number of mats they contain； and rooms must be built for the mats；
as they are never cut to the rooms。 They are always level with the
polished grooves or ledges which surround the floor。 They are soft
and elastic； and the finer qualities are very beautiful。 They are
as expensive as the best Brussels carpet； and the Japanese take
great pride in them； and are much aggrieved by the way in which
some thoughtless foreigners stamp over them with dirty boots。
Unfortunately they harbour myriads of fleas。
Outside my room an open balcony with many similiar rooms ran round
a forlorn aggregate of dilapidated shingle roofs and water…butts。
These rooms were all full。 Ito asked me for instructions once for
all； put up my stretcher under a large mosquito net of coarse green
canvas with a fusty smell； filled my bath； brought me some tea；
rice； and eggs； took my passport to be copied by the house…master；
and departed； I know not whither。 I tried to write to you； but
fleas and mosquitoes prevented it； and besides； the fusuma were
frequently noiselessly drawn apart； and several pairs of dark；
elongated eyes surveyed me through the cracks； for there were two
Japanese families in the room to the right； and five men in that to
the left。 I closed the sliding windows； with translucent paper for
window panes； called shoji； and went to bed； but the lack of
privacy was fearful； and I have not yet sufficient trust in my
fellow…creatures to be comfortable without locks； walls； or doors！
Eyes were constantly applied to the sides of the room； a girl twice
drew aside the shoji between it and the corridor； a man； who I
afterwards found was a blind man； offering his services as a
shampooer； came in and said some （of course） unintelligible words；
and the new noises were perfectly bewildering。 On one side a man
recited Buddhist prayers in a high key； on the other a girl was
twanging a samisen； a species of guitar； the house was full of
talking and splashing； drums and tom…toms were beaten outside；
there were street cries innumerable； and the whistling of the blind
shampooers； and the resonant clap of the fire…watchman who
perambulates all Japanese villages； and beats two pieces of wood
together in token of his vigilance； were intolerable。 It was a
life of which I knew nothing； and the mystery was more alarming
than attractive； my money was lying about； and nothing seemed
easier than to slide a hand through the fusuma and appropriate it。
Ito told me that the well was badly contaminated； the odours were
fearful； illness was to be feared as well as robbery！ So
unreasonably I reasoned！ ｛7｝
My bed is merely a piece of canvas nailed to two wooden bars。 When
I lay down the canvas burst away from the lower row of nails with a
series of cracks； and sank gradually till I found myself lying on a
sharp…edged pole which connects the two pair of trestles； and the
helpless victim of fleas and mosquitoes。 I lay for three hours；
not daring to stir lest I should bring the canvas altogether down；
becoming more and more nervous every moment； and then Ito called
outside the shoji； 〃It would be best； Miss Bird； that I should see
you。〃 What horror can this be？ I thought； and was not reassured
when he added； 〃Here's a messenger from the Legation and two
policemen want to speak to you。〃 On arriving I had done the
correct thing in giving the house…master my passport； which；
according to law； he had copied into his book； and had sent a
duplicate copy to the police…station； and this intrusion near
midnight was as unaccountable as it was unwarrantable。
Nevertheless the appearance of the two mannikins in European
uniforms； with the familiar batons and bull's…eye lanterns； and
with manners which were respectful without being deferential； gave
me immediate relief。 I should have welcomed twenty of their
species； for their presence assured me of the fact that I am known
and registered； and that a Government which； for special reasons；
is anxious to impress foreigners with its power and omniscience is
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