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