relation　of　my　Hilo　friends；　came　on　board　to　meet　his　daughter；
  welcomed　me　cordially；　and　relieved　me　of　all　the　trouble　of
  disembarkation。　　These　sampans　are　very　clumsy…looking；　but　are
  managed　with　great　dexterity　by　the　boatmen；　who　gave　and　received
  any　number　of　bumps　with　much　good　nature；　and　without　any　of　the
  shouting　and　swearing　in　which　competitive　boatmen　usually　indulge。
  The　partially　triangular　shape　of　these　boats　approaches　that　of　a
  salmon…fisher's　punt　used　on　certain　British　rivers。　　Being　floored
  gives　them　the　appearance　of　being　absolutely　flat…bottomed；　but；
  though　they　tilt　readily；　they　are　very　safe；　being　heavily　built
  and　fitted　together　with　singular　precision　with　wooden　bolts　and　a
  few　copper　cleets。　　They　are　SCULLED；　not　what　we　should　call
  rowed；　by　two　or　four　men　with　very　heavy　oars　made　of　two　pieces
  of　wood　working　on　pins　placed　on　outrigger　bars。　　The　men　scull
  standing　and　use　the　thigh　as　a　rest　for　the　oar。　　They　all　wear　a
  single；　wide…sleeved；　scanty；　blue　cotton　garment；　not　fastened　or
  girdled　at　the　waist；　straw　sandals；　kept　on　by　a　thong　passing
  between　the　great　toe　and　the　others；　and　if　they　wear　any　head…
  gear；　it　is　only　a　wisp　of　blue　cotton　tied　round　the　forehead。
  The　one　garment　is　only　an　apology　for　clothing；　and　displays　lean
  concave　chests　and　lean　muscular　limbs。　　The　skin　is　very　yellow；
  and　often　much　tattooed　with　mythical　beasts。　　The　charge　for
  sampans　is　fixed　by　tariff；　so　the　traveller　lands　without　having
  his　temper　ruffled　by　extortionate　demands。
  The　first　thing　that　impressed　me　on　landing　was　that　there　were　no
  loafers；　and　that　all　the　small；　ugly；　kindly…looking；　shrivelled；
  bandy…legged；　round…shouldered；　concave…chested；　poor…looking
  beings　in　the　streets　had　some　affairs　of　their　own　to　mind。　　At
  the　top　of　the　landing…steps　there　was　a　portable　restaurant；　a
  neat　and　most　compact　thing；　with　charcoal　stove；　cooking　and
  eating　utensils　complete；　but　it　looked　as　if　it　were　made　by　and
  for　dolls；　and　the　mannikin　who　kept　it　was　not　five　feet　high。　　At
  the　custom…house　we　were　attended　to　by　minute　officials　in　blue
  uniforms　of　European　pattern　and　leather　boots；　very　civil
  creatures；　who　opened　and　examined　our　trunks　carefully；　and
  strapped　them　up　again；　contrasting　pleasingly　with　the　insolent
  and　rapacious　officials　who　perform　the　same　duties　at　New　York。
  Outside　were　about　fifty　of　the　now　well…known　jin…ti…ki…shas；　and
  the　air　was　full　of　a　buzz　produced　by　the　rapid　reiteration　of
  this　uncouth　word　by　fifty　tongues。　　This　conveyance；　as　you　know；
  is　a　feature　of　Japan；　growing　in　importance　every　day。　　It　was
  only　invented　seven　years　ago；　and　already　there　are　nearly　23；000
  in　one　city；　and　men　can　make　so　much　more　by　drawing　them　than　by
  almost　any　kind　of　skilled　labour；　that　thousands　of　fine　young　men
  desert　agricultural　pursuits　and　flock　into　the　towns　to　make
  draught…animals　of　themselves；　though　it　is　said　that　the　average
  duration　of　a　man's　life　after　he　takes　to　running　is　only　five
