see　me；　got　ladders　and　climbed　on　the　adjacent　roofs；　where　they
  remained　till　one　of　the　roofs　gave　way　with　a　loud　crash；　and
  precipitated　about　fifty　men；　women；　and　children　into　the　room
  below；　which　fortunately　was　vacant。　　Nobody　screameda　noteworthy
  factand　the　casualties　were　only　a　few　bruises。　　Four　policemen
  then　appeared　and　demanded　my　passport；　as　if　I　were　responsible
  for　the　accident；　and　failing；　like　all　others；　to　read　a
  particular　word　upon　it；　they　asked　me　what　I　was　travelling　for；
  and　on　being　told　〃to　learn　about　the　country；〃　they　asked　if　I　was
  making　a　map！　　Having　satisfied　their　curiosity　they　disappeared；
  and　the　crowd　surged　up　again　in　fuller　force。　　The　Transport　Agent
  begged　them　to　go　away；　but　they　said　they　might　never　see　such　a
  sight　again！　　One　old　peasant　said　he　would　go　away　if　he　were　told
  whether　〃the　sight〃　were　a　man　or　a　woman；　and；　on　the　agent　asking
  if　that　were　any　business　of　his；　he　said　he　should　like　to　tell　at
  home　what　he　had　seen；　which　awoke　my　sympathy　at　once；　and　I　told
  Ito　to　tell　them　that　a　Japanese　horse　galloping　night　and　day
  without　ceasing　would　take　5。5　weeks　to　reach　my　countya
  statement　which　he　is　using　lavishly　as　I　go　along。　　These　are　such
  queer　crowds；　so　silent　and　gaping；　and　they　remain　motionless　for
  hours；　the　wide…awake　babies　on　the　mothers'　backs　and　in　the
  fathers'　arms　never　crying。　　I　should　be　glad　to　hear　a　hearty
  aggregate　laugh；　even　if　I　were　its　object。　　The　great　melancholy
  stare　is　depressing。
  The　road　for　ten　miles　was　thronged　with　country　people　going　in　to
  see　the　fire。　　It　was　a　good　road　and　very　pleasant　country；　with
  numerous　road…side　shrines　and　figures　of　the　goddess　of　mercy。　　I
  had　a　wicked　horse；　thoroughly　vicious。　　His　head　was　doubly
  chained　to　the　saddle…girth；　but　he　never　met　man；　woman；　or　child；
  without　laying　back　his　ears　and　running　at　them　to　bite　them。　　I
  was　so　tired　and　in　so　much　spinal　pain　that　I　got　off　and　walked
  several　times；　and　it　was　most　difficult　to　get　on　again；　for　as
  soon　as　I　put　my　hand　on　the　saddle　he　swung　his　hind　legs　round　to
  kick　me；　and　it　required　some　agility　to　avoid　being　hurt。　　Nor　was
  this　all。　　The　evil　beast　made　dashes　with　his　tethered　head　at
  flies；　threatening　to　twist　or　demolish　my　foot　at　each；　flung　his
  hind　legs　upwards；　attempted　to　dislodge　flies　on　his　nose　with　his
  hind　hoof；　executed　capers　which　involved　a　total　disappearance　of
  everything　in　front　of　the　saddle；　squealed；　stumbled；　kicked　his
  old　shoes　off；　and　resented　the　feeble　attempts　which　the　mago　made
  to　replace　them；　and　finally　walked　in　to　Yokote　and　down　its　long
  and　dismal　street　mainly　on　his　hind　legs；　shaking　the　rope　out　of
  his　timid　leader's　hand；　and　shaking　me　into　a　sort　of　aching
  jelly！　　I　used　to　think　that　horses　were　made　vicious　either　by
  being　teased　or　by　violence　in　breaking；　but　this　does　not　account
  for　the　malignity　of　the　Japanese　horses；　for　the　people　are　so
  much　afraid　of　them　that　they　treat　them　with　great　respect：　　they
