Theboathadathoroughly“native“look，withitsbronzedcrew，thatchedroof，andtheumbrellahatsofallitspassengershangingonthemast。Ienjoyedeveryhouroftheday。Itwasluxurytodropquietlydownthestream，theairwasdelicious，and，havingheardnothingofit，thebeautyoftheTsugawacameuponmeasapleasantsurprise，besidesthateverymilebroughtmenearerthehoped-forhomeletters。AlmostassoonasweleftTsugawathedownwardpassagewasapparentlybarredbyfantasticmountains，whichjustopenedtheirrockygateswideenoughtoletusthrough，andthenclosedagain。Pinnaclesandneedlesofbare，flushedrockroseoutofluxuriantvegetation——Quiraingwithoutitsbareness，theRhinewithoutitsruins，andmorebeautifulthanboth。Thereweremountainsconnectedbyridgesnobroaderthanahorse’sback，otherswithgreatgraybuttresses，deepchasmscleftbystreams，templeswithpagodaroofsonheights，sunnyvillageswithdeep-
thatchedroofshiddenawayamongblossomingtrees，andthroughriftsinthenearerrangesglimpsesofsnowymountains。
Afterarapidrunoftwelvemilesthroughthisenchantingscenery，theremainingcourseoftheTsugawaisthatofabroad，fullstreamwindingmarvellouslythroughawoodedandtolerablylevelcountry，partiallysurroundedbysnowymountains。Theriverlifewasverypretty。Canoesabounded，someloadedwithvegetables，somewithwheat，otherswithboysandgirlsreturningfromschool。Sampanswiththeirwhitepuckeredsailsinflotillasofadozenatatimecrawledupthedeepwater，orweretowedthroughtheshallowsbycrewsfrolickingandshouting。Thenthescenechangedtoabroadanddeepriver，withapeculiaralluvialsmellfromthequantityofvegetablematterheldinsuspension，flowingcalmlybetweendenselywooded，bamboo-fringedbanks，justhighenoughtoconcealthesurroundingcountry。Nohouses，ornearlynone，aretobeseen，butsignsofacontinuityofpopulationabound。Everyhundredyardsalmostthereisanarrowpathtotheriverthroughthejungle，withacanoemooredatitsfoot。Erectionslikegallows，withaswingingbamboo，withabucketatoneendandastoneattheother，occurringcontinually，showthevicinityofhouseholdsdependentupontheriverfortheirwatersupply。Whereverthebanksadmittedofit，horseswerebeingwashedbyhavingwaterpouredovertheirbackswithadipper，nakedchildrenwererollinginthemud，andcacklingofpoultry，humanvoices，andsoundsofindustry，wereeverfloatingtowardsusfromthedensegreeneryoftheshores，makingonefeelwithoutseeingthatthemarginwasverypopulous。Excepttheboatmenandmyself，noonewasawakeduringthehot，silentafternoon——itwasdreamyanddelicious。
Occasionally，aswefloateddown，vineyardswerevisiblewiththevinestrainedonhorizontaltrellises，orbamboorails，oftenfortyfeetlong，nailedhorizontallyoncryptomeriatoaheightoftwentyfeet，onwhichsmallsheavesofbarleywereplacedastridetodrytilltheframewasfullMoreforest，moredreams，thentheforestandtheabundantvegetationaltogetherdisappeared，theriveropenedoutamonglowlandsandbanksofshingleandsand，andbythreewewereontheoutskirtsofNiigata，whoselowhouses，——withrowsofstonesupontheirroofs，spreadoverastretchofsand，beyondwhichisasandyrollwithsomeclumpsoffirs。Tea-houseswithmanybalconiesstuddedtheriver-side，andpleasure-partieswereenjoyingthemselveswithgeishasandsake，but，onthewhole，thewater-sidestreetsareshabbyandtumbledown，andthelandwardsideofthegreatcityofwesternJapaniscertainlydisappointing；anditwasdifficulttobelieveitaTreatyPort，fortheseawasnotinsight，andtherewerenoconsularflagsflying。Wepoledalongoneofthenumerouscanals，whicharethecarriage-waysforproduceandgoods，amonghundredsofloadedboats，landedintheheartofthecity，and，astheresultofrepeatedinquiries，eventuallyreachedtheChurchMissionHouse，anunshadedwoodenbuildingwithoutverandahs，closetotheGovernmentBuildings，whereIwasmostkindlywelcomedbyMr。andMrs。Fyson。
Thehouseisplain，simple，andinconvenientlysmall；butdoorsandwallsaregreatluxuries，andyoucannotimaginehowpleasingthewaysofarefinedEuropeanhouseholdareaftertheeternalbabblementandindecorumoftheJapanese。
