below　the　father　and　mother；　and　after　her　came　the　children；
  relatives；　and　friends；　who　sat　in　rows；　dressed　in　winged　garments
  of　blue　and　white。　　The　widow　was　painted　white；　her　lips　were
  reddened　with　vermilion；　her　hair　was　elaborately　dressed　and
  ornamented　with　carved　shell　pins；　she　wore　a　beautiful　dress　of
  sky…blue　silk；　with　a　haori　of　fine　white　crepe　and　a　scarlet　crepe
  girdle　embroidered　in　gold；　and　looked　like　a　bride　on　her　marriage
  day　rather　than　a　widow。
  Indeed；　owing　to　the　beauty　of　the　dresses　and　the　amount　of　blue
  and　white　silk；　the　room　had　a　festal　rather　than　a　funereal　look。
  When　all　the　guests　had　arrived；　tea　and　sweetmeats　were　passed
  round；　incense　was　burned　profusely；　litanies　were　mumbled；　and　the
  bustle　of　moving　to　the　grave　began；　during　which　I　secured　a　place
  near　the　gate　of　the　temple　grounds。
  The　procession　did　not　contain　the　father　or　mother　of　the
  deceased；　but　I　understood　that　the　mourners　who　composed　it　were
  all　relatives。　　The　oblong　tablet　with　the　〃dead　name〃　of　the
  deceased　was　carried　first　by　a　priest；　then　the　lotus　blossom　by
  another　priest；　then　ten　priests　followed；　two　and　two；　chanting
  litanies　from　books；　then　came　the　coffin　on　a　platform　borne　by
  four　men　and　covered　with　white　drapery；　then　the　widow；　and　then
  the　other　relatives。　　The　coffin　was　carried　into　the　temple　and
  laid　upon　trestles；　while　incense　was　burned　and　prayers　were　said；
  and　was　then　carried　to　a　shallow　grave　lined　with　cement；　and
  prayers　were　said　by　the　priests　until　the　earth　was　raised　to　the
  proper　level；　when　all　dispersed；　and　the　widow；　in　her　gay　attire；
  walked　home　unattended。　　There　were　no　hired　mourners　or　any　signs
  of　grief；　but　nothing　could　be　more　solemn；　reverent；　and　decorous
  than　the　whole　service。　　＇I　have　since　seen　many　funerals；　chiefly
  of　the　poor；　and；　though　shorn　of　much　of　the　ceremony；　and　with
  only　one　officiating　priest；　the　decorum　was　always　most
  remarkable。＇　　The　fees　to　the　priests　are　from　2　up　to　40　or　50
  yen。　　The　graveyard；　which　surrounds　the　temple；　was　extremely
  beautiful；　and　the　cryptomeria　specially　fine。　　It　was　very　full　of
  stone　gravestones；　and；　like　all　Japanese　cemeteries；　exquisitely
  kept。　　As　soon　as　the　grave　was　filled　in；　a　life…size　pink　lotus
  plant　was　placed　upon　it；　and　a　lacquer　tray；　on　which　were　lacquer
  bowls　containing　tea　or　sake；　beans；　and　sweetmeats。
  The　temple　at　Rokugo　was　very　beautiful；　and；　except　that　its
  ornaments　were　superior　in　solidity　and　good　taste；　differed　little
  from　a　Romish　church。　　The　low　altar；　on　which　were　lilies　and
  lighted　candles；　was　draped　in　blue　and　silver；　and　on　the　high
  altar；　draped　in　crimson　and　cloth　of　gold；　there　was　nothing　but　a
  closed　shrine；　an　incense…burner；　and　a　vase　of　lotuses。
  LETTER　XX（Concluded）
  A　Casual　InvitationA　Ludicrous　IncidentPoliteness　of　a
  PolicemanA　Comfortless　SundayAn　Outrageous　IrruptionA
  Privileged　Stare。
  At　a　wayside　tea…house；　soon　after　leaving　Rokugo　in　kurumas；　I　met
  the　same　courteous　and　agreeable　young　doctor　who　was　stationed　at
