AsinglelookatHakodateitselfmakesonefeelthatitisJapanallover。Thestreetsareverywideandclean，butthehousesaremeanandlow。Thecitylooksasifithadjustrecoveredfromaconflagration。Thehousesarenothingbuttinder。Thegrandtileroofsofsomeothercitiesarenottobeseen。Thereisnotanelementofpermanenceinthewide，andwindystreets。Itisanincreasingandbusyplace；itliesfortwomilesalongtheshore，andhasclimbedthehilltillitcangonohigher；butstillhousesandpeoplelookpoor。Ithasaskeletonaspecttoo，whichispartiallyduetothenumberofpermanent“clothes-horses“ontheroofs。Stones，however，areitsprominentfeature。Lookingdownuponitfromaboveyouseemilesofgreyboulders，andrealisethateveryroofinthewindycapitalis“hoddendoun“byaweightofpavingstones。Noristhisall。Someoftheflatterroofsarepebbledalloverlikeacourtyard，andothers，suchastheroofofthishouse，forinstance，arecoveredwithsodandcropsofgrass，thetwolatterarrangementsbeingprecautionsagainstrisksfromsparksduringfires。Thesepavingstonesarecertainlythecheapestpossiblemodeofkeepingtheroofsonthehousesinsuchawindyregion，buttheylookodd。
Noneofthestreets，exceptonehighupthehill，witharowoffinetemplesandtemplegrounds，callforanynotice。Nearlyeveryhouseisashop；mostoftheshopssupplyonlytheordinaryarticlesconsumedbyalargeandpoorpopulation；eitherrealorimitatedforeigngoodsaboundinMainStreet，andtheonlynoveltiesarethefurs，skins，andhorns，whichaboundinshopsdevotedtotheirsale。Icovetthegreatbearfursandthedeepcream-colouredfursofAinodogs，whicharecheapaswellashandsome。Therearemanysecond-hand，or，astheyarecalled，“curio“shops，andthecheaplacquerfromAomoriisalsotemptingtoastranger。
IamenjoyingHakodatesomuchthat，thoughmytourisallplannedandmyarrangementsaremade，Ilingeronfromdaytoday。TherehasbeenanunpleasanteclaircissementaboutIto。YouwillrememberthatIengagedhimwithoutacharacter，andthathetoldbothLadyParkesandmethatafterIhaddonesohisformermaster，Mr。Maries，askedhimtogobacktohim，towhichhehadrepliedthathehad“acontractwithalady。“Mr。Mariesishere，andI
nowfindthathehadacontractwithIto，bywhichItoboundhimselftoservehimaslongasherequiredhim，for$7amonth，butthat，hearingthatIoffered$12，heranawayfromhimandenteredmyservicewithalie！Mr。Marieshasbeenputtothegreatestinconveniencebyhisdefection，andhasbeenhinderedgreatlyincompletinghisbotanicalcollection，forItoisveryclever，andhehadnotonlytrainedhimtodryplantssuccessfully，buthecouldtrusthimtogoawayfortwoorthreedaysandcollectseeds。Iamverysorryaboutit。HesaysthatItowasabadboywhenhecametohim，buthethinksthathecuredhimofsomeofhisfaults，andthathehasservedmefaithfully。IhaveseenMr。
MariesattheConsul’s，andhavearrangedthat，aftermyYezotourisover，Itoshallbereturnedtohisrightfulmaster，whowilltakehimtoChinaandFormosaforayearandahalf，andwho，I
think，willlookafterhiswell-beingineveryway。Dr。andMrs。
Hepburn，whoarehere，heardabadaccountoftheboyafterIbeganmytravelsandwereuneasyaboutme，but，exceptforthisoriginallie，Ihavenofaulttofindwithhim，andhisShintocreedhasnottaughthimanybetter。WhenIpaidhimhiswagesthismorningheaskedmeifIhadanyfaulttofind，andItoldhimofmyobjectiontohismanners，whichhetookinverygoodpartandpromisedtoamendthem；“but，“headded，“minearejustmissionarymanners！“
YesterdayIdinedattheConsulate，tomeetCountDiesbach，oftheFrenchLegation，Mr。VonSiebold，oftheAustrianLegation，andLieutenantKreitner，oftheAustrianarmy，whostartto-morrowonanexploringexpeditionintheinterior，intendingtocrossthesourcesoftheriverswhichfallintotheseaonthesoutherncoastandmeasuretheheightsofsomeofthemountains。Theyare“wellfound“infoodandclaret，buttakesuchanumberofpack-ponieswiththemthatIpredictthattheywillfail，andthatI，whohavereducedmyluggageto45lbs。，willsucceed！
