hadseenthemallbefore，solikearetheytotheirpicturesontrays，fans，andtea-pots。Thehairofthewomenisalldrawnawayfromtheirfaces，andisworninchignons，andthemen，whentheydon’tshavethefrontoftheirheadsandgathertheirbackhairintoaquaintqueuedrawnforwardovertheshavenpatch，weartheircoarsehairaboutthreeincheslonginarefractoryundividedmop。
Davies，anorderlyfromtheLegation，metme，——oneoftheescortcutdownandseverelywoundedwhenSirH。ParkeswasattackedinthestreetofKiyotoinMarch1868onhiswaytohisfirstaudienceoftheMikado。Hundredsofkurumas，andcoveredcartswithfourwheelsdrawnbyonemiserablehorse，whicharetheomnibusesofcertaindistrictsofTokiyo，werewaitingoutsidethestation，andanEnglishbroughamforme，witharunningbetto。TheLegationstandsinKojimachionveryelevatedgroundabovetheinnermoatofthehistoric“CastleofYedo，“butIcannottellyouanythingofwhatIsawonmywaythither，exceptthatthereweremilesofdark，silent，barrack-likebuildings，withhighlyornamentalgateways，andlongrowsofprojectingwindowswithscreensmadeofreeds——thefeudalmansionsofYedo——andmilesofmoatswithloftygrassembankmentsorwallsofmassivemasonry50feethigh，withkiosk-
liketowersatthecorners，andcurious，roofedgateways，andmanybridges，andacresoflotusleaves。Turningalongtheinnermoat，upasteepslope，thereare，ontheright，itsdeepgreenwaters，thegreatgrassembankmentsurmountedbyadismalwalloverhungbythebranchesofconiferoustreeswhichsurroundedthepalaceoftheShogun，andontheleftsundryyashikis，asthemansionsofthedaimiyowerecalled，nowinthisquartermostlyturnedintohospitals，barracks，andGovernmentoffices。Onaheight，themostconspicuousofthemall，isthegreatredgatewayoftheyashiki，nowoccupiedbytheFrenchMilitaryMission，formerlytheresidenceofIiKamonnoKami，oneofthegreatactorsinrecenthistoricevents，whowasassassinatednotfaroff，outsidetheSakarudagateofthecastle。Besidesthese，barracks，parade-grounds，policemen，kurumas，cartspulledandpushedbycoolies，pack-horsesinstrawsandals，anddwarfish，slatternly-lookingsoldiersinEuropeandress，madeuptheTokiyothatIsawbetweenShinbashiandtheLegation。
H。B。M。’sLegationhasagoodsituationneartheForeignOffice，severaloftheGovernmentdepartments，andtheresidencesoftheministers，whicharechieflyofbrickintheEnglishsuburbanvillastyle。Withinthecompound，withabrickarchwaywiththeRoyalArmsuponitforanentrance，aretheMinister’sresidence，theChancery，twohousesforthetwoEnglishSecretariesofLegation，andquartersfortheescort。
ItisanEnglishhouseandanEnglishhome，though，withtheexceptionofavenerablenurse，therearenoEnglishservants。ThebutlerandfootmanaretallChinamen，withlongpig-tails，blacksatincaps，andlongbluerobes；thecookisaChinaman，andtheotherservantsareallJapanese，includingonefemaleservant，asweet，gentle，kindlygirlabout4feet5inheight，thewifeofthehead“housemaid。“Noneoftheservantsspeakanythingbutthemostaggravating“pidgun“English，buttheirdeficientspeechismorethanmadeupforbytheintelligenceandserviceoftheorderlyinwaiting，whoisrarelyabsentfromtheneighbourhoodofthehalldoor，andattendstothevisitors’bookandtoallmessagesandnotes。TherearetworealEnglishchildrenofsixandseven，withgreatcapacitiesforsuchinnocentenjoymentsascanbefoundwithinthelimitsofthenurseryandgarden。Theotherinmateofthehouseisabeautifulandattractiveterriercalled“Rags，“aSkyedog，whounbends“inthebosomofhisfamily，“butordinarilyisasimposinginhisdemeanourasifhe，andnothismaster，representedthedignityoftheBritishEmpire。