  are　not　beaten　or　kicked；　are　spoken　to　in　soothing　tones；　and；　on
  the　whole；　live　better　than　their　masters。　　Perhaps　this　is　the
  secret　of　their　villainy〃Jeshurun　waxed　fat　and　kicked。〃
  Yokote；　a　town　of　10；000　people；　in　which　the　best　yadoyas　are　all
  non…respectable；　is　an　ill…favoured；　ill…smelling；　forlorn；　dirty；
  damp；　miserable　place；　with　a　large　trade　in　cottons。　　As　I　rode
  through　on　my　temporary　biped　the　people　rushed　out　from　the　baths
  to　see　me；　men　and　women　alike　without　a　particle　of　clothing。　　The
  house…master　was　very　polite；　but　I　had　a　dark　and　dirty　room；　up　a
  bamboo　ladder；　and　it　swarmed　with　fleas　and　mosquitoes　to　an
  exasperating　extent。　　On　the　way　I　heard　that　a　bullock　was　killed
  every　Thursday　in　Yokote；　and　had　decided　on　having　a　broiled　steak
  for　supper　and　taking　another　with　me；　but　when　I　arrived　it　was
  all　sold；　there　were　no　eggs；　and　I　made　a　miserable　meal　of　rice
  and　bean　curd；　feeling　somewhat　starved；　as　the　condensed　milk　I
  bought　at　Yamagata　had　to　be　thrown　away。　　I　was　somewhat　wretched
  from　fatigue　and　inflamed　ant　bites；　but　in　the　early　morning；　hot
  and　misty　as　all　the　mornings　have　been；　I　went　to　see　a　Shinto
  temple；　or　miya；　and；　though　I　went　alone；　escaped　a　throng。
  The　entrance　into　the　temple　court　was；　as　usual；　by　a　torii；　which
  consisted　of　two　large　posts　20　feet　high；　surmounted　with　cross
  beams；　the　upper　one　of　which　projects　beyond　the　posts　and
  frequently　curves　upwards　at　both　ends。　　The　whole；　as　is　often　the
  case；　was　painted　a　dull　red。　　This　torii；　or　〃birds'　rest；〃　is
  said　to　be　so　called　because　the　fowls；　which　were　formerly　offered
  but　not　sacrificed；　were　accustomed　to　perch　upon　it。　　A　straw
  rope；　with　straw　tassels　and　strips　of　paper　hanging　from　it；　the
  special　emblem　of　Shinto；　hung　across　the　gateway。　　In　the　paved
  court　there　were　several　handsome　granite　lanterns　on　fine　granite
  pedestals；　such　as　are　the　nearly　universal　accompaniments　of　both
  Shinto　and　Buddhist　temples。
  After　leaving　Yakote　we　passed　through　very　pretty　country　with
  mountain　views　and　occasional　glimpses　of　the　snowy　dome　of
  Chokaizan；　crossed　the　Omono　（which　has　burst　its　banks　and
  destroyed　its　bridges）　by　two　troublesome　ferries；　and　arrived　at
  Rokugo；　a　town　of　5000　people；　with　fine　temples；　exceptionally
  mean　houses；　and　the　most　aggressive　crowd　by　which　I　have　yet　been
  asphyxiated。
  There；　through　the　good　offices　of　the　police；　I　was　enabled　to
  attend　a　Buddhist　funeral　of　a　merchant　of　some　wealth。　　It
  interested　me　very　much　from　its　solemnity　and　decorum；　and　Ito's
  explanations　of　what　went　before　were　remarkably　distinctly　given。
  I　went　in　a　Japanese　woman's　dress；　borrowed　at　the　tea…house；　with
  a　blue　hood　over　my　head；　and　thus　escaped　all　notice；　but　I　found
  the　restraint　of　the　scanty　〃tied　forward〃　kimono　very　tiresome。
  Ito　gave　me　many　injunctions　as　to　what　I　was　to　do　and　avoid；
  which　I　carried　out　faithfully；　being　nervously　anxious　to　avoid
  jarring　on　the　sensibilities　of　those　who　had　kindly　permitted　a
  foreigner　to　be　present。
