i 9 n] Presentations at the Palace 



where. I replied that as a naturalist I had formerly 

 traversed all parts of Japan and was therefore quite 

 familiar with the beauty of its landscapes that I 

 was also acquainted with the universities, having 

 spoken in all of them, and that the late Dean Mitsu- 

 kuri of the Imperial University was one of my 

 valued friends. 



The short interview over, I was next conducted to The 

 the reception room of the Empress, a tiny but digni- m P rfSS 

 fied figure in white satin, to whom Mrs. Jordan had 

 in the meantime been presented. Here, however, I 

 had a distinct impression that my untoward size was 

 slightly intimidating to the little lady. As we passed 

 out through the court, the Crown Prince, now the 

 Mikado, Yoshihito, entered in a carriage. An eager- 

 looking youth, he glanced at us with a sort of bird- 

 like curiosity. 



After our return home the Emperor sent me a dec- A 

 oration, the Second Class of the Order of the Sacred 

 Treasure of the Meiji, or Era of Enlightenment, that 

 being the designation of Mutsuhito's long reign. This 

 was presented through Mr. Numano, the excellent suc- 

 cessor of Nagai as Consul-general in San Francisco. 

 The ornament consists of a silver chrysanthemum 

 with thirty-two ray flowers, the imperial form, and 

 a center of rubies. My personal interest in official 

 decoration, I may add, is very slight, but I value the 

 gift as a symbol of friendly respect. 



A variety of other courtesies were now extended to 

 us; of these, the first in order a luncheon given by 

 Mr. and Mrs. Asano led to an interesting result. 

 On that occasion, a discussion having arisen as to 

 how to make things Japanese better understood in 



C 373 3 



