The new era. (Walden, Colo.) 1906-19??, 1908-11-12

| boats keep pretty close together, and
run to harbor with an alacrity that is
instructive as to the strength of the
storms) at the first symptoms Of
squat. So many have never come
home at all!
Although Atami is but short dis
| lance down the coast from Tokyo,
change and progress have made but
little way there. The old beliefs hold
tenaciously, perhaps because they are
really the Oldest beliefs of all, and the
are those who come closest to the I'M
tanned elements in nature. and, there
fore, have more of the primeval man
in their composition than any inland
folk can retain. What can representa-
tive government and higher education
do for the toilers of the sea? Their
business Is with an element that laws
cannot bind nor armies terrorize, that
will smile or frown at its own mysteri-
GUS will, as 1t has smiled and frowned
since the world began. So they let
the new instruction preach to those
who lead easier lives than theirs, and
lHSy CIHS W thC oiO oDoSA NohSSo
which give them rope, and incidental
ly bring some gaiety into their own
hard lives.
| Just in the warmest moment of the
long japanese summer great reli-
gious festival is held in honor of the
sea. 1t was my good fortune once to
be present at this ceremony, and it
has remained the most picturesque of
all my Japanese memories. For days
beforehand the great triumphal cars
were being built up and decorated to
carry bands of geishas; the big drums
were frightened up to give their most
deafening noise; the streets were gar
landed with flowers from end to end.
When highland the full moon
came, the gilded, tlower-smothered
cars were dragged down the street,
over sands and as far into the waves
as the naked fishermen could stand.
Then flowers and offerings were flung
on the waters to honor the deities of
the sea, who, in their turn, were ex-
! pected to bless the cars, their occu-
pants, the men who drew them and all
the families and interests of the
strange old-world village. 1 remem-
Der that sake was flowing freely after
wards, and that the feasting ended
with a gorgeous riot, which seemed
like dream of the old Japan we poor
moderns can never see.
Very different from the deep.sea
flsherman's life is that of the river and
canal boatman. With its one sail set
to catch the softly constant breeze. his
little craft winds in and out of the
endless waterways that are never
ruffled by off-shore storms, and draws
into snug shelter when the steady
Japanese rain pours down. The in
land boatman sees, perhaps. more of
the country than any of his fellow-in-
habitants, and he has less trouble than
most of them in providing for his
wants. The river fish are rather poor
in flavor compared with those of the
great BLACK Salt" as the local gulf
stream is Called but they are readily
caught and furnish many a good meal
The Japanese are all fond of fish
ing; it suits their patient, philosophic
temperaments have heard prim, ell
derby court ladies acknowledge that 1t
was the one relaxation which gave
them real pleasure. l am sure they
envied, as l often did, the life of the
river boatman. who. never hurried in
the delivery OF his cargo Of rice or
straw, stones or earthenware. can cast
his netted stone down for an anchor
under the shade of spreading tree,
throw line and wait for the gladden..
ing nibble that is sure to come in
time.