426 JAPAN. 



operator travel rapidly along the lines, and leave them almost 

 as fine as those sketched with the brush. 



For sharp curves, handles with only two needles are used. 

 P'or shading, handles with needles set in a variety of forms are 

 employed, suited to producing broad flat tints, or, for example, 

 pointed or rounded scales of dragons or fish. For the black 

 parts of the design, Indian ink is exclusively used ; it looks 

 bluish when under the skin. Bright red is produced with 

 vermilion. A madder-colour is also used, and sometimes a 

 yellow. 



So rapidly is the work done that an elaborately finished 

 design of a dragon or Japanese girl covering all the front of 

 the forearm will be completed in a couple of hours. Very 

 little pain is caused by the process, and not any or a little 

 scarcely perceptible bleeding. The area tattooed is slightly 

 inflamed subsequently, but not so much as to cause inconveni- 

 ence of any kind, and it becomes quite healed in eight or ten 

 days. 



The results produced are astonishing in their softness, their 

 correctness and delicacy of outline and minuteness of detail ; 

 and very far surpass those attained in tattooing by any other 

 race. In a representation of a fish or dragon every scale is 

 separately shaded, often with two strengths of shading, and in 

 birds every feather is separately finished. In some cases large 

 figures on the backs and shoulders of coolies are made to 

 stand out in relief by means of an even dark shading, extend- 

 ing over the whole background. The artists recommend 

 themselves to Europeans, by each asserting that he is the man 

 who tattooed the Duke of Edinburgh. 



AV^ith regard to gestures and expressions of the Japanese, I 

 was struck by the entire absence of any gesture accompanying 

 affirmation. A Japanese says " he," which means " yes," with- 

 out moving the head at all or making any other sign. In 

 negation the hand is sometimes shaken across the body with 

 the fingers hung down. On receiving a present of money or 

 payment, or a cup of saki, the hand is carried up with it to 

 the forehead as a gesture of thanks. In salutation, or as an 

 expression that a person feels honoured by the condescension 

 of another, a curious half sucking half hissing noise is made by 

 drawing in the breath with the lips partly closed, as if in sipping 

 a fluid. 



Large waxwork exhibitions are very popular in Japan. The 

 figures are far better executed than in Europe, and photographs 

 of the faces of them would supply most perfect material for 

 studying the facial expressions of the various emotions. 



In some of the theatrical books figures are given of the 