  years；　and　that　the　runners　fall　victims　in　large　numbers　to
  aggravated　forms　of　heart　and　lung　disease。　　Over　tolerably　level
  ground　a　good　runner　can　trot　forty　miles　a　day；　at　a　rate　of　about
  four　miles　an　hour。　　They　are　registered　and　taxed　at　8s。　a　year
  for　one　carrying　two　persons；　and　4s。　for　one　which　carries　one
  only；　and　there　is　a　regular　tariff　for　time　and　distance。
  The　kuruma；　or　jin…ri…ki…sha；　｛2｝　consists　of　a　light　perambulator
  body；　an　adjustable　hood　of　oiled　paper；　a　velvet　or　cloth　lining
  and　cushion；　a　well　for　parcels　under　the　seat；　two　high　slim
  wheels；　and　a　pair　of　shafts　connected　by　a　bar　at　the　ends。　　The
  body　is　usually　lacquered　and　decorated　according　to　its　owner's
  taste。　　Some　show　little　except　polished　brass；　others　are
  altogether　inlaid　with　shells　known　as　Venus's　ear；　and　others　are
  gaudily　painted　with　contorted　dragons；　or　groups　of　peonies；
  hydrangeas；　chrysanthemums；　and　mythical　personages。　　They　cost
  from　2　pounds　upwards。　　The　shafts　rest　on　the　ground　at　a　steep
  incline　as　you　get　init　must　require　much　practice　to　enable　one
  to　mount　with　ease　or　dignitythe　runner　lifts　them　up；　gets　into
  them；　gives　the　body　a　good　tilt　backwards；　and　goes　off　at　a　smart
  trot。　　They　are　drawn　by　one；　two；　or　three　men；　according　to　the
  speed　desired　by　the　occupants。　　When　rain　comes　on；　the　man　puts
  up　the　hood；　and　ties　you　and　it　closely　up　in　a　covering　of　oiled
  paper；　in　which　you　are　invisible。　　At　night；　whether　running　or
  standing　still；　they　carry　prettily…painted　circular　paper　lanterns
  18　inches　long。　　It　is　most　comical　to　see　stout；　florid；　solid…
  looking　merchants；　missionaries；　male　and　female；　fashionably…
  dressed　ladies；　armed　with　card　cases；　Chinese　compradores；　and
  Japanese　peasant　men　and　women　flying　along　Main　Street；　which　is
  like　the　decent　respectable　High　Street　of　a　dozen　forgotten
  country　towns　in　England；　in　happy　unconsciousness　of　the
  ludicrousness　of　their　appearance；　racing；　chasing；　crossing　each
  other；　their　lean；　polite；　pleasant　runners　in　their　great　hats
  shaped　like　inverted　bowls；　their　incomprehensible　blue　tights；　and
  their　short　blue　over…shirts　with　badges　or　characters　in　white
  upon　them；　tearing　along；　their　yellow　faces　streaming　with
  perspiration；　laughing；　shouting；　and　avoiding　collisions　by　a　mere
  shave。
  After　a　visit　to　the　Consulate　I　entered　a　kuruma　and；　with　two
  ladies　in　two　more；　was　bowled　along　at　a　furious　pace　by　a
  laughing　little　mannikin　down　Main　Streeta　narrow；　solid；　well…
  paved　street　with　well…made　side　walks；　kerb…stones；　and　gutters；
  with　iron　lamp…posts；　gas…lamps；　and　foreign　shops　all　along　its
  lengthto　this　quiet　hotel　recommended　by　Sir　Wyville　Thomson；
  which　offers　a　refuge　from　the　nasal　twang　of　my　fellow…voyagers；
  who　have　all　gone　to　the　caravanserais　on　the　Bund。　　The　host　is　a
  Frenchman；　but　he　relies　on　a　Chinaman；　the　servants　are　Japanese
  〃boys〃　in　Japanese　clothes；　and　there　is　a　Japanese　〃groom　of　the
  chambers〃　in　faultless　English　costume；　who　perfectly　appals　me　by
