Go4 



THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. 



[chap. XVIT. 



carry a saddle with liim, determine to ride on an unsaddled 

 horse, which, with the wretched steeds that are only available 

 here, soon becomes so unpleasant that he at last prefers to let 

 his legs hang benumed from the hago. A peculiarity in Japan 

 is that the rider seldom himself guides his horse. It is com- 

 monly led by a halter by a groom running alongside the rider. 

 These grooms are very light-footed and enduring, so that even at 

 a rapid pace they are not left behind. Running footmen also 

 attend the carriages of people of distinction in the towns and the 



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•.-'>4L 



m 



JAPANESE BRIDGE. 



After a Japanese drawing. 



mail-coaches on Nakasendo. When there is a crowd before the 

 carriage they jump down and drive away the j^eople by a 

 dreadful shouting. From the mail-coach they also blow the 

 post-horn, not just to the advantage of the ear-drums of the 

 travellers. 



The scenery by the roadside was exceedingly beautiful. Now 

 it consisted of wild valleys, filled with luxuriant vegetation 

 which completely concealed the crystal-clear streams purling in 

 the bottoms ; now of level grassy jilains or hill-slojjes, thickly 



