of　Ii　Kamon　no　Kami；　one　of　the　great　actors　in　recent　historic
  events；　who　was　assassinated　not　far　off；　outside　the　Sakaruda　gate
  of　the　castle。　　Besides　these；　barracks；　parade…grounds；　policemen；
  kurumas；　carts　pulled　and　pushed　by　coolies；　pack…horses　in　straw
  sandals；　and　dwarfish；　slatternly…looking　soldiers　in　European
  dress；　made　up　the　Tokiyo　that　I　saw　between　Shinbashi　and　the
  Legation。
  H。B。M。's　Legation　has　a　good　situation　near　the　Foreign　Office；
  several　of　the　Government　departments；　and　the　residences　of　the
  ministers；　which　are　chiefly　of　brick　in　the　English　suburban　villa
  style。　　Within　the　compound；　with　a　brick　archway　with　the　Royal
  Arms　upon　it　for　an　entrance；　are　the　Minister's　residence；　the
  Chancery；　two　houses　for　the　two　English　Secretaries　of　Legation；
  and　quarters　for　the　escort。
  It　is　an　English　house　and　an　English　home；　though；　with　the
  exception　of　a　venerable　nurse；　there　are　no　English　servants。　　The
  butler　and　footman　are　tall　Chinamen；　with　long　pig…tails；　black
  satin　caps；　and　long　blue　robes；　the　cook　is　a　Chinaman；　and　the
  other　servants　are　all　Japanese；　including　one　female　servant；　a
  sweet；　gentle；　kindly　girl　about　4　feet　5　in　height；　the　wife　of
  the　head　〃housemaid。〃　　None　of　the　servants　speak　anything　but　the
  most　aggravating　〃pidgun〃　English；　but　their　deficient　speech　is
  more　than　made　up　for　by　the　intelligence　and　service　of　the
  orderly　in　waiting；　who　is　rarely　absent　from　the　neighbourhood　of
  the　hall　door；　and　attends　to　the　visitors'　book　and　to　all
  messages　and　notes。　　There　are　two　real　English　children　of　six　and
  seven；　with　great　capacities　for　such　innocent　enjoyments　as　can　be
  found　within　the　limits　of　the　nursery　and　garden。　　The　other
  inmate　of　the　house　is　a　beautiful　and　attractive　terrier　called
  〃Rags；〃　a　Skye　dog；　who　unbends　〃in　the　bosom　of　his　family；〃　but
  ordinarily　is　as　imposing　in　his　demeanour　as　if　he；　and　not　his
  master；　represented　the　dignity　of　the　British　Empire。
  The　Japanese　Secretary　of　Legation　is　Mr。　Ernest　Satow；　whose
  reputation　for　scholarship；　especially　in　the　department　of
  history；　is　said　by　the　Japanese　themselves　to　be　the　highest　in
  Japan　｛3｝an　honourable　distinction　for　an　Englishman；　and　won　by
  the　persevering　industry　of　fifteen　years。　　The　scholarship
  connected　with　the　British　Civil　Service　is　not；　however；
  monopolised　by　Mr。　Satow；　for　several　gentlemen　in　the　consular
  service；　who　are　passing　through　the　various　grades　of　student
  interpreters；　are　distinguishing　themselves　not　alone　by　their
  facility　in　colloquial　Japanese；　but　by　their　researches　in　various
  departments　of　Japanese　history；　mythology；　archaeology；　and
  literature。　　Indeed　it　is　to　their　labours；　and　to　those　of　a　few
  other　Englishmen　and　Germans；　that　the　Japanese　of　the　rising
  generation　will　be　indebted　for　keeping　alive　not　only　the
  knowledge　of　their　archaic　literature；　but　even　of　the　manners　and
  customs　of　the　first　half　of　this　century。
  I。　L。　B。
  LETTER　IV
  〃John　Chinaman〃Engaging　a　ServantFirst　Impressions　of　ItoA
