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dove…coloured silk crepe； with a pale pink under…dress of the same
material； which showed a little at the neck and sleeves。 Her
girdle was of rich dove…coloured silk； with a ghost of a pale pink
blossom hovering upon it here and there。 She had no frills or
fripperies of any description； or ornaments； except a single pin in
her chignon； and； with a sweet and charming face； she looked as
graceful and dignified in her Japanese costume as she would have
looked exactly the reverse in ours。 Their costume has one striking
advantage over ours。 A woman is perfectly CLOTHED if she has one
garment and a girdle on； and perfectly DRESSED if she has two。
There is a difference in features and expressionmuch exaggerated；
however； by Japanese artistsbetween the faces of high…born women
and those of the middle and lower classes。 I decline to admire
fat…faces； pug noses； thick lips； long eyes； turned up at the outer
corners； and complexions which owe much to powder and paint。 The
habit of painting the lips with a reddish…yellow pigment； and of
heavily powdering the face and throat with pearl powder； is a
repulsive one。 But it is hard to pronounce any unfavourable
criticism on women who have so much kindly grace of manner。 I。 L。
B。
LETTER VI
FearsTravelling EquipmentsPassportsCoolie CostumeA Yedo
DioramaRice…FieldsTea…HousesA Traveller's ReceptionThe Inn
at KasukabeLack of PrivacyA Concourse of NoisesA Nocturnal
AlarmA Vision of PolicemenA Budget from Yedo。
KASUKABE； June 10。
From the date you will see that I have started on my long journey；
though not upon the 〃unbeaten tracks〃 which I hope to take after
leaving Nikko； and my first evening alone in the midst of this
crowded Asian life is strange； almost fearful。 I have suffered
from nervousness all daythe fear of being frightened； of being
rudely mobbed； as threatened by Mr。 Campbell of Islay； of giving
offence by transgressing the rules of Japanese politenessof； I
know not what！ Ito is my sole reliance； and he may prove a 〃broken
reed。〃 I often wished to give up my project； but was ashamed of my
cowardice when； on the best authority； I received assurances of its
safety。 ｛6｝
The preparations were finished yesterday； and my outfit weighed 110
lbs。； which； with Ito's weight of 90 lbs。； is as much as can be
carried by an average Japanese horse。 My two painted wicker boxes
lined with paper and with waterproof covers are convenient for the
two sides of a pack…horse。 I have a folding…chairfor in a
Japanese house there is nothing but the floor to sit upon； and not
even a solid wall to lean againstan air…pillow for kuruma
travelling； an india…rubber bath； sheets； a blanket； and last； and
more important than all else； a canvas stretcher on light poles；
which can be put together in two minutes； and being 2。5 feet high
is supposed to be secure from fleas。 The 〃Food Question〃 has been
solved by a modified rejection of all advice！ I have only brought
a small supply of Liebig's extract of meat； 4 lbs。 of raisins； some
chocolate； both for eating and drinking； and some brandy in case of
need。 I have my own Mexican saddle and bridle； a reasonable
quantity of clothes； including a loose wrapper for wearing in the
evenings； some candles； Mr。 Brunton's large map of Japan； volumes
of the Transactions of the English Asiatic Society； and Mr。 Satow's
Anglo…Japanese Dictionary。 My travelling dress is a short costume
of dust…coloured striped tweed； with strong laced boots of
unblacked leather； and a Japanese hat； shaped like a large inverted
bowl； of light bamboo plait； with a white cotton cover； and a very
light frame inside； which fits round the brow and leaves a space of
1。5 inches between the hat and the head for the free circulation of
air。 It only weighs 2。5 ounces； and is infinitely to be preferred
to a heavy pith helmet； and； light as it is； it protects the head
so thoroughly； that； though the sun has been unclouded all day and
the mercury at 86 degrees； no other protection has been necessary。
My money is in bundles of 50 yen； and 50； 20； and 10 sen notes；
besides which I have some rouleaux of copper coins。 I have a bag
for my passport； which hangs to my waist。 All my luggage； with the
exception of my saddle； which I use for a footstool； goes into one
kuruma； and Ito； who is limited to 12 lbs。； takes his along with
him。
I have three kurumas； which are to go to Nikko； ninety miles； in
three days； without change of runners； for about eleven shillings
each。
Passports usually define the route over which the foreigner is to
travel； but in this case Sir H。 Parkes has obtained one which is
practically unrestricted； for it permits me to travel through all
Japan north of Tokiyo and in Yezo without specifying any route。
This precious document； without which I should be liable to be
arrested and forwarded to my consul； is of course in Japanese； but
the cover gives in English the regulations under which it is
issued。 A passport must be applied for； for reasons of 〃health；
botanical research； or scientific investigation。〃 Its bearer must
not light fires in woods； attend fires on horseback； trespass on
fields； enclosures； or game…preserves； scribble on temples；
shrines； or walls； drive fast on a narrow road； or disregard
notices of 〃No thoroughfare。〃 He must 〃conduct himself in an
orderly and conciliating manner towards the Japanese authorities
and people；〃 he 〃must produce his passport to any officials who may
demand it；〃 under pain of arrest； and while in the interior 〃is
forbidden to shoot； trade； to conclude mercantile contracts with
Japanese； or to rent houses or rooms for a longer period than his
journey requires。〃
NIKKO； June 13。This is one of the paradises of Japan！ It is a
proverbial saying； 〃He who has not seen Nikko must not use the word
kek'ko〃 （splendid； delicious； beautiful）； but of this more
hereafter。 My attempt to write to you from Kasukabe failed； owing
to the onslaught of an army of fleas； which compelled me to retreat
to my stretcher； and the last two nights； for this and other
reasons； writing has been out of the question。
I left the Legation at 11 am。 on Monday and reached Kasukabe at 5
p。m。； the runners keeping up an easy trot the whole journey of
twenty…three miles； but the halts for smoking and eating were
frequent。
These kuruma…runners wore short blue cotton drawers； girdles with
tobacco pouch and pipe attached； short blue cotton shirts with wide
sleeves； and open in front； reaching to their waists； and blue
cotton handkerchiefs knotted round their heads； except when the sun
was very hot； when they took the flat flag discs； two feet in
diameter； which always hang behind kurumas； and are used either in
sun or rain； and tied them on their heads。 They wore straw
sandals； which had to be replaced twice on the way。 Blue and white
towels hung from the shafts to wipe away the sweat； which ran
profusely down the lean； brown bodies。 The upper garment always
flew behind them； displaying chests and backs elaborately tattooed
with dragons and fishes。 Tattooing has recently been prohibited；
but it was not only a favourite adornment； but a substitute for
perishable clothing。
Most of the men of the lower classes wear their hair in a very ugly
fashion；the front and top of the head being shaved； the long hair
from the back and sides being drawn up and tied； then waxed； tied
again； and cut short off； the stiff queue being brought forward and
laid； pointing forwards； along the back part of the top of the
head。 This top…knot is shaped much like a short clay pipe。 The
shaving and dressing the hair thus require the skill of a
professional barber。 Formerly the hair was worn in this way by the
samurai； in order that the helmet might fit comfortably； but it is
now the style of the lower classes mostly and by no means
invariably。
Blithely； at a merry trot； the coolies hurried us away from the
kindly group in the Legation porch； across the inner moat and along
the inner drive of the castle； past gateways and retaining walls of
Cyclopean masonry； across the second moat； along miles of streets
of sheds and shops； all grey； thronged with foot…passengers and
kurumas； with pack…horses loaded two or three feet above their
backs； the arches of their saddles red and gilded lacquer； their
frontlets of red leather； their 〃shoes〃 straw sandals； their heads
tied tightly to the saddle…girth on either side； great white cloths
figured with mythical beasts in blue hanging down loosely under
their bodies； with coolies dragging heavy loads to the guttural cry
of Hai！ huida！ with children whose heads were shaved in hideous
patterns； and now and then； as if to point a moral lesson in the
midst of the whirling diorama； a funeral passed through the throng；
with a priest in rich robes； mumbling prayers； a covered barrel
containing the corpse； and a train of mourners in blue dresses with
white wings。 Then we came to the fringe of Yedo； where the houses
cease to be continuous； but all that day there was little interval
between them。 All had open fronts； so that the occupations of the
inmates； the 〃domestic life〃 in fact； were perfectly visible。 Many
of