The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1871-12-21

Life in Japan.


try, both men and women were busiIy
employed In planting out their rice.
This was the first time had seen any
but isolated cases of women being en-
gagged in field labor in Japan; for the
japanese appear to me to be honorably
distinguished among nations of higher
civilization, in that they leave their
women to the lighter work of the house,
and perform themselves the harder out
door labor. Indeed, was at first in
some doubt here, for it was by no means
easy to distinguish the women from the
men at little distance. TO guard the
legs, probably from the leecles as they
padded in the mud, they all wore gait"
ers up to the knees and short cotton
trowssrs. When the neck was covered,
there was no very distinguishing differ
ence between the sexes, as the men
never have any hair about the face.
The wheat in Japan never appears to be
sown broadcast. All that l have seen
has been drilled and planted in rows,
much rs the rice is, few stalks togeth
er. Labor is cheap. and it is to be pre-
sun,ed they find this the more profita.
ble way.
1.-THE jngglers and mountebanks are
also distinguished by the variety and
originality Of their feats. For instance,
they perform series Of tricks by means
Of m. enormously long false nose. One
will lie down on his back, with a boy
balanced on the end Of his nose, the boy
supporting an open umbrella on the end
of his own nose. Another will hold up
his foot, upon the sole Of which . boy
plants his nose, and balances himself in
the air. Some Of these feats seem i'm.
possible, without the aid of concealed
machinery. .4...
II was witness to some astonishing
specimens Of illusion. After q variety
of tricks with tops, cups Of water, and
paper butterflies, the juggler exhibited
to the spectator large open fan which
he held in his right hand, then threw
into the air, caught by the handle in his
left hand, squatted down, famed him.
self, and then turning his head in pro-
file, gave long sigh, during which the
image Of galloping horse issued from
his mouth. Still! tanning himself, he
shook from his right sieve an army of
little men, who presently, bowing and
dancing, vanished from sight. Then he
bowed, closed the fan, and held it in
his two hands, during which time his
own head disappeared, then became vis-
ible, but of colossal size, and finally re-
appeared in its natural dimensions, but
multiplied four or five times. They set
q jar before him, and in o short time he
issued from the neck, rose slowly into
the air, aud vanished in clouds along
the ceiling.
AT the fair Of Asaksa, in addition to
the performances OF jugglers of all
kinds, there are collections of animals
which have been taught to perform
tricks-bears Of Yeso spaniels which
are valuable In proportion to their ugli-
ness, educated monkeys and goats
Birds and fish are also displayed in great
quantities. But the most astonishing
patience is manifested by an old Corean
| boatman, who has trained a dozen tor
toises, large and small, employing no
| other means to direct them than his
songs and q small metal drum. They
march in line, execute various revolu-
tions, and conclude by climbing upon q
low table, the larger ones forming, of
their own accord, a bridge for the small
Ter, to whom the feat would otherwise
| be impossible. When they have all
mounted. they dispose themselves in
three or four piles like so many plates.
| NJ. Humbert gives the following des-
cription Of the performances Of this
class, both in the streets ane booths. I'm
the public squares, the shouts and the
sound of tamborines of two troops of
gymnastic mountebanks, installed at
opposite corners, are heard above the
voices, songs, and clatter Of implements
of labor in the surrounding workshops.
One Of these troops performs in the open
air, its heroes being the swallower of
swords, and the prodigious jumper. The
latter leaps with impunity through two
hoops crossed at right angles, fixed on
the top Of pole, which also supports a
jar carefully balanced on the intersect-
ing hoops. But his most remarkable
feat consists in leaping, or rather flying
from end to end through cylinder OF
bamboo lattice work six feet long aud
placed on trestles. When he wishes to
excite the amazement Of the spectators
to the highest pitch, the performer
lights can dies and places them in line,
at regular intervals, in the interior, OF
the cylinder; after which he passes
through like fash without extinguish-
ing or deranging them.
His gentle spouse, seated on box
beside the cylinder, accompanies the
different stages of the performance with
airs on her guitar. To the shrill sound.
of the instrument she adds, from time
to time, the tones of voice which
il either hoarse and hollow, or piercing
ly elevated, according as she judges il
better to encourage sternly or to cele.
brate triumphantly the prowess of the
astonishing man whose fortunes she ia
permitted to SHARE"
Mr.. Pendleton having said, in one OF
hi -: