xvr.] 



AN EXCUESION BY WATEIJ. 



6S3 

 shall 



remarkable locality for fossil plants at Mogi, of which I 

 give an account farther on. 



On the evening of the 18th September I was invited by the 

 Danish consul, Herr Bavier, to a boat excursion up the river 

 which debouches at Tokio. At its mouth it is very broad and 

 deep, and it branches somewhat farther up into several streams 

 which are navigable by the shallow boats of the Japanese. With 

 the present limited development of roads and railways in Japan, 

 this river and its tributaries form the most important channels 

 of communication between the capital and the interior of the 

 countr3\ During our row we constantly met with boats laden 



JAPANf;8E HOUSE IN "'OKIO. 



with provisions on their way to, or with goods on their way from, 

 the town. The pleasant impression of these and of the remark- 

 able environs of the river is sometimes disturbed by a bad odour 

 coming from a passing boat, and reminding us of the care with 

 which the Japanese remove human excreta, the most important 

 manure of their well-cultivated land. Along the banks of the 

 river there are numerous restaurants and tea-houses. At long 

 intervals we see a garden on the banks, which has belonged to 

 some of the former Daimio palaces. The restaurants and tea-houses 

 are generally intended only for the Japanese ; and Europeans, 