AbominableWeather——InsectPests——AbsenceofForeignTrade——A
RefractoryRiver——Progress——TheJapaneseCity——WaterHighways——
NiigataGardens——RuthFyson——TheWinterClimate——APopulationinWadding。
IhavespentoveraweekinNiigata，andleaveitregretfullyto-
morrow，ratherforthesakeofthefriendsIhavemadethanforitsowninterests。Ineverexperiencedaweekofmoreabominableweather。Thesunhasbeenseenjustonce，themountains，whicharethirtymilesoff，notatall。Thecloudsareabrownishgrey，theairmoistandmotionless，andthemercuryhasvariedfrom82
degreesinthedayto80degreesatnight。Thehouseholdisafflictedwithlassitudeandlossofappetite。Eveningdoesnotbringcoolness，butmyriadsofflying，creeping，jumping，runningcreatures，allwithpowertohurt，whichreplacethedaymosquitoes，villainswithspottedlegs，whichbiteandpoisononewithoutthewarninghum。Thenightmosquitoesarelegion。Therearenowalksexceptinthestreetsandthepublicgardens，forNiigataisbuiltonasandspit，hotandbare。Neithercanyougetaviewofitwithoutclimbingtothetopofawoodenlook-out。
NiigataisaTreatyPortwithoutforeigntrade，andalmostwithoutforeignresidents。Notaforeignshipvisitedtheporteitherlastyearorthis。Thereareonlytwoforeignfirms，andtheseareGerman，andonlyeighteenforeigners，ofwhichnumber，exceptthemissionaries，nearlyallareinGovernmentemployment。Itsriver，theShinano，isthelargestinJapan，anditanditsaffluentsbringdownaprodigiousvolumeofwater。ButJapaneseriversaremuchchokedwithsandandshinglewasheddownfromthemountains。
InallthatIhaveseen，exceptthosewhicharephysicallylimitedbywallsofhardrock，ariver-bedisawasteofsand，boulders，andshingle，throughthemiddleofwhich，amongsand-banksandshallows，theriverpropertakesitsdeviouscourse。Inthefreshets，whichoccurtoagreaterorlessextenteveryyear，enormousvolumesofwaterpouroverthesewastes，carryingsandanddetritusdowntothemouths，whichareallobstructedbybars。OftheseriverstheShinano，beingthebiggest，isthemostrefractory，andhaspiledupabaratitsentrancethroughwhichthereisonlyapassagesevenfeetdeep，whichisperpetuallyshallowing。ThemindsofengineersaremuchexercisedupontheShinano，andtheGovernmentismostanxioustodeepenthechannelandgiveWesternJapanwhatithasnot——aharbour；buttheexpenseofthenecessaryoperationisenormous，andinthemeantimealimitedoceantrafficiscarriedonbyjunksandbyafewsmallJapanesesteamerswhichcalloutside。{13}ThereisaBritishVice-Consulate，but，exceptasastep，fewwouldacceptsuchadrearypostoroutpost。
ButNiigataisahandsome，prosperouscityof50，000inhabitants，thecapitalofthewealthyprovinceofEchigo，withapopulationofoneandahalfmillions，andistheseatoftheKenrei，orprovincialgovernor，ofthechieflawcourts，offineschools，ahospital，andbarracks。Itiscurioustofindinsuchanexcludedtownaschooldeservingthedesignationofacollege，asitincludesintermediate，primary，andnormalschools，anEnglishschoolwith150pupils，organisedbyEnglishandAmericanteachers，anengineeringschool，ageologicalmuseum，splendidlyequippedlaboratories，andthenewestandmostapprovedscientificandeducationalapparatus。TheGovernmentBuildings，whicharegroupednearMr。Fyson’s，areofpaintedwhitewood，andareimposingfromtheirsizeandtheirinnumerableglasswindows。Thereisalargehospital{14}arrangedbyaEuropeandoctor，withamedicalschoolattached，andit，theKencho，theSaibancho，orCourtHouse，theschools，thebarracks，andalargebank，whichisrivallingthemall，haveago-ahead，Europeanisedlook，bold，staring，andtasteless。Therearelargepublicgardens，verywelllaidout，andwithfinelygravelledwalks。Thereare300streetlamps，whichburnthemineraloilofthedistrict。
Yet，becausetheriotousShinanopersistentlybarsitoutfromthesea，itsnaturalhighway，thecapitalofoneoftherichestprovincesofJapanis“leftoutinthecold，“andtheprovinceitself，whichyieldsnotonlyrice，silk，tea，hemp，ninjin，andindigo，inlargequantities，butgold，copper，coal，andpetroleum，hastosendmostofitsproducetoYedoacrossrangesofmountains，onthebacksofpack-horses，byroadsscarcelylessinfamousthantheonebywhichIcame。
