NAPHA-KIANG. 31 



many children, perched on their fathers' shoulders, regarded us with 

 solemn infantine wonder, not unmixed with quiet approval of the 

 sight provided for them. Some years of travel in uncivilised lands 

 will do much to accustom the wanderer to being stared at, but I 

 must confess that I had never before had the consciousness of the 

 peculiarities of European dress and general appearance so forcibly 

 impressed upon me. As we struggled slowly on, our immediate 

 neighbours anxiously endeavoured to make room for us, e\ddently 

 considering that contact implied a breach of good manners on their 

 part. Our progress, however, was not rapid, and just as we were 

 beginning to wonder whether we were ever destined to reach the 

 town, the crowd parted in front, and a Japanese official appeared. 

 "We were the bearers of letters of introduction from IsTagaoka, 

 formerly Japanese Minister to the United States and to the Court 

 of Holland, whose cousin was at the time Governor of the Liu-kius. 

 These we entrusted to our newly-arrived friend, but, being as guilt- 

 less of the Japanese language as he was of our own, we were 

 obliged to pursue our way in silence. We were led through the 

 town to the poHce station, or what apparently corresponded to it, 

 but owing to the numbers of people who still accompanied us, we 

 had but little opportunity of observing our surroundmgs. The 

 house, situated m a little compound, the entrance to which was 

 overhung by a magnificent Ficus with a quaintly gnarled and 

 twisted trunk, was built in Japanese fashion, entirely of wood. 

 The rooms were open at the sides, the sliding, paper-covered panels 

 having been drawn back, but the beautifully clean mats that would 

 in Japan have covered the floors were replaced by a red and green 

 carpet that could only have owed its origin to English or German 

 taste. A table and some chairs still further de-orientalised the 

 room, but, alas ! the one thing foreign that we most needed — a 

 European language of some kind — was apparently not forthcoming. 

 We accordingly drank the Japanese tea provided for us, and 

 smoked thimblefuls of tobacco cut of the tiny pipes used alike in 

 Liu-kiu and Japan, until sometimg should occur. 