  Innai　during　the　prevalence　of　kak'ke；　and　he　invited　me　to　visit
  the　hospital　at　Kubota；　of　which　he　is　junior　physician；　and　told
  Ito　of　a　restaurant　at　which　〃foreign　food〃　can　be　obtaineda
  pleasant　prospect；　of　which　he　is　always　reminding　me。
  Travelling　along　a　very　narrow　road；　I　as　usual　first；　we　met　a　man
  leading　a　prisoner　by　a　rope；　followed　by　a　policeman。　　As　soon　as
  my　runner　saw　the　latter　he　fell　down　on　his　face　so　suddenly　in
  the　shafts　as　nearly　to　throw　me　out；　at　the　same　time　trying　to
  wriggle　into　a　garment　which　he　had　carried　on　the　crossbar；　while
  the　young　men　who　were　drawing　the　two　kurumas　behind；　crouching
  behind　my　vehicle；　tried　to　scuttle　into　their　clothes。　　I　never
  saw　such　a　picture　of　abjectness　as　my　man　presented。　　He　trembled
  from　head　to　foot；　and　illustrated　that　queer　phrase　often　heard　in
  Scotch　Presbyterian　prayers；　〃Lay　our　hands　on　our　mouths　and　our
  mouths　in　the　dust。〃　　He　literally　grovelled　in　the　dust；　and　with
  every　sentence　that　the　policeman　spoke　raised　his　head　a　little；
  to　bow　it　yet　more　deeply　than　before。　　It　was　all　because　he　had
  no　clothes　on。　　I　interceded　for　him　as　the　day　was　very　hot；　and
  the　policeman　said　he　would　not　arrest　him；　as　he　should　otherwise
  have　done；　because　of　the　inconvenience　that　it　would　cause　to　a
  foreigner。　　He　was　quite　an　elderly　man；　and　never　recovered　his
  spirits；　but；　as　soon　as　a　turn　of　the　road　took　us　out　of　the
  policeman's　sight；　the　two　younger　men　threw　their　clothes　into　the
  air　and　gambolled　in　the　shafts；　shrieking　with　laughter！
  On　reaching　Shingoji；　being　too　tired　to　go　farther；　I　was　dismayed
  to　find　nothing　but　a　low；　dark；　foul…smelling　room；　enclosed　only
  by　dirty　shoji；　in　which　to　spend　Sunday。　　One　side　looked　into　a
  little　mildewed　court；　with　a　slimy　growth　of　Protococcus　viridis；
  and　into　which　the　people　of　another　house　constantly　came　to
  stare。　　The　other　side　opened　on　the　earthen　passage　into　the
  street；　where　travellers　wash　their　feet；　the　third　into　the
  kitchen；　and　the　fourth　into　the　front　room。　　Even　before　dark　it
  was　alive　with　mosquitoes；　and　the　fleas　hopped　on　the　mats　like
  sand…flies。　　There　were　no　eggs；　nothing　but　rice　and　cucumbers。
  At　five　on　Sunday　morning　I　saw　three　faces　pressed　against　the
  outer　lattice；　and　before　evening　the　shoji　were　riddled　with
  finger…holes；　at　each　of　which　a　dark　eye　appeared。　　There　was　a
  still；　fine　rain　all　day；　with　the　mercury　at　82　degrees；　and　the
  heat；　darkness；　and　smells　were　difficult　to　endure。　　In　the
  afternoon　a　small　procession　passed　the　house；　consisting　of　a
  decorated　palanquin；　carried　and　followed　by　priests；　with　capes
  and　stoles　over　crimson　chasubles　and　white　cassocks。　　This　ark；
  they　said；　contained　papers　inscribed　with　the　names　of　people　and
  the　evils　they　feared；　and　the　priests　were　carrying　the　papers　to
  throw　them　into　the　river。
  I　went　to　bed　early　as　a　refuge　from　mosquitoes；　with　the　andon；　as
  usual；　dimly　lighting　the　room；　and　shut　my　eyes。　　About　nine　I