  Solemn　ContractThe　Food　Question。
  H。B。M。's　LEGATION；　YEDO；
  June　7。
  I　went　to　Yokohama　for　a　week　to　visit　Dr。　and　Mrs。　Hepburn　on　the
  Bluff。　　Bishop　and　Mrs。　Burdon　of　Hong　Kong　were　also　guests；　and
  it　was　very　pleasant。
  One　cannot　be　a　day　in　Yokohama　without　seeing　quite　a　different
  class　of　orientals　from　the　small；　thinly…dressed；　and　usually
  poor…looking　Japanese。　　Of　the　2500　Chinamen　who　reside　in　Japan；
  over　1100　are　in　Yokohama；　and　if　they　were　suddenly　removed；
  business　would　come　to　an　abrupt　halt。　　Here；　as　everywhere；　the
  Chinese　immigrant　is　making　himself　indispensable。　　He　walks
  through　the　streets　with　his　swinging　gait　and　air　of　complete
  self…complacency；　as　though　he　belonged　to　the　ruling　race。　　He　is
  tall　and　big；　and　his　many　garments；　with　a　handsome　brocaded　robe
  over　all；　his　satin　pantaloons；　of　which　not　much　is　seen；　tight　at
  the　ankles；　and　his　high　shoes；　whose　black　satin　tops　are　slightly
  turned　up　at　the　toes；　make　him　look　even　taller　and　bigger　than　he
  is。　　His　head　is　mostly　shaven；　but　the　hair　at　the　back　is　plaited
  with　a　quantity　of　black　purse　twist　into　a　queue　which　reaches　to
  his　knees；　above　which；　set　well　back；　he　wears　a　stiff；　black
  satin　skull…cap；　without　which　he　is　never　seen。　　His　face　is　very
  yellow；　his　long　dark　eyes　and　eyebrows　slope　upwards　towards　his
  temples；　he　has　not　the　vestige　of　a　beard；　and　his　skin　is　shiny。
  He　looks　thoroughly　〃well…to…do。〃　　He　is　not　unpleasing…looking；
  but　you　feel　that　as　a　Celestial　he　looks　down　upon　you。　　If　you
  ask　a　question　in　a　merchant's　office；　or　change　your　gold　into
  satsu；　or　take　your　railroad　or　steamer　ticket；　or　get　change　in　a
  shop；　the　inevitable　Chinaman　appears。　　In　the　street　he　swings
  past　you　with　a　purpose　in　his　face；　as　he　flies　past　you　in　a
  kuruma　he　is　bent　on　business；　he　is　sober　and　reliable；　and　is
  content　to　〃squeeze〃　his　employer　rather　than　to　rob　himhis　one
  aim　in　life　is　money。　　For　this　he　is　industrious；　faithful；　self…
  denying；　and　he　has　his　reward。
  Several　of　my　kind　new　acquaintances　interested　themselves　about
  the　（to　me）　vital　matter　of　a　servant　interpreter；　and　many
  Japanese　came　to　〃see　after　the　place。〃　　The　speaking　of
  intelligible　English　is　a　sine　qua　non；　and　it　was　wonderful　to
  find　the　few　words　badly　pronounced　and　worse　put　together；　which
  were　regarded　by　the　candidates　as　a　sufficient　qualification。　　Can
  you　speak　English？　　〃Yes。〃　　What　wages　do　you　ask？　　〃Twelve　dollars
  a　month。〃　　This　was　always　said　glibly；　and　in　each　case　sounded
  hopeful。　　Whom　have　you　lived　with？　　A　foreign　name　distorted　out
  of　all　recognition；　as　was　natural；　was　then　given。　　Where　have　you
  travelled？　　This　question　usually　had　to　be　translated　into
  Japanese；　and　the　usual　answer　was；　〃The　Tokaido；　the　Nakasendo；　to
  Kiyoto；　to　Nikko；〃　naming　the　beaten　tracks　of　countless　tourists。
  Do　you　know　anything　of　Northern　Japan　and　the　Hokkaido？　　〃No；〃
  with　a　blank　wondering　look。　　At　this　stage　in　every　case　Dr。
  Hepburn　compassionately　stepped　in　as　interpreter；　for　their　stock
