New-York tribune., 1901-10-27
ILLUSTRATED SUPPLEMENT-

tronols at the funereal pace of two miles an
hour. The speed of the men is said to be largely
matter of local pride and tradition; that is to
say subject TO the regulations of the ever pres
ent guild At some stands the men are faster
than at others. This is especially true In TOXIC.
At Yokohama it was my experience, or, per-
haps my misfortune to fall in with the most
deliberate lot of beggarS / ever saw. Their gait
would have robbed a funeral procession of half
it's gayety. In Kioto, the other hand, al
ways struck men whose breakneck speed came
very near endangering my precious bones
Comparing notes with other travellers and with
sold residents who, here as elsewhere seem to
avoid knowing anything about the place IN
which they live 1 was forced to the conclusion
that the jinrikisha men who convey you from
the Kioto railway station to the hotel, situated
half way up the mountain. consider it a disgrace
not TO endanger the life of their fare.
Jinrikishas are licensed and therefore under
police supervision The regulations are some
times enforced; more often they are ignored
They control the build and color of the jim
rkisha and it's appurtenances. They instruct
the man when to take off the top of his ma
chine. what clothes he may wear on a fine day,
and lay down the cut and color of his water
proof coat The rain coat in the accompanying
picture is only an al fresco one if I may say
so, worn IN the country, away ITolii
twelve miles from a lemon"
The rules of the road are no less strict-oE
paper Where there is a carriage way apart
from the footway, the jnrikisha always takes
the left side of the road. and the middle where
there is no such distinction. on meeting with
vehicles horse and foot passengers, the left
side is taken, but the jinrikisha must move to
the other side coming across troops, artii-
lery or commissarat wagons. The empty jim
rikisha always yields the way to the occupied
and on a hillside the descending wheeler has
the right of the road. The jinri<isha must first
call out TO another IL front Of il before II can
overtake it. The latter upon being warned
moves 10 the right Postal carts. horse and
fire engines water drays and funerals send the
iinrlkisha To the wall At street corners IL turn
sharply To- tn, left. hut wheels in a iarge cUrv@
to the right All these Instructions are more
often honored in the breach than in the oh
scrvance.
Jiurkisna men are amouE the poorest of the
poor. Few own their own machines. Most ~
III, m rent them from men who make Z. business
Of hiring them out. The average daily earnings
Of the hnrikisha man are said to be II cents
Of our money If that is really so. our advent
in japan must have been Sodsend To many
members OF the guild. The charge OF doing"
their customers frequently made against
the men 10y European travellers. app ears slightly
frivolous to any who has had dealings with
New-York Cabman.
The litter, or palanquin. is used by japanese
exclusively. You may try il Yourself once hut
YOU viii never try it again. Why? Just look at
the picture. How long do YOU think YOU could
stand that cramped position? II is used now
principally in the mountain districts. for the
reason | suspect, that il can be carried where
the jinriksha can't follow. IL can be carried in
other words. on short cuts. up down noun
tain sides, instead of on the winding road. and