Ihopetostartonmylong-projectedtourto-morrow；Ihaveplanneditformyselfwiththeconfidenceofanexperiencedtraveller，andlookforwardtoitwithgreatpleasure，asavisittotheaboriginesissuretobefullofnovelandinterestingexperiences。
Good-byeforalongtime。
ALovelySunset——AnOfficialLetter——A“FrontHorse“——JapaneseCourtesy——TheSteamFerry——CooliesAbscond——ATeamofSavages——A
DroveofHorses——FloralBeauties——AnUnbeatenTrack——AGhostlyDwelling——SolitudeandEeriness。
Iamonceagaininthewilds！Iamsittingoutsideanupperroombuiltoutalmostoveralonelylake，withwoodedpointspurplingandstillshadowsdeepeninginthesinkingsun。Anumberofmenaredraggingdownthenearesthillsidethecarcassofabearwhichtheyhavejustdespatchedwithspears。Thereisnovillage，andthebusyclatterofthecicadaandtherustleoftheforestaretheonlysoundswhichfloatonthestilleveningair。Thesunsetcoloursarepinkandgreen；onthetintedwaterliethewaxencupsofgreatwater-lilies，andabovethewoodedheightsthepointed，craggy，andaltogethernakedsummitofthevolcanoofKomono-takiflushesredinthesunset。NottheleastofthecharmsoftheeveningisthatIamabsolutelyalone，havingriddentheeighteenmilesfromHakodatewithoutItooranattendantofanykind；haveunsaddledmyownhorse，andbymeansofmuchpolitenessandadexteroususeofJapanesesubstantiveshavesecuredagoodroomandsupperofrice，eggs，andblackbeansformyselfandamashofbeansformyhorse，which，asitbelongstotheKaitakushi，andhasthedignityofironshoes，isentitledtospecialconsideration！
Iamnotyetoffthe“beatentrack，“butmyspiritsarerisingwiththefineweather，thedrieratmosphere，andthefreedomofYezo。
YezoistothemainislandofJapanwhatTipperaryistoanEnglishman，BarratoaScotchman，“awaydowninTexas“toaNewYorker——intherough，littleknown，andthinly-peopled；andpeoplecanlocateallsortsofimprobablestoriesherewithoutmuchfearofbeingfoundout，ofwhichtheAinosandthemisdeedsoftheponiesfurnishthestaple，andthequeerdoingsofmenanddogs，andadventureswithbears，wolves，andsalmon，theembroidery。
Nobodycomesherewithoutmeetingwithsomethingqueer，andoneortwotumbleseitherwithorfromhishorse。Verylittleisknownoftheinteriorexceptthatitiscoveredwithforestmattedtogetherbylianas，andwithanundergrowthofscrubbambooimpenetrableexcepttotheaxe，variedbyswampsequallyimpassable，whichgiverisetohundredsofriverswellstockedwithfish。Theglareofvolcanoesisseenindifferentpartsoftheisland。Theforestsarethehunting-groundsoftheAinos，whoarecompletesavagesineverythingbuttheirdisposition，whichissaidtobesogentleandharmlessthatImaygoamongthemwithperfectsafety。
Kindlyinteresthasbeenexcitedbythefirstforaymadebyaladyintothecountryoftheaborigines；andMr。Eusden，theConsul，hasworkeduponthepowersthatbewithsuchgoodeffectthattheGovernorhasgrantedmeashomon，asortofofficialletterorcertificate，givingmearighttoobtainhorsesandcoolieseverywhereattheGovernmentrateof6senari，withapriorclaimtoaccommodationatthehouseskeptupforofficialsontheircircuits，andtohelpandassistancefromofficialsgenerally；andtheGovernorhasfurthertelegraphedtotheothersideofVolcanoBaydesiringtheauthoritiestogivemetheuseoftheGovernmentkurumaaslongasIneedit，andtodetainthesteamertosuitmyconvenience！Withthisdocument，whichenablesmetodispensewithmypassport，Ishallfindtravellingveryeasy，andIamverygratefultotheConsulforprocuringitforme。