  the　elaborate　politeness　of　his　manner。
  Almost　as　soon　as　I　arrived　I　was　obliged　to　go　in　search　of　Mr。
  Fraser's　office　in　the　settlement；　I　say　SEARCH；　for　there　are　no
  names　on　the　streets；　where　there　are　numbers　they　have　no
  sequence；　and　I　met　no　Europeans　on　foot　to　help　me　in　my
  difficulty。　　Yokohama　does　not　improve　on　further　acquaintance。　　It
  has　a　dead…alive　look。　　It　has　irregularity　without
  picturesqueness；　and　the　grey　sky；　grey　sea；　grey　houses；　and　grey
  roofs；　look　harmoniously　dull。　　No　foreign　money　except　the　Mexican
  dollar　passes　in　Japan；　and　Mr。　Fraser's　compradore　soon
  metamorphosed　my　English　gold　into　Japanese　satsu　or　paper　money；　a
  bundle　of　yen　nearly　at　par　just　now　with　the　dollar；　packets　of
  50；　20；　and　10　sen　notes；　and　some　rouleaux　of　very　neat　copper
  coins。　　The　initiated　recognise　the　different　denominations　of
  paper　money　at　a　glance　by　their　differing　colours　and　sizes；　but
  at　present　they　are　a　distracting　mystery　to　me。　　The　notes　are
  pieces　of　stiff　paper　with　Chinese　characters　at　the　corners；　near
  which；　with　exceptionally　good　eyes　or　a　magnifying　glass；　one　can
  discern　an　English　word　denoting　the　value。　　They　are　very　neatly
  executed；　and　are　ornamented　with　the　chrysanthemum　crest　of　the
  Mikado　and　the　interlaced　dragons　of　the　Empire。
  I　long　to　get　away　into　real　Japan。　　Mr。　Wilkinson；　H。B。M。's　acting
  consul；　called　yesterday；　and　was　extremely　kind。　　He　thinks　that
  my　plan　for　travelling　in　the　interior　is　rather　too　ambitious；　but
  that　it　is　perfectly　safe　for　a　lady　to　travel　alone；　and　agrees
  with　everybody　else　in　thinking　that　legions　of　fleas　and　the
  miserable　horses　are　the　great　drawbacks　of　Japanese　travelling。
  I。　L。　B。
  LETTER　II
  Sir　Harry　ParkesAn　〃Ambassador's　Carriage〃Cart　Coolies。
  YOKOHAMA；　May　22。
  To…day　has　been　spent　in　making　new　acquaintances；　instituting　a
  search　for　a　servant　and　a　pony；　receiving　many　offers　of　help；
  asking　questions　and　receiving　from　different　people　answers　which
  directly　contradict　each　other。　　Hours　are　early。　　Thirteen　people
  called　on　me　before　noon。　　Ladies　drive　themselves　about　the　town
  in　small　pony　carriages　attended　by　running　grooms　called　bettos。
  The　foreign　merchants　keep　kurumas　constantly　standing　at　their
  doors；　finding　a　willing；　intelligent　coolie　much　more　serviceable
  than　a　lazy；　fractious；　capricious　Japanese　pony；　and　even　the
  dignity　of　an　〃Ambassador　Extraordinary　and　Minister
  Plenipotentiary〃　is　not　above　such　a　lowly　conveyance；　as　I　have
  seen　to…day。　　My　last　visitors　were　Sir　Harry　and　Lady　Parkes；　who
  brought　sunshine　and　kindliness　into　the　room；　and　left　it　behind
  them。　　Sir　Harry　is　a　young…looking　man　scarcely　in　middle　life；
  slight；　active；　fair；　blue…eyed；　a　thorough　Saxon；　with　sunny　hair
  and　a　sunny　smile；　a　sunshiny　geniality　in　his　manner；　and　bearing
  no　trace　in　his　appearance　of　his　thirty　years　of　service　in　the
  East；　his　sufferings　in　the　prison　at　Peking；　and　the　various
  attempts　upon　his　life　in　Japan。　　He　and　Lady　Parkes　were　most
  truly　kind；　and　encourage　me　so