end；　which　broke　down　under　their　weight；　and　admitted　the　whole
  inundation；　so　that　I　had　to　close　the　shoji；　with　the　fatiguing
  consciousness　during　the　whole　time　of　nominal　rest　of　a　multitude
  surging　outside。　　Then　five　policemen　in　black　alpaca　frock…coats
  and　white　trousers　invaded　my　precarious　privacy；　desiring　to　see
  my　passporta　demand　never　made　before　except　where　I　halted　for
  the　night。　　In　their　European　clothes　they　cannot　bow　with　Japanese
  punctiliousness；　but　they　were　very　polite；　and　expressed　great
  annoyance　at　the　crowd；　and　dispersed　it；　but　they　had　hardly
  disappeared　when　it　gathered　again。　　When　I　went　out　I　found　fully
  1000　people　helping　me　to　realise　how　the　crowded　cities　of　Judea
  sent　forth　people　clothed　much　as　these　are　when　the　Miracle…Worker
  from　Galilee　arrived；　but　not　what　the　fatigue　of　the　crowding　and
  buzzing　must　have　been　to　One　who　had　been　preaching　and　working
  during　the　long　day。　　These　Japanese　crowds；　however；　are　quiet　and
  gentle；　and　never　press　rudely　upon　one。　　I　could　not　find　it　in　my
  heart　to　complain　of　them　except　to　you。　　Four　of　the　policemen
  returned；　and　escorted　me　to　the　outskirts　of　the　town。　　The　noise
  made　by　1000　people　shuffling　along　in　clogs　is　like　the　clatter　of
  a　hail…storm。
  After　this　there　was　a　dismal　tramp　of　five　hours　through　rice…
  fields。　　The　moist　climate　and　the　fatigue　of　this　manner　of
  travelling　are　deteriorating　my　health；　and　the　pain　in　my　spine；
  which　has　been　daily　increasing；　was　so　severe　that　I　could　neither
  ride　nor　walk　for　more　than　twenty　minutes　at　a　time；　and　the　pace
  was　so　slow　that　it　was　six　when　we　reached　Bange；　a　commercial
  town　of　5000　people；　literally　in　the　rice　swamp；　mean；　filthy；
  damp；　and　decaying；　and　full　of　an　overpowering　stench　from　black；
  slimy　ditches。　　The　mercury　was　84　degrees；　and　hot　rain　fell　fast
  through　the　motionless　air。　　We　dismounted　in　a　shed　full　of　bales
  of　dried　fish；　which　gave　off　an　overpowering　odour；　and　wet　and
  dirty　people　crowded　in　to　stare　at　the　foreigner　till　the　air
  seemed　unbreathable。
  But　there　were　signs　of　progress。　　A　three　days'　congress　of
  schoolmasters　was　being　held；　candidates　for　vacant　situations　were
  being　examined；　there　were　lengthy　educational　discussions　going
  on；　specially　on　the　subject　of　the　value　of　the　Chinese　classics
  as　a　part　of　education；　and　every　inn　was　crowded。
  Bange　was　malarious：　　there　was　so　much　malarious　fever　that　the
  Government　had　sent　additional　medical　assistance；　the　hills　were
  only　a　ri　off；　and　it　seemed　essential　to　go　on。　　But　not　a　horse
  could　be　got　till　10　p。m。；　the　road　was　worse　than　the　one　I　had
  travelled；　the　pain　became　more　acute；　and　I　more　exhausted；　and　I
  was　obliged　to　remain。　　Then　followed　a　weary　hour；　in　which　the
  Express　Agent's　five　emissaries　were　searching　for　a　room；　and
  considerably　after　dark　I　found　myself　in　a　rambling　old　over…
  crowded　yadoya；　where　my　room　was　mainly　built　on　piles　above
  stagnant　water；　and　the　mosquitoes　were　in　such　swarms　as　to　make