  The　illness　was　a　short　one；　and　there　had　been　no　time　either　for
  prayers　or　pilgrimages　on　the　sick　man's　behalf。　　When　death　occurs
  the　body　is　laid　with　its　head　to　the　north　（a　position　that　the
  living　Japanese　scrupulously　avoid）；　near　a　folding　screen；　between
  which　and　it　a　new　zen　is　placed；　on　which　are　a　saucer　of　oil　with
  a　lighted　rush；　cakes　of　uncooked　rice　dough；　and　a　saucer　of
  incense　sticks。　　The　priests　directly　after　death　choose　the
  kaimiyo；　or　posthumous　name；　write　it　on　a　tablet　of　white　wood；
  and　seat　themselves　by　the　corpse；　his　zen；　bowls；　cups；　etc。；　are
  filled　with　vegetable　food　and　are　placed　by　his　side；　the
  chopsticks　being　put　on　the　wrong；　i。e。　the　left；　side　of　the　zen。
  At　the　end　of　forty…eight　hours　the　corpse　is　arranged　for　the
  coffin　by　being　washed　with　warm　water；　and　the　priest；　while
  saying　certain　prayers；　shaves　the　head。　　In　all　cases；　rich　or
  poor；　the　dress　is　of　the　usual　make；　but　of　pure　white　linen　or
  cotton。
  At　Omagori；　a　town　near　Rokugo；　large　earthenware　jars　are
  manufactured；　which　are　much　used　for　interment　by　the　wealthy；　but
  in　this　case　there　were　two　square　boxes；　the　outer　one　being　of
  finely　planed　wood　of　the　Retinospora　obtusa。　　The　poor　use　what　is
  called　the　〃quick…tub；〃　a　covered　tub　of　pine　hooped　with　bamboo。
  Women　are　dressed　for　burial　in　the　silk　robe　worn　on　the　marriage
  day；　tabi　are　placed　beside　them　or　on　their　feet；　and　their　hair
  usually　flows　loosely　behind　them。　　The　wealthiest　people　fill　the
  coffin　with　vermilion　and　the　poorest　use　chaff；　but　in　this　case　I
  heard　that　only　the　mouth；　nose；　and　ears　were　filled　with
  vermilion；　and　that　the　coffin　was　filled　up　with　coarse　incense。
  The　body　is　placed　within　the　tub　or　box　in　the　usual　squatting
  position。　　It　is　impossible　to　understand　how　a　human　body；　many
  hours　after　death；　can　be　pressed　into　the　limited　space　afforded
  by　even　the　outermost　of　the　boxes。　　It　has　been　said　that　the
  rigidity　of　a　corpse　is　overcome　by　the　use　of　a　powder　called
  dosia；　which　is　sold　by　the　priests；　but　this　idea　has　been
  exploded；　and　the　process　remains　incomprehensible。
  Bannerets　of　small　size　and　ornamental　staves　were　outside　the
  house　door。　　Two　men　in　blue　dresses；　with　pale　blue　over…garments
  resembling　wings　received　each　person；　two　more　presented　a
  lacquered　bowl　of　water　and　a　white　silk　crepe　towel；　and　then　we
  passed　into　a　large　room；　round　which　were　arranged　a　number　of
  very　handsome　folding　screens；　on　which　lotuses；　storks；　and
  peonies　were　realistically　painted　on　a　dead　gold　ground。　　Near　the
  end　of　the　room　the　coffin；　under　a　canopy　of　white　silk；　upon
  which　there　was　a　very　beautiful　arrangement　of　artificial　white
  lotuses；　rested　upon　trestles；　the　face　of　the　corpse　being　turned
  towards　the　north。　　Six　priests；　very　magnificently　dressed；　sat　on
  each　side　of　the　coffin；　and　two　more　knelt　in　front　of　a　small
  temporary　altar。
  The　widow；　an　extremely　pretty　woman；　squatted　near　the　deceased；
  below　the　father　and　mother；　and　after　her　came　the　children；