TheJapaneseSecretaryofLegationisMr。ErnestSatow，whosereputationforscholarship，especiallyinthedepartmentofhistory，issaidbytheJapanesethemselvestobethehighestinJapan{3}——anhonourabledistinctionforanEnglishman，andwonbytheperseveringindustryoffifteenyears。ThescholarshipconnectedwiththeBritishCivilServiceisnot，however，monopolisedbyMr。Satow，forseveralgentlemenintheconsularservice，whoarepassingthroughthevariousgradesofstudentinterpreters，aredistinguishingthemselvesnotalonebytheirfacilityincolloquialJapanese，butbytheirresearchesinvariousdepartmentsofJapanesehistory，mythology，archaeology，andliterature。Indeeditistotheirlabours，andtothoseofafewotherEnglishmenandGermans，thattheJapaneseoftherisinggenerationwillbeindebtedforkeepingalivenotonlytheknowledgeoftheirarchaicliterature，butevenofthemannersandcustomsofthefirsthalfofthiscentury。
“JohnChinaman“——EngagingaServant——FirstImpressionsofIto——A
SolemnContract——TheFoodQuestion。
IwenttoYokohamaforaweektovisitDr。andMrs。HepburnontheBluff。BishopandMrs。BurdonofHongKongwerealsoguests，anditwasverypleasant。
OnecannotbeadayinYokohamawithoutseeingquiteadifferentclassoforientalsfromthesmall，thinly-dressed，andusuallypoor-lookingJapanese。Ofthe2500ChinamenwhoresideinJapan，over1100areinYokohama，andiftheyweresuddenlyremoved，businesswouldcometoanabrupthalt。Here，aseverywhere，theChineseimmigrantismakinghimselfindispensable。Hewalksthroughthestreetswithhisswinginggaitandairofcompleteself-complacency，asthoughhebelongedtotherulingrace。Heistallandbig，andhismanygarments，withahandsomebrocadedrobeoverall，hissatinpantaloons，ofwhichnotmuchisseen，tightattheankles，andhishighshoes，whoseblacksatintopsareslightlyturnedupatthetoes，makehimlookeventallerandbiggerthanheis。Hisheadismostlyshaven，butthehairatthebackisplaitedwithaquantityofblackpursetwistintoaqueuewhichreachestohisknees，abovewhich，setwellback，hewearsastiff，blacksatinskull-cap，withoutwhichheisneverseen。Hisfaceisveryyellow，hislongdarkeyesandeyebrowsslopeupwardstowardshistemples，hehasnotthevestigeofabeard，andhisskinisshiny。
Helooksthoroughly“well-to-do。“Heisnotunpleasing-looking，butyoufeelthatasaCelestialhelooksdownuponyou。Ifyouaskaquestioninamerchant’soffice，orchangeyourgoldintosatsu，ortakeyourrailroadorsteamerticket，orgetchangeinashop，theinevitableChinamanappears。Inthestreetheswingspastyouwithapurposeinhisface；ashefliespastyouinakurumaheisbentonbusiness；heissoberandreliable，andiscontentto“squeeze“hisemployerratherthantorobhim——hisoneaiminlifeismoney。Forthisheisindustrious，faithful，self-
denying；andhehashisreward。
