New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-09
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
NEW VIEWS OF JAPAN.
SECOND ARTICLE.


SECOND ARTICLE.
UNBEATEN TRACKS IN JAPAN. An Account OF
IraN els on Horseback ~ the INTERIOR hA ISAbfh
l.. BIRD. vols. syo pp. KILL 407. Xul'392 H.
p. Putnam'- Sous.
The prevailing fauts Of the Japanese are " lying
and RIGHTEOUSNESS" Among their good qualities
which Miss Bird is never tired Of prai>ng, are gen
tlencss rood-nature, intelligence. and industry.
Their politcncss is universal. Although the elabo-
rate official etiquette of the old order of things has
bcon abolished or greatly modified, delightful
civIlity still governs tho intercourse OF all the
people with one another. The coolies Mt their
work. the farmers in the fields, the kUrumd runners
at their cxhauStng task, the little children at play,
are invariably polished in speech and manner and
the demcanor of the whole population toward their
foreign visitor was marvel of kindness, hospi-
talIty and consideration. 1t is true that the vii
layers came ont by thousands to stare at the trav-
eller and speculate as to her sex. cTowdng tho
roofs which commanded a view of her apartment,
and creating such throngs in the road that the
notice often had to interfere; but there was 50
much simplicity and good nature in their curiosity
that it was impossible to take offence at II. Eng
lish and American visitors cauSc great dlsplcasure
by their rude ways and Indifference 10 japanese
etiquette; and once when Miss Bird rcproved her
servant for speaking roughly to some OF his conn
tryncn, he answered Well, mine arc inst mis-
siOnary manners"
We should be glad, if space permitted. TO de-
scribe in detail the extraordinary journey OF this
extraordinary woman. Climbing mountain ranges
in fierce ran-stOnns and dangerous frcshcts cross
ing pcstilcnt and swampy plains under hot, dcbi-
tating sun. scramDling with the aid OF her hands
down stony bride paths for,ling torrents push
ing through jungles in which she could not see her
horses head, marching when she could not ride. wet
4, frOIu lac Lo
eyes, scratched and torn bleeding from the stnps
OF tormentng insects, and suffering all the while
from spinal disorder which forced her every now
and then to stay few days in some dismal yGdoyq
where rest was out of the question. she bravcd all
difficulties and dScOurlgemcnts. finding the route
rs she went along getting to places which every
body told her she could not reach, seeing every
thing on the way, crossing TO the northern island
of Yczo, and there browning her enterprise by a
sojOurn among the savage Amos, remnant Of the
aboriginal inhabitants Of Japan. Lodged in the
hut Of "a village chief she studied the character and
manners Of this rude, lrrcclaimable, drunken, but
not quite unlovcly with the same care aud en-
thusasm which she had expended upon the civil
zatOn OF he Southern part of the Empire. 70 ap
prcciatc the harships OF her tour II is necessary 20
know something about the horrors Of Japanc,c
kitchen. Tho native dishes can he swallowed and
long practice. oyer ninety kinds Of fish are eaten
boiled, broilcd. or raw. Bonto whale. highly
sailed salmon strips Of live carp and OF other fish,
are consumed raw Fowls and iarmyard duckg
(only allowed where the Buddhist teachings Of the
sacredncss Of life have ceased to be Observed and
yarious wild birds. are cooked by boiling after be-
ing cut into small pieces. Quail, w0odcock and
pheasant brOilcd spits. Vegetables Of al
most endless variety. but tasclcss The consump-
ton Of ruCumbcrS is cuOTmOus; beans OF fourteen
kinds grown for food ice and mlct with a
vegetable called dGikOn. tho staple diet OF the
poor. The daik0n according &c Miss Bird is one Of
the most appalling things in Japan. 1t is a root
somewhat like a magniilrd white radish as thick rs
Il mans arm and from one to two feet long. at is
slightly dried and then picked in brine with rice
BRAN II is very porous, and aosOrbs good deal Of
the pickle in the three months in which it lies in if
and then has smell 50 awful that il is difficult to
remain in n house in which il is being eaten II is
the worst smell know of except that OF a skunk ~
Pickles Of many kinds are extensively eaten but
the ddik0n IT, found everywhere Bamboo shoots
the bulbs of lilies the roots and seeds of the lotus
and dried sea weed, are among the other curiositcs
OF the table. vegetable oil used in cooking fish
is hardly less offensive than the ddikOn. Milk and
butter are not employed, and the cooks apparently
are not particular about the quality of ccps
Miss Bird was told that II was most ridiculous and
disgusting that anyone but Il calf should milk a
COW. Tho COWS wear straw shoes, and white
cloth stamped with blue dragons is suspended
under their bodies to protect them from mud and
insects There vast consumption OF inspd
swcetmeats, largely compounded of rce-i flour
coarse sugar, and beans. The best fruit is tho
persmm0n. Grapes. oranges. peaches, aprcots
plums pears. apples, melons, etc, have but poor
flavor. Tie only native drinks Ill common use arc
tea, hot water sake, or rice beer, and shonchiu
form Of alcohol taken cold at odd hours. Foreign
liquors. however and their countcrfets are exteu-
sivcy sold in the towns, and drunkenness is not
rare Tea is prepared by pouring hot mot boiling
water over the leaves. and Immediately draining it
of without allowing it to stand. Our custom Of
adding milk and sugar is considered horrible.
Tho usual everyday meal of well-to do people
consists Of rice soups boiled and brOed fish, and
reshes. which occupy far moro important place
than with US. Formal entertainments are divided
into three classes, the no zen, in which three
small lacquer tables of eatables are provided for
each guest the nj zen, with two, and the honsen
with one. The following ordinary menus in
each style:
San no zen.
1st Table. kice. bean soup with carp, raw fish