attempts upon his life in Japan。 He and Lady Parkes were most
truly kind； and encourage me so heartily in my largest projects for
travelling in the interior； that I shall start as soon as I have
secured a servant。 When they went away they jumped into kurumas；
and it was most amusing to see the representative of England
hurried down the street in a perambulator with a tandem of coolies。
As I look out of the window I see heavy； two…wheeled man…carts
drawn and pushed by four men each； on which nearly all goods；
stones for building； and all else； are carried。 The two men who
pull press with hands and thighs against a cross…bar at the end of
a heavy pole； and the two who push apply their shoulders to beams
which project behind； using their thick； smoothly…shaven skulls as
the motive power when they push their heavy loads uphill。 Their
cry is impressive and melancholy。 They draw incredible loads； but；
as if the toil which often makes every breath a groan or a gasp
were not enough； they shout incessantly with a coarse； guttural
grunt； something like Ha huida； Ho huida； wa ho； Ha huida； etc。
I。 L。 B。
LETTER III
Yedo and TokiyoThe Yokohama RailroadThe Effect of MisfitsThe
Plain of YedoPersonal PeculiaritiesFirst Impressions of Tokiyo…
…H。 B。 M。's LegationAn English Home。
H。B。M。's LEGATION； YEDO； May 24。
I have dated my letter Yedo； according to the usage of the British
Legation； but popularly the new name of Tokiyo； or Eastern Capital；
is used； Kiyoto； the Mikado's former residence； having received the
name of Saikio； or Western Capital； though it has now no claim to
be regarded as a capital at all。 Yedo belongs to the old regime
and the Shogunate； Tokiyo to the new regime and the Restoration；
with their history of ten years。 It would seem an incongruity to
travel to Yedo by railway； but quite proper when the destination is
Tokiyo。
The journey between the two cities is performed in an hour by an
admirable； well…metalled； double…track railroad； 18 miles long；
with iron bridges； neat stations； and substantial roomy termini；
built by English engineers at a cost known only to Government； and
opened by the Mikado in 1872。 The Yokohama station is a handsome
and suitable stone building； with a spacious approach； ticket…
offices on our plan； roomy waiting…rooms for different classes
uncarpeted； however； in consideration of Japanese clogsand
supplied with the daily papers。 There is a department for the
weighing and labelling of luggage； and on the broad； covered； stone
platform at both termini a barrier with turnstiles； through which；
except by special favour； no ticketless person can pass。 Except
the ticket…clerks； who are Chinese； and the guards and engine…
drivers； who are English； the officials are Japanese in European
dress。 Outside the stations； instead of cabs； there are kurumas；
which carry luggage as well as people。 Only luggage in the hand is
allowed to go free； the rest is weighed； numbered； and charged for；
a corresponding number being given to its owner to present at his
destination。 The fares are3d class； an ichibu； or about 1s。； 2d
class； 60 sen； or about 2s。 4d。； and 1st class； a yen； or about 3s。
8d。 The tickets are collected as the passengers pass through the
barrier at the end of the journey。 The English…built cars differ
from ours in having seats along the sides； and doors opening on
platforms at both ends。 On the whole； the arrangements are
Continental rather than British。 The first…class cars are
expensively fitted up with deeply…cushioned； red morocco seats； but
carry very few passengers； and the comfortable seats； covered with
fine matting； of the 2d class are very scantily occupied； but the
3d class vans are crowded with Japanese； who have taken to
railroads as readily as to kurumas。 This line earns about
8；000；000 a year。
The Japanese look most diminutive in European dress。 Each garment
is a misfit； and exaggerates the miserable physique and the
national defects of concave chests and bow legs。 The lack of
〃complexion〃 and of hair upon the face makes it nearly impossible
to judge of the ages of men。 I supposed that all the railroad
officials were striplings of 17 or 18； but they are men from 25 to
40 years old。
It was a beautiful day； like an English June day； but hotter； and
though the Sakura （wild cherry） and its kin； which are the glory of
the Japanese spring； are over； everything is a young； fresh green
yet； and in all the beauty of growth and luxuriance。 The immediate
neighbourhood of Yokohama is beautiful； with abrupt wooded hills；