  the　air　dense；　and　after　a　feverish　and　miserable　night　I　was　glad
  to　get　up　early　and　depart。
  Fully　2000　people　had　assembled。　　After　I　was　mounted　I　was　on　the
  point　of　removing　my　Dollond　from　the　case；　which　hung　on　the
  saddle　horn；　when　a　regular　stampede　occurred；　old　and　young
  running　as　fast　as　they　possibly　could；　children　being　knocked　down
  in　the　haste　of　their　elders。　　Ito　said　that　they　thought　I　was
  taking　out　a　pistol　to　frighten　them；　and　I　made　him　explain　what
  the　object　really　was；　for　they　are　a　gentle；　harmless　people；　whom
  one　would　not　annoy　without　sincere　regret。　　In　many　European
  countries；　and　certainly　in　some　parts　of　our　own；　a　solitary　lady…
  traveller　in　a　foreign　dress　would　be　exposed　to　rudeness；　insult；
  and　extortion；　if　not　to　actual　danger；　but　I　have　not　met　with　a
  single　instance　of　incivility　or　real　overcharge；　and　there　is　no
  rudeness　even　about　the　crowding。　　The　mago　are　anxious　that　I
  should　not　get　wet　or　be　frightened；　and　very　scrupulous　in　seeing
  that　all　straps　and　loose　things　are　safe　at　the　end　of　the
  journey；　and；　instead　of　hanging　about　asking　for　gratuities；　or
  stopping　to　drink　and　gossip；　they　quickly　unload　the　horses；　get　a
  paper　from　the　Transport　Agent；　and　go　home。　　Only　yesterday　a
  strap　was　missing；　and；　though　it　was　after　dark；　the　man　went　back
  a　ri　for　it；　and　refused　to　take　some　sen　which　I　wished　to　give
  him；　saying　he　was　responsible　for　delivering　everything　right　at
  the　journey's　end。　　They　are　so　kind　and　courteous　to　each　other；
  which　is　very　pleasing。　　Ito　is　not　pleasing　or　polite　in　his
  manner　to　me；　but　when　he　speaks　to　his　own　people　he　cannot　free
  himself　from　the　shackles　of　etiquette；　and　bows　as　profoundly　and
  uses　as　many　polite　phrases　as　anybody　else。
  In　an　hour　the　malarious　plain　was　crossed；　and　we　have　been　among
  piles　of　mountains　ever　since。　　The　infamous　road　was　so　slippery
  that　my　horse　fell　several　times；　and　the　baggage　horse；　with　Ito
  upon　him；　rolled　head　over　heels；　sending　his　miscellaneous　pack　in
  all　directions。　　Good　roads　are　really　the　most　pressing　need　of
  Japan。　　It　would　be　far　better　if　the　Government　were　to　enrich　the
  country　by　such　a　remunerative　outlay　as　making　passable　roads　for
  the　transport　of　goods　through　the　interior；　than　to　impoverish　it
  by　buying　ironclads　in　England；　and　indulging　in　expensive　western
  vanities。
  That　so　horrible　a　road　should　have　so　good　a　bridge　as　that　by
  which　we　crossed　the　broad　river　Agano　is　surprising。　　It　consists
  of　twelve　large　scows；　each　one　secured　to　a　strong　cable　of
  plaited　wistari；　which　crosses　the　river　at　a　great　height；　so　as
  to　allow　of　the　scows　and　the　plank　bridge　which　they　carry　rising
  and　falling　with　the　twelve　feet　variation　of　the　water。
  Ito's　disaster　kept　him　back　for　an　hour；　and　I　sat　meanwhile　on　a
  rice　sack　in　the　hamlet　of　Katakado；　a　collection　of　steep…roofed
  houses　huddled　together　in　a　height　above　the　Agano。　　It　was　one
  mob　of　pack…horses；　over　200　of　them；　biting；　squealing；　and
  kicking。　　Before　I　could　dismount；　one　vicious　creature　struck　at
