656 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



shutter when it is desired to separate the house into two portions tem- 

 porarily. At the end of the veranda, to the left of the sketch, is the 

 latrine. The house is quite open beneath, and the air has free circulation. 

 The country house of an independent samurai, or rich farmer, is 

 large, roomy, and thoroughly comfortable. I recall with the keenest 

 pleasure the delightful days enjoyed under the roof of one of these 

 typical mansions in Kabutoyaraa, in the western part of the province 

 of Musashi. The residence consisted of a group of buildings shut in 

 from the road by a high wall. Passing through a ponderous gateway, 

 one enters a spacious court yard, flanked on either side by long, low 

 buildings, used as store-houses and servants' quarters. At the farther 

 end of the yard, and facing the entrance, was a comfortable old farm- 

 house, having a projecting gable-wing to its right (Fig. 12). The roof 

 was a thatched one of unusual thickness. At the end of the wing was 

 a triangular latticed opening, from which thin blue wreaths of smoke 

 were curling. This building contained a few rooms, including an un- 

 usually spacious kitchen. The kitchen opened directly into a larger 

 and unfinished portion of the house, having the earth for its floor, 

 and used as a wood-shed. The owner informed me that the farm- 

 house was nearly three hundred years old. To the left of the building 

 was a high wooden fence, and, passing through a gateway, one came 

 into a smaller yard and garden. In this area was another house quite 

 independent of the farm-house ; this was the house for guests. Its 

 conspicuous feature consisted of a newly-thatched roof, surmounted by 

 an elaborate and picturesque ridge — its design derived from temple 

 architecture. Within were two large rooms opening upon a narrow 

 veranda. These rooms were unusually high in stud, and the mats and 

 all the appointments were most scrupulously clean. Communication 

 with the old house was by means of a covered passage. Back of 

 this dwelling, and some distance from it, was still another house, two 

 stories in height, and built in the most perfect taste ; and here lived 

 the grandfather of the family — a fine old gentleman, dignified and 

 courtly in his manners. 



THE INFLUENCE OF INYENTIONS UPOK CIYILI- 



ZATIOK 



By CIIAUNCEY SiHTH. 

 [Concluded.] 



THE relation between astronomical and mathematical investigations 

 and navigation has been long recognized, but this relation is de- 

 pendent upon the observation of the apparent position of heavenly bod- 

 ies at given times, and these observations are in turn dependent upon 

 telescopes and upon clocks and chronometers, both modem inventions. 