TheNiigataoftheGovernment，withitssignsofprogressinawesterndirection，isquiteunattractive-lookingascomparedwiththegenuineJapaneseNiigata，whichistheneatest，cleanest，andmostcomfortable-lookingtownIhaveyetseen，andaltogetherfreefromthejostlementofaforeignsettlement。Itisrenownedforthebeautifultea-houses，whichattractvisitorsfromdistantplaces，andfortheexcellenceofthetheatres，andisthecentreoftherecreationandpleasureofalargedistrict。Itissobeautifullycleanthat，asatNikko，Ishouldfeelreluctanttowalkuponitswell-sweptstreetsinmuddyboots。ItwouldaffordagoodlessontotheEdinburghauthorities，foreveryvagrantbitofstraw，stick，orpaper，isatoncepounceduponandremoved，andnorubbishmaystandforaninstantinitsstreetsexceptinacoveredboxorbucket。Itiscorrectlylaidoutinsquaredivisions，formedbyfivestreetsoveramilelong，crossedbyverynumerousshortones，andisintersectedbycanals，whichareitsrealroadways。Ihavenotseenapack-horseinthestreets；everythingcomesinbyboat，andtherearefewhousesinthecitywhichcannothavetheirgoodsdeliveredbycanalveryneartotheirdoors。
Thesewater-waysarebusyallday，butintheearlymorning，whentheboatscomeinloadedwiththevegetables，withoutwhichthepeoplecouldnotexistforaday，thebustleisindescribable。Thecucumberboatsjustnowarethegreatsight。Thecanalsareusuallyinthemiddleofthestreets，andhavefairlybroadroadwaysonbothsides。Theyaremuchbelowthestreetlevel，andtheirnearlyperpendicularbanksareneatlyfacedwithwood，brokenatintervalsbyflightsofstairs。Theyareborderedbytrees，amongwhicharemanyweepingwillows；and，astheriverwaterrunsthroughthem，keepingthemquitesweet，andtheyarecrossedatshortintervalsbylightbridges，theyformaveryattractivefeatureofNiigata。
Thehouseshaveverysteeproofsofshingle，weightedwithstones，and，astheyareofveryirregularheights，andallturnthesteepgablesoftheupperstoriesstreetwards，thetownhasapicturesquenessveryunusualinJapan。Thedeepverandahsareconnectedallalongthestreets，soastoformashelteredpromenadewhenthesnowliesdeepinwinter。Withitscanalswiththeiravenuesoftrees，itsfinepublicgardens，andclean，picturesquestreets，itisareallyattractivetown；butitsimprovementsarerecent，andwereonlylatelycompletedbyMr。
MasakataKusumoto，nowGovernorofTokiyo。Thereisnoappearanceofpovertyinanypartofthetown，butiftherebewealth，itiscarefullyconcealed。Onemarkedfeatureofthecityisthenumberofstreetsofdwelling-houseswithprojectingwindowsofwoodenslats，throughwhichthepeoplecanseewithoutbeingseen，thoughatnight，whentheandonsarelit，wesaw，aswewalkedfromDr。
Palm’s，thatinmostcasesfamiliesweresittingroundthehibachiinadeshabilleofthescantiestkind。
Thefrontsareverynarrow，andthehousesextendbackwardstoanamazinglength，withgardensinwhichflowers，shrubs，andmosquitoesaregrown，andbridgesareseveraltimesrepeated，soastogivetheeffectoffairylandasyoulookthroughfromthestreet。TheprincipalapartmentsinallJapanesehousesareattheback，lookingoutontheseminiaturelandscapes，foralandscapeisskilfullydwarfedintoaspaceoftennotmorethan30feetsquare。
Alake，arock-work，abridge，astonelantern，andadeformedpine，areindispensable；butwhenevercircumstancesandmeansadmitofit，quaintnessesofallkindsareintroduced。Smallpavilions，retreatsfortea-making，reading，sleepinginquietandcoolness，fishingundercover，anddrinkingsake；bronzepagodas，cascadesfallingfromthemouthsofbronzedragons；rockcaves，withgoldandsilverfishdartinginandout；lakeswithrockyislands，streamscrossedbygreenbridges，justhighenoughtoallowaratorfrogtopassunder；lawns，andslabsofstoneforcrossingtheminwetweather，grottoes，hills，valleys，grovesofminiaturepalms，cycas，andbamboo；anddwarfedtreesofmanykinds，ofpurplishanddullgreenhues，arecutintostartlinglikenessesofbeastsandcreepingthings，orstretchdistortedarmsovertinylakes。
