there was no choice of accommodation； and I had
to be contented with a room enclosed on all sides not by fusuma but
shoji； and with barely room for my bed； bath； and chair； under a
fusty green mosquito net which was a perfect nest of fleas。 One
side of the room was against a much…frequented passage； and another
opened on a small yard upon which three opposite rooms also opened；
crowded with some not very sober or decorous travellers。 The shoji
were full of holes； and often at each hole I saw a human eye。
Privacy was a luxury not even to be recalled。 Besides the constant
application of eyes to the shoji； the servants； who were very noisy
and rough； looked into my room constantly without any pretext； the
host； a bright； pleasant…looking man； did the same； jugglers；
musicians； blind shampooers； and singing girls； all pushed t