  me　violently；　but　only　hit　the　great　wooden　stirrup。　　I　could
  hardly　find　any　place　out　of　the　range　of　hoofs　or　teeth。　　My
  baggage　horse　showed　great　fury　after　he　was　unloaded。　　He　attacked
  people　right　and　left　with　his　teeth；　struck　out　savagely　with　his
  fore　feet；　lashed　out　with　his　hind　ones；　and　tried　to　pin　his
  master　up　against　a　wall。
  Leaving　this　fractious　scene　we　struck　again　through　the　mountains。
  Their　ranges　were　interminable；　and　every　view　from　every　fresh
  ridge　grander　than　the　last；　for　we　were　now　near　the　lofty　range
  of　the　Aidzu　Mountains；　and　the　double…peaked　Bandaisan；　the　abrupt
  precipices　of　Itoyasan；　and　the　grand　mass　of　Miyojintake　in　the
  south…west；　with　their　vast　snow…fields　and　snow…filled　ravines；
  were　all　visible　at　once。　　These　summits　of　naked　rock　or　dazzling
  snow；　rising　above　the　smothering　greenery　of　the　lower　ranges　into
  a　heaven　of　delicious　blue；　gave　exactly　that　individuality　and
  emphasis　which；　to　my　thinking；　Japanese　scenery　usually　lacks。
  Riding　on　first；　I　arrived　alone　at　the　little　town　of　Nozawa；　to
  encounter　the　curiosity　of　a　crowd；　and；　after　a　rest；　we　had　a
  very　pleasant　walk　of　three　miles　along　the　side　of　a　ridge　above　a
  rapid　river　with　fine　grey　cliffs　on　its　farther　side；　with　a　grand
  view　of　the　Aidzu　giants；　violet　coloured　in　a　golden　sunset。
  At　dusk　we　came　upon　the　picturesque　village　of　Nojiri；　on　the
  margin　of　a　rice　valley；　but　I　shrank　from　spending　Sunday　in　a
  hole；　and；　having　spied　a　solitary　house　on　the　very　brow　of　a　hill
  1500　feet　higher；　I　dragged　out　the　information　that　it　was　a　tea…
  house；　and　came　up　to　it。　　It　took　three…quarters　of　an　hour　to
  climb　the　series　of　precipitous　zigzags　by　which　this　remarkable
  pass　is　surmounted；　darkness　came　on；　accompanied　by　thunder　and
  lightning；　and　just　as　we　arrived　a　tremendous　zigzag　of　blue　flame
  lit　up　the　house　and　its　interior；　showing　a　large　group　sitting
  round　a　wood　fire；　and　then　all　was　thick　darkness　again。　　It　had　a
  most　startling　effect。　　This　house　is　magnificently　situated；
  almost　hanging　over　the　edge　of　the　knife…like　ridge　of　the　pass　of
  Kuruma；　on　which　it　is　situated。　　It　is　the　only　yadoya　I　have　been
  at　from　which　there　has　been　any　view。　　The　villages　are　nearly
  always　in　the　valleys；　and　the　best　rooms　are　at　the　back；　and　have
  their　prospects　limited　by　the　paling　of　the　conventional　garden。
  If　it　were　not　for　the　fleas；　which　are　here　in　legions；　I　should
  stay　longer；　for　the　view　of　the　Aidzu　snow　is　delicious；　and；　as
  there　are　only　two　other　houses；　one　can　ramble　without　being
  mobbed。
  In　one　a　child　two　and　a　half　years　old　swallowed　a　fish…bone　last
  night；　and　has　been　suffering　and　crying　all　day；　and　the　grief　of
  the　mother　so　won　Ito's　sympathy　that　he　took　me　to　see　her。　　She
  had　walked　up　and　down　with　it　for　eighteen　hours；　but　never
  thought　of　looking　into　its　throat；　and　was　very　unwilling　that　I
  should　do　so。　　The　bone　was　visible；　and　easily　removed　with　a
  crochet　needle。　　An　hour　later　the　mother　sent　a　tr