stout　pole　with　an　L…shaped　top；　carried　for　this　purpose。　　The
  carrying　of　enormous　loads　is　quite　a　feature　of　this　region；　and
  so；　I　am　sorry　to　say；　are　red　stinging　ants　and　the　small　gadflies
  which　molest　the　coolies。
  Yesterday's　journey　was　18　miles　in　twelve　hours！　　Ichinono　is　a
  nice；　industrious　hamlet；　given　up；　like　all　others；　to　rearing
  silk…worms；　and　the　pure　white　and　sulphur　yellow　cocoons　are
  drying　on　mats　in　the　sun　everywhere。
  I。　L。　B。
  LETTER　XVIII
  Comely　KineJapanese　Criticism　on　a　Foreign　UsageA　Pleasant
  HaltRenewed　CourtesiesThe　Plain　of　YonezawaA　Curious　Mistake…
  …The　Mother's　MemorialArrival　at　KomatsuStately　Accommodation
  A　Vicious　HorseAn　Asiatic　ArcadiaA　Fashionable　Watering…place
  A　Belle〃Godowns。〃
  KAMINOYAMA。
  A　severe　day　of　mountain　travelling　brought　us　into　another　region。
  We　left　Ichinono　early　on　a　fine　morning；　with　three　pack…cows；　one
  of　which　I　rode　＇and　their　calves＇；　very　comely　kine；　with　small
  noses；　short　horns；　straight　spines；　and　deep　bodies。　　I　thought
  that　I　might　get　some　fresh　milk；　but　the　idea　of　anything　but　a
  calf　milking　a　cow　was　so　new　to　the　people　that　there　was　a
  universal　laugh；　and　Ito　told　me　that　they　thought　it　〃most
  disgusting；〃　and　that　the　Japanese　think　it　〃most　disgusting〃　in
  foreigners　to　put　anything　〃with　such　a　strong　smell　and　taste〃
  into　their　tea！　　All　the　cows　had　cotton　cloths；　printed　with　blue
  dragons；　suspended　under　their　bodies　to　keep　them　from　mud　and
  insects；　and　they　wear　straw　shoes　and　cords　through　the　cartilages
  of　their　noses。　　The　day　being　fine；　a　great　deal　of　rice　and　sake
  was　on　the　move；　and　we　met　hundreds　of　pack…cows；　all　of　the　same
  comely　breed；　in　strings　of　four。
  We　crossed　the　Sakuratoge；　from　which　the　view　is　beautiful；　got
  horses　at　the　mountain　village　of　Shirakasawa；　crossed　more　passes；
  and　in　the　afternoon　reached　the　village　of　Tenoko。　　There；　as
  usual；　I　sat　under　the　verandah　of　the　Transport　Office；　and　waited
  for　the　one　horse　which　was　available。　　It　was　a　large　shop；　but
  contained　not　a　single　article　of　European　make。　　In　the　one　room　a
  group　of　women　and　children　sat　round　the　fire；　and　the　agent　sat
  as　usual　with　a　number　of　ledgers　at　a　table　a　foot　high；　on　which
  his　grandchild　was　lying　on　a　cushion。　　Here　Ito　dined　on　seven
  dishes　of　horrors；　and　they　brought　me　sake；　tea；　rice；　and　black
  beans。　　The　last　are　very　good。　　We　had　some　talk　about　the
  country；　and　the　man　asked　me　to　write　his　name　in　English
  characters；　and　to　write　my　own　in　a　book。　　Meanwhile　a　crowd
  assembled；　and　the　front　row　sat　on　the　ground　that　the　others
  might　see　over　their　heads。　　They　were　dirty　and　pressed　very
  close；　and　when　the　women　of　the　house　saw　that　I　felt　the　heat
  they　gracefully　produced　fans　and　fanned　me　for　a　whole　hour。　　On
  asking　the　charge　they　refused　to　make　any；　and　would　not　receive
  anything。　　They　had　not　seen　a　foreigner　before；　they　said；　they
  would　despise　themselves　for　taking　anything；　they　had　my
  〃honourable　name〃　in　their　book。　　Not　only　that；　but　they　put　up　a