  heard　a　good　deal　of　whispering　and　shuffling；　which　continued　for
  some　time；　and；　on　looking　up；　saw　opposite　to　me　about　40　men；
  women；　and　children　（Ito　says　100）；　all　staring　at　me；　with　the
  light　upon　their　faces。　　They　had　silently　removed　three　of　the
  shoji　next　the　passage！　　I　called　Ito　loudly；　and　clapped　my　hands；
  but　they　did　not　stir　till　he　came；　and　then　they　fled　like　a　flock
  of　sheep。　　I　have　patiently；　and　even　smilingly；　borne　all　out…of…
  doors　crowding　and　curiosity；　but　this　kind　of　intrusion　is
  unbearable；　and　I　sent　Ito　to　the　police　station；　much　against　his
  will；　to　beg　the　police　to　keep　the　people　out　of　the　house；　as　the
  house…master　was　unable　to　do　so。　　This　morning；　as　I　was　finishing
  dressing；　a　policeman　appeared　in　my　room；　ostensibly　to　apologise
  for　the　behaviour　of　the　people；　but　in　reality　to　have　a
  privileged　stare　at　me；　and；　above　all；　at　my　stretcher　and
  mosquito　net；　from　which　he　hardly　took　his　eyes。　　Ito　says　he
  could　make　a　yen　a　day　by　showing　them！　　The　policeman　said　that
  the　people　had　never　seen　a　foreigner。
  I。　L。　B。
  LETTER　XXI
  The　Necessity　of　FirmnessPerplexing　MisrepresentationsGliding
  with　the　StreamSuburban　ResidencesThe　Kubota　HospitalA　Formal
  ReceptionThe　Normal　School。
  KUBOTA；　July　23。
  I　arrived　here　on　Monday　afternoon　by　the　river　Omono；　what　would
  have　been　two　long　days'　journey　by　land　having　been　easily
  accomplished　in　nine　hours　by　water。　　This　was　an　instance　of
  forming　a　plan　wisely；　and　adhering　to　it　resolutely！　　Firmness　in
  travelling　is　nowhere　more　necessary　than　in　Japan。　　I　decided　some
  time　ago；　from　Mr。　Brunton's　map；　that　the　Omono　must　be　navigable
  from　Shingoji；　and　a　week　ago　told　Ito　to　inquire　about　it；　but　at
  each　place　difficulties　have　been　started。　　There　was　too　much
  water；　there　was　too　little；　there　were　bad　rapids；　there　were
  shallows；　it　was　too　late　in　the　year；　all　the　boats　which　had
  started　lately　were　lying　aground；　but　at　one　of　the　ferries　I　saw
  in　the　distance　a　merchandise　boat　going　down；　and　told　Ito　I
  should　go　that　way　and　no　other。　　On　arriving　at　Shingoji　they　said
  it　was　not　on　the　Omono　at　all；　but　on　a　stream　with　some　very　bad
  rapids；　in　which　boats　are　broken　to　pieces。　　Lastly；　they　said
  there　was　no　boat；　but　on　my　saying　that　I　would　send　ten　miles　for
  one；　a　small；　flat…bottomed　scow　was　produced　by　the　Transport
  Agent；　into　which　Ito；　the　luggage；　and　myself　accurately　fitted。
  Ito　sententiously　observed；　〃Not　one　thing　has　been　told　us　on　our
  journey　which　has　turned　out　true！〃　　This　is　not　an　exaggeration。
  The　usual　crowd　did　not　assemble　round　the　door；　but　preceded　me　to
  the　river；　where　it　covered　the　banks　and　clustered　in　the　trees。
  Four　policemen　escorted　me　down。　　The　voyage　of　forty…two　miles　was
  delightful。　　The　rapids　were　a　mere　ripple；　the　current　was　strong；
  one　boatman　almost　slept　upon　his　paddle；　the　other　only　woke　to
  bale　the　boat　when　it　was　half…full　of　water；　the　shores　were
  silent　and　pretty；　and　almost　without　population　till　we　reached
  the　large　t