and small picturesque valleys； but after passing Kanagawa the
railroad enters upon the immense plain of Yedo； said to be 90 miles
from north to south； on whose northern and western boundaries faint
blue mountains of great height hovered dreamily in the blue haze；
and on whose eastern shore for many miles the clear blue wavelets
of the Gulf of Yedo ripple； always as then； brightened by the white
sails of innumerable fishing…boats。 On this fertile and fruitful
plain stand not only the capital； with its million of inhabitants；
but a number of populous cities； and several hundred thriving
agricultural villages。 Every foot of land which can be seen from
the railroad is cultivated by the most careful spade husbandry； and
much of it is irrigated for rice。 Streams abound； and villages of
grey wooden houses with grey thatch； and grey temples with
strangely curved roofs； are scattered thickly over the landscape。
It is all homelike； liveable； and pretty； the country of an
industrious people； for not a weed is to be seen； but no very
striking features or peculiarities arrest one at first sight；
unless it be the crowds everywhere。
You don't take your ticket for Tokiyo； but for Shinagawa or
Shinbashi； two of the many villages which have grown together into
the capital。 Yedo is hardly seen before Shinagawa is reached； for
it has no smoke and no long chimneys； its temples and public
buildings are seldom lofty； the former are often concealed among
thick trees； and its ordinary houses seldom reach a height of 20
feet。 On the right a blue sea with fortified islands upon it；
wooded gardens with massive retaining walls； hundreds of fishing…
boats lying in creeks or drawn up on the beach； on the left a broad
road on which kurumas are hurrying both ways； rows of low； grey
houses； mostly tea…houses and shops； and as I was asking 〃Where is
Yedo？〃 the train came to rest in the terminus； the Shinbashi
railroad station； and disgorged its 200 Japanese passengers with a
combined clatter of 400 clogsa new sound to me。 These clogs add
three inches to their height； but even with them few of the men
attained 5 feet 7 inches； and few of the women 5 feet 2 inches； but
they look far broader in the national costume； which also conceals
the defects of their figures。 So lean； so yellow； so ugly； yet so
pleasant…looking； so wanting in colour and effectiveness； the women
so very small and tottering in their walk； the children so formal…
looking and such dignified burlesques on the adults； I feel as if I
had seen them all before； so like are they to their pictures on
trays； fans； and tea…pots。 The hair of the women is all drawn away
from their faces； and is worn in chignons； and the men； when they
don't shave the front of their heads and gather their back hair
into a quaint queue drawn forward over the shaven patch； wear their
coarse hair about three inches long in a refractory undivided mop。
Davies； an orderly from the Legation； met me；one of the escort
cut down and severely wounded when Sir H。 Parkes was attacked in
the street of Kiyoto in March 1868 on his way to his first audience
of the Mikado。 Hundreds of kurumas； and covered carts with four
wheels drawn by one miserable horse； which are the omnibuses of
certain districts of Tokiyo； were waiting outside the station； and
an English brougham for me； with a running betto。 The Legation
stands in Kojimachi on very elevated ground above the inner moat of
the historic 〃Castle of Yedo；〃 but I cannot tell you anything of
what I saw on my way thither； except that there were miles of dark；
silent； barrack…like buildings； with highly ornamental gateways；
and long rows of projecting windows with screens made of reedsthe
feudal mansions of Yedoand miles of moats with lofty grass
embankments or walls of massive masonry 50 feet high； with kiosk…
like towers at the corners； and curious； roofed gateways； and many
bridges； and acres of lotus leaves。 Turning along the inner moat；
up a steep slope； there are； on the right； its deep green waters；
the great grass embankment surmounted by a dismal wall overhung by
the branches of coniferous trees which surrounded the palace of the
Shogun； and on the left sundry yashikis； as the mansions of the
daimiyo were called； now in this quarter mostly turned into
hospitals； barracks； and Government offices。 On a height； the most
conspicuous of them all； is the great red gateway of the yashiki；
now occupied by the French Military Mission； formerly the residence
of Ii Kamon no Kami； one of the great actors in recent historic
events； who was assassinated not far off