  of　English　was　exhausted。　　Three　were　regarded　as　promising。　　One
  was　a　sprightly　youth　who　came　in　a　well…made　European　suit　of
  light…coloured　tweed；　a　laid…down　collar；　a　tie　with　a　diamond　（？）
  pin；　and　a　white　shirt；　so　stiffly　starched；　that　he　could　hardly
  bend　low　enough　for　a　bow　even　of　European　profundity。　　He　wore　a
  gilt　watch…chain　with　a　locket；　the　corner　of　a　very　white　cambric
  pocket…handkerchief　dangled　from　his　breast　pocket；　and　he　held　a
  cane　and　a　felt　hat　in　his　hand。　　He　was　a　Japanese　dandy　of　the
  first　water。　　I　looked　at　him　ruefully。　　To　me　starched　collars　are
  to　be　an　unknown　luxury　for　the　next　three　months。　　His　fine
  foreign　clothes　would　enhance　prices　everywhere　in　the　interior；
  and　besides　that；　I　should　feel　a　perpetual　difficulty　in　asking
  menial　services　from　an　exquisite。　　I　was　therefore　quite　relieved
  when　his　English　broke　down　at　the　second　question。
  The　second　was　a　most　respectable…looking　man　of　thirty…five　in　a
  good　Japanese　dress。　　He　was　highly　recommended；　and　his　first
  English　words　were　promising；　but　he　had　been　cook　in　the　service
  of　a　wealthy　English　official　who　travelled　with　a　large　retinue；
  and　sent　servants　on　ahead　to　prepare　the　way。　　He　knew　really　only
  a　few　words　of　English；　and　his　horror　at　finding　that　there　was
  〃no　master；〃　and　that　there　would　be　no　woman…servant；　was　so
  great；　that　I　hardly　know　whether　he　rejected　me　or　I　him。
  The　third；　sent　by　Mr。　Wilkinson；　wore　a　plain　Japanese　dress；　and
  had　a　frank；　intelligent　face。　　Though　Dr。　Hepburn　spoke　with　him
  in　Japanese；　he　thought　that　he　knew　more　English　than　the　others；
  and　that　what　he　knew　would　come　out　when　he　was　less　agitated。　　He
  evidently　understood　what　I　said；　and；　though　I　had　a　suspicion
  that　he　would　turn　out　to　be　the　〃master；〃　I　thought　him　so
  prepossessing　that　I　nearly　engaged　him　on　the　spot。　　None　of　the
  others　merit　any　remark。
  However；　when　I　had　nearly　made　up　my　mind　in　his　favour；　a
  creature　appeared　without　any　recommendation　at　all；　except　that
  one　of　Dr。　Hepburn's　servants　was　acquainted　with　him。　　He　is　only
  eighteen；　but　this　is　equivalent　to　twenty…three　or　twenty…four
  with　us；　and　only　4　feet　10　inches　in　height；　but；　though　bandy…
  legged；　is　well　proportioned　and　strong…looking。　　He　has　a　round
  and　singularly　plain　face；　good　teeth；　much　elongated　eyes；　and　the
  heavy　droop　of　his　eyelids　almost　caricatures　the　usual　Japanese
  peculiarity。　　He　is　the　most　stupid…looking　Japanese　that　I　have
  seen；　but；　from　a　rapid；　furtive　glance　in　his　eyes　now　and　then；　I
  think　that　the　stolidity　is　partly　assumed。　　He　said　that　he　had
  lived　at　the　American　Legation；　that　he　had　been　a　clerk　on　the
  Osaka　railroad；　that　he　had　travelled　through　northern　Japan　by　the
  eastern　route；　and　in　Yezo　with　Mr。　Maries；　a　botanical　collector；
  that　he　understood　drying　plants；　that　he　could　cook　a　little；　that
  he　could　write　English；　that　he　could　walk　twenty…five　miles　a　day；
  and　that　he　thoroughly　understood　getting　through　the　interior！
  This　would…be　para