framework of pine, subdivided into small squares, the
ordinary size of a glass pane, which are covered with this
paper. At night, the entire building is surrounded
by wooden shutters which are carefully locked, being
considered all the protection needed against marauders
and housebreakers. Bettos and coolies, whose pace is
too rapid for the paraphernalia of clogs and umbrellasj
cover their semi-nakedness with a cloak and hat made
of rushes, which gives them a quaint appearance.
On my return to the hospitable quarters I had occupied
before my Yeddo visit, my first care was to inquire
about a steamer for San Francisco, and learning that
there would be no departure for about a fortnight I at
once made arrangements to visit the hot springs of
Myanooshta and the lake of Hakoni, in order to obtain a
fair idea of the interior of the country. With some
difficulty I succeeded in obtaining the loan of one of
the very few carriages belonging to Europeans at
Yokohama, a kind of waggonette, drawn by a pair of
small horses ; my interpreter accompanied me, and I
was followed by two mounted guards.
Our route lay along the Tokaido in a westerly direction,
and presented few new features,—the usual
succession of hamlets and villages ; the ground undulating,
and here and there well wooded. I saw some
splendid specimens of
Pine (Cryptomeria japonica), with deep pending
branches;
Cedars and Oaks growing to an enormous size.
Cypress’, Beeches, and Elms were likewise frequent.
Then there was the
Lacquer tree (Rhus vernicifera), and the
Vegetable-wax tree (Rhus succedcmea), whose
produce is almost as white as bees-wax.
Every plot of soil is utilized, and cotton, tobacco,
tea, rice, and grain of every description seem to be
grown in profusion. We also passed many acres
entirely laid out in vegetables. Amongst the latter the
Dolichos-soja bean, which by boiling and fermentation
gives the Soy we receive from Japan.
A pretty garden invariably surrounds the cottage,
filled with beautiful flowers, such as the
Camellia ( C. japonica), crimson and white;
Wistaria ( W. sinensis), trailing its lengthy stem
crowded with magnificent thyrses of pale
blue;
Hydrangea (H. hortensis), in clusters of pink and
lilac;
Pyrus ( Cydonia japonica), a bright scarlet;
Azalea (A. indica), white and red ;
and a great variety of small Maple trees : few of