Severalofmykindnewacquaintancesinterestedthemselvesaboutthetomevitalmatterofaservantinterpreter，andmanyJapanesecameto“seeaftertheplace。“ThespeakingofintelligibleEnglishisasinequanon，anditwaswonderfultofindthefewwordsbadlypronouncedandworseputtogether，whichwereregardedbythecandidatesasasufficientqualification。CanyouspeakEnglish？“Yes。“Whatwagesdoyouask？“Twelvedollarsamonth。“Thiswasalwayssaidglibly，andineachcasesoundedhopeful。Whomhaveyoulivedwith？Aforeignnamedistortedoutofallrecognition，aswasnatural，wasthengiven。Wherehaveyoutravelled？ThisquestionusuallyhadtobetranslatedintoJapanese，andtheusualanswerwas，“TheTokaido，theNakasendo，toKiyoto，toNikko，“namingthebeatentracksofcountlesstourists。
DoyouknowanythingofNorthernJapanandtheHokkaido？“No，“
withablankwonderinglook。AtthisstageineverycaseDr。
Hepburncompassionatelysteppedinasinterpreter，fortheirstockofEnglishwasexhausted。Threewereregardedaspromising。Onewasasprightlyyouthwhocameinawell-madeEuropeansuitoflight-colouredtweed，alaid-downcollar，atiewithadiamond？
pin，andawhiteshirt，sostifflystarched，thathecouldhardlybendlowenoughforabowevenofEuropeanprofundity。Heworeagiltwatch-chainwithalocket，thecornerofaverywhitecambricpocket-handkerchiefdangledfromhisbreastpocket，andheheldacaneandafelthatinhishand。HewasaJapanesedandyofthefirstwater。Ilookedathimruefully。Tomestarchedcollarsaretobeanunknownluxuryforthenextthreemonths。Hisfineforeignclotheswouldenhancepriceseverywhereintheinterior，andbesidesthat，Ishouldfeelaperpetualdifficultyinaskingmenialservicesfromanexquisite。IwasthereforequiterelievedwhenhisEnglishbrokedownatthesecondquestion。
Thesecondwasamostrespectable-lookingmanofthirty-fiveinagoodJapanesedress。Hewashighlyrecommended，andhisfirstEnglishwordswerepromising，buthehadbeencookintheserviceofawealthyEnglishofficialwhotravelledwithalargeretinue，andsentservantsonaheadtopreparetheway。HeknewreallyonlyafewwordsofEnglish，andhishorroratfindingthattherewas“nomaster，“andthattherewouldbenowoman-servant，wassogreat，thatIhardlyknowwhetherherejectedmeorIhim。
Thethird，sentbyMr。Wilkinson，woreaplainJapanesedress，andhadafrank，intelligentface。ThoughDr。HepburnspokewithhiminJapanese，hethoughtthatheknewmoreEnglishthantheothers，andthatwhatheknewwouldcomeoutwhenhewaslessagitated。HeevidentlyunderstoodwhatIsaid，and，thoughIhadasuspicionthathewouldturnouttobethe“master，“IthoughthimsoprepossessingthatInearlyengagedhimonthespot。Noneoftheothersmeritanyremark。
However，whenIhadnearlymadeupmymindinhisfavour，acreatureappearedwithoutanyrecommendationatall，exceptthatoneofDr。Hepburn’sservantswasacquaintedwithhim。Heisonlyeighteen，butthisisequivalenttotwenty-threeortwenty-fourwithus，andonly4feet10inchesinheight，but，thoughbandy-
legged，iswellproportionedandstrong-looking。Hehasaroundandsingularlyplainface，goodteeth，muchelongatedeyes，andtheheavydroopofhiseyelidsalmostcaricaturestheusualJapanesepeculiarity。Heisthemoststupid-lookingJapanesethatIhaveseen，but，fromarapid，furtiveglanceinhiseyesnowandthen，I
thinkthatthestolidityispartlyassumed。HesaidthathehadlivedattheAmericanLegation，thathehadbeenaclerkontheOsakarailroad，thathehadtravelledthroughnorthernJapanbytheeasternroute，andinYezowithMr。Maries，abotanicalcollector，thatheunderstooddryingplants，thathecouldcookalittle，thathecouldwriteEnglish，thathecouldwalktwenty-fivemilesaday，andthathethoroughlyunderstoodgettingthroughtheinterior！