Wilmington daily commercial., 1874-07-15
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which the country abounds with. They are real
Is beautiful residences with no furniture, but de-
licious soft mats all over the floor, before step
ping upon which you are requested to take off
your shoes. Thehouse is divided INTO rooms by
means Of light folding screens. Here we squat
ted on the floor and had our schow-chow'-our
stifin-in more lntelhgible language. a picnic
lunch and tea. Then we roamed around the
garden plucking flowers and resisting the temp
tation to jump of the little bridges and wade in
the little streams of water, with which, as well
as with little lakes stocked with goldfish, all the
gardens are decorated
THE FLOWERS OF JAPAN
are beautiful, in any quantity and Of all descrip-
tions. The roses are not equal TO ours at home /;
the bud is as beautiful, but the full-blown flower
not pretty, and they have no fragrance The
japonica is the flower. 1t grows wild, in great
trees, and flowers all the year round, even in the
snow. in great variety Of colors and shades.
''We went, mounting upsome hundred steps, to
visit
SOME GREAT OLD TEMPLES,
of which the country il full They are all lac
quered some, nearer Yokohama, now left for
show places, are glittering all over the carved
walls and ceilings with wonderful gold and col
ored lacquer-work, done hundreds of years ago,
but still, both eolors and gold, as bright and per-
feet as if done yesterday. They all have steps
to ascend to them, representing the ascent TO
Heaven, believe. At all hours natives are
praying in the temples and leaving their hard
earned temp0s or cash sometimes beating a
drum or striking gong TO call the attention OF
the gods. At the entrance of some we visited
are placed gigantic figures called Mi hongo,
to prevent the ingress of demons. They LOOK
like demons themselves something worse. AT
one OF them / saw for the first time the priests
performing their services and preaching in full
robes. Their vestInents very much resemble
those of Catholic priests, but are of richer ma
terial.
After few hours in this neighborhood we en-.
tered our jinnickishas again and passed through
the same beautiful and romantic country, com
ing out on the Tokido, shell road to leddo,
nineteen miles long and a complete avenue OF
stores. tea-houses and dwelling all the way
from Kanagana to Yeddo. Here we stopped al
another tea-house, where the girls come out and
cry to passing travellers i'll choice Japanese
what translated into our own polite language is
Come in, say Sit down, l say Hang yourself
up, say !, This is the height of polteness
For bowing and scraping these people excel the
French
After this. we left the Tolddo again and went
to visit Maske, a plum garden, deisiousl,
romantic place with streams of water, rusu
bridges, fancy gardening, statues, old plum
trees and tea-houses.
THE TYCOON STOPPED HERE,
years ago, and the bridge he walked over an,
lie room he sleptin are now shut of and not al
| lowed to be desecraied with any foot less sacred
/ After we returned to tue Tokda, we stoppel
| at straw store where l made some purchases
| | will send you one Of their little straw boxes.
will do for matches though the Japanese use theI
to hold their little prayers. They make dogs
| rats and all sorts Of playthings Of straw, bu
| their boxes are the finest work.
I'VE returned to Yokohama at Z. NJ, havin
left at eight in the morning very enjoyably tire
| cut.