  parcel　of　sweetmeats；　and　the　man　wrote　his　name　on　a　fan　and
  insisted　on　my　accepting　it。　　I　was　grieved　to　have　nothing　to　give
  them　but　some　English　pins；　but　they　had　never　seen　such　before；
  and　soon　circulated　them　among　the　crowd。　　I　told　them　truly　that　I
  should　remember　them　as　long　as　I　remember　Japan；　and　went　on；　much
  touched　by　their　kindness。
  The　lofty　pass　of　Utsu；　which　is　ascended　and　descended　by　a　number
  of　stone　slabs；　is　the　last　of　the　passes　of　these　choked…up
  ranges。　　From　its　summit　in　the　welcome　sunlight　I　joyfully　looked
  down　upon　the　noble　plain　of　Yonezawa；　about　30　miles　long　and　from
  10　to　18　broad；　one　of　the　gardens　of　Japan；　wooded　and　watered；
  covered　with　prosperous　towns　and　villages；　surrounded　by
  magnificent　mountains　not　altogether　timbered；　and　bounded　at　its
  southern　extremity　by　ranges　white　with　snow　even　in　the　middle　of
  July。
  In　the　long　street　of　the　farming　village　of　Matsuhara　a　man　amazed
  me　by　running　in　front　of　me　and　speaking　to　me；　and　on　Ito　coming
  up；　he　assailed　him　vociferously；　and　it　turned　out　that　he　took　me
  for　an　Aino；　one　of　the　subjugated　aborigines　of　Yezo。　　I　have
  before　now　been　taken　for　a　Chinese！
  Throughout　the　province　of　Echigo　I　have　occasionally　seen　a　piece
  of　cotton　cloth　suspended　by　its　four　corners　from　four　bamboo
  poles　just　above　a　quiet　stream。　　Behind　it　there　is　usually　a　long
  narrow　tablet；　notched　at　the　top；　similar　to　those　seen　in
  cemeteries；　with　characters　upon　it。　　Sometimes　bouquets　of　flowers
  are　placed　in　the　hollow　top　of　each　bamboo；　and　usually　there　are
  characters　on　the　cloth　itself。　　Within　it　always　lies　a　wooden
  dipper。　　In　coming　down　from　Tenoko　I　passed　one　of　these　close　to
  the　road；　and　a　Buddhist　priest　was　at　the　time　pouring　a　dipper
  full　of　water　into　it；　which　strained　slowly　through。　　As　he　was
  going　our　way　we　joined　him；　and　he　explained　its　meaning。
  According　to　him　the　tablet　bears　on　it　the　kaimiyo；　or　posthumous
  name　of　a　woman。　　The　flowers　have　the　same　significance　as　those
  which　loving　hands　place　on　the　graves　of　kindred。　　If　there　are
  characters　on　the　cloth；　they　represent　the　well…known　invocation
  of　the　Nichiren　sect；　Namu　mio　ho　ren　ge　kio。　　The　pouring　of　the
  water　into　the　cloth；　often　accompanied　by　telling　the　beads　on　a
  rosary；　is　a　prayer。　　The　whole　is　called　〃The　Flowing　Invocation。〃
  I　have　seldom　seen　anything　more　plaintively　affecting；　for　it
  denotes　that　a　mother　in　the　first　joy　of　maternity　has　passed　away
  to　suffer　（according　to　popular　belief）　in　the　Lake　of　Blood；　one
  of　the　Buddhist　hells；　for　a　sin　committed　in　a　former　state　of
  being；　and　it　appeals　to　every　passer…by　to　shorten　the　penalties
  of　a　woman　in　anguish；　for　in　that　lake　she　must　remain　until　the
  cloth　is　so　utterly　worn　out　that　the　water　falls　through　it　at
  once。
  Where　the　mountains　come　down　upon　the　plain　of　Yonezawa　there　are
  several　raised　banks；　and　you　can　take　one　step　from　the　hillside
  to　a　dead　level。　　The　soil　is　dry　and　gravelly　at　the　junction；
  ridges　of　pines　appeared；　and　the　look　of　the　houses　suggested
  increased　cleanliness　and　comfort。　　A　walk　of　six　miles　took　us
  from　Tenoko　to　Komatsu；　a　beautifully　situated　town　of　3000　people；
  with　a　large　trade　in　cotton　goods；　silk；　and　sake。
  As　I　entered　Komatsu　the　first　man　whom　I　met　turned　back　hastily；
  called　into　the　first　house　the　words　which　mean　〃Quick；　here's　a
  foreigner；〃　the　three　carpenters　who　were　at　work　there　flung　down
  their　tools　and；　without　waiting　to　put　on　their　kimonos；　sped　down
  the　street　calling　out　the　news；　so　that　by　the　time　I　reached　the
  yadoya　a　large　crowd　was　pressing　upon　me。　　The　front　was　mean　and
  unpromising…looking；　but；　on　reaching　the　back　by　a　stone　bridge
  over　a　stream　which　ran　through　the　house；　I　found　a　room　40　feet
  long　by　15　high；　entirely　open　along　one　side　to　a　garden　with　a
  large　fish…pond　with　goldfish；　a　pagoda；　dwarf　trees；　and　all　the
  usual　miniature　adornments。　　Fusuma　of　wrinkled　blue　paper　splashed
  with　gold　turned　this　〃gallery〃　into　two　rooms；　but　there　was　no
  privacy；　for　the　crowds　climbed　upon　the　roofs　at　the　back；　and　sat
  there　patiently　until　night。
  These　were　daimiyo's　rooms。　　The　posts　and　ceilings　were　ebony　and
  gold；　the　mats　very　fine；　the　polished　alcoves　decorated　with
  inlaid　writing…tables　and　sword…racks；　spears　nine　feet　long；　with
  handles　of　lacquer　inlaid　with　Venus'　ear；　hung　in　the　verandah；
  the　washing　bowl　was　fine　inlaid　black　lacquer；　and　the　rice…bowls
  and　their　covers　were　gold　lacquer。
  In　this；　as　in　many　other　yadoyas；　there　were　kakemonos　with　large
  Chinese　characters　representing　the　names　of　the　Prime　Minister；
  Provincial　Governor；　or　distinguished　General；　who　had　honoured　it
  by　halting　there；　and　lines　of　poetry　were　hung　up；　as　is　usual；　in
  the　same　fashion。　　I　have　several　times　been　asked　to　write
  something　to　be　thus　displayed。　　I　spent　Sunday　at　Komatsu；　but　not
  restfully；　owing　to　the　nocturnal　croaking　of　the　frogs　in　the
  pond。　　In　it；　as　in　most　towns；　there　were　shops　which　sell　nothing
  but　white；　frothy…looking　cakes；　which　are　used　for　the　goldfish
  which　are　so　much　prized；　and　three　times　daily　the　women　and
  children　of　the　household　came　into　the　garden　to　feed　them。
  When　I　left　Komatsu　there　were　fully　sixty　people　inside　the　house
  and　1500　outsidewalls；　verandahs；　and　even　roofs　being　packed。
  From　Nikko　to　Komatsu　mares　had　been　exclusively　used；　but　there　I
  encountered　for　the　first　time　the　terrible　Japanese　pack…horse。
  Two　horridly　fierce…looking　creatures　were　at　the　door；　with　their
  heads　tied　down　till　their　necks　were　completely　arched。　　When　I
  mounted　the　crowd　followed；　gathering　as　it　went；　frightening　the
  horse　with　the　clatter　of　clogs　and　the　sound　of　a　multitude；　till
  he　broke　his　head…rope；　and；　the　frightened　mago　letting　him　go；　he
  proceeded　down　the　street　mainly　on　his　hind　feet；　squealing；　and
  striking　savagely　with　his　fore　feet；　the　crowd　scattering　to　the
  right　and　left；　till；　as　it　surged　past　the　police　station；　four
  policemen　came　out　and　arrested　it；　only　to