Here，wherericeandteahavetobeimported，thereisauniformchargeattheyadoyasof30senaday，whichincludesthreemeals，whetheryoueatthemornot。Horsesareabundant，butaresmall，andarenotuptoheavyweights。Theyareentirelyunshod，and，thoughtheirhoofsareveryshallowandgrowintoturned-uppointsandothersingularshapes，theygooverroughgroundwithfacilityatascramblingrunofoverfourmilesanhourfollowingaleadercalleda“fronthorse。“Ifyoudon’tgeta“fronthorse“andtrytorideinfront，youfindthatyourhorsewillnotstirtillhehasanotherbeforehim；andthenyouareperfectlyhelpless，ashefollowsthemovementsofhisleaderwithoutanyreferencetoyourwishes。Therearenomago；amanridesthe“fronthorse“andgoesatwhateverpaceyouplease，or，ifyougeta“fronthorse，“youmaygowithoutanyone。Horsesarecheapandabundant。Theydriveanumberofthemdownfromthehillseverymorningintocorralsinthevillages，andkeepthemtheretilltheyarewanted。Becausetheyaresocheaptheyareverybadlyused。Ihavenotseenoneyetwithoutasoreback，producedbytheharshpack-saddlerubbingupanddownthespine，astheloadedanimalsaredrivenatarun。
Theyaremostlyverypoor-looking。
AstherewassomedifficultyaboutgettingahorseformetheConsulsentoneoftheKaitakushisaddle-horses，ahandsome，lazyanimal，whichIrarelysucceededinstimulatingintoaheavygallop。LeavingItotofollowwiththebaggage，Ienjoyedmysolitaryrideandthepossibilityofchoosingmyownpaceverymuch，thoughthechoicewasonlybetweenaslowwalkandthelumberinggallopaforesaid。
Imetstringsofhorsesloadedwithdeerhides，andovertookotherstringsloadedwithsakeandmanufacturedgoodsandineachcasehadafightwithmysociablyinclinedanimal。IntwovillagesI
wasinterestedtoseethatthesmallshopscontainedlucifermatches，cottonumbrellas，boots，brushes，clocks，slates，andpencils，engravingsinframes，kerosenelamps，{18}andredandgreenblankets，allbutthelast，whichareunmistakableBritish“shoddy，“beingJapaneseimitationsofforeignmanufacturedgoods，moreorlesscleverlyexecuted。Theroadgoesuphillforfifteenmiles，and，afterpassingNanai，atrimEuropeanisedvillageinthemidstoffinecrops，oneoftheplacesatwhichtheGovernmentismakingacclimatisationandotheragriculturalexperiments，itfairlyentersthemountains，andfromthetopofasteephillthereisagloriousviewofHakodateHead，lookinglikeanislandinthedeepbluesea，andfromthetopofahigherhill，lookingnorthward，amagnificentviewofthevolcanowithitsbare，pinksummitrisingabovethreelovelylakesdenselywooded。ThesearetheflushedscaursandoutbreaksofbarerockforwhichIsighedamidstthesmotheringgreeneryofthemainisland，andthesilvergleamofthelakestakesawaytheblindnessfromthefaceofnature。Itwasdelicioustodescendtothewater’sedgeinthedewysilenceamidstbalsamicodours，tofindnotaclatteringgreyvillagewithitsmonotony，butasingle，irregularly-builthouse，withlovelysurroundings。
Itisamostdispleasingroadformostoftheway；sideswithdeepcorrugations，andinthemiddleahighcausewayofearth，whoseheightisbeingaddedtobyhundredsofcreelsofearthbroughtonponies’backs。Itissupposedthatcarriagesandwaggonswillusethiscauseway，butashyinghorseorabaddriverwouldoverturnthem。Asitisatpresenttheroadisonlypassableforpack-
horses，owingtothenumberofbrokenbridges。Ipassedstringsofhorsesladenwithsakegoingintotheinterior。ThepeopleofYezodrinkfreely，andthepoorAinosoutrageously。OntheroadI
dismountedtorestmyselfbywalkinguphill，and，thesaddlebeinglooselygirthed，thegearbehinditdraggeditroundandunderthebodyofthehorse，anditwastooheavyformetoliftonhisbackagain。WhenIhadledhimforsometimetwoJapanesewithastringofpack-horsesloadedwithdeer-hidesmetme，andnotonlyputthesaddleonagain，butheldthestirrupwhileIremounted，andbowedpolitelywhenIwentaway。Whocouldhelplikingsuchacourteousandkindlypeople？
MORI，VOLCANOBAY，Monday。