34 THE LIU-KIU ISLANDS. [chap. 



Japanese ; and, as one makes a rapid passage back to the Liu-kiu 

 Islands through the gate, not a shadow of doubt remains in one's 

 mind as to the justice, ethnographically speaking, of their having 

 fallen under the dominion of the Mikado. 



We sauntered slowly about the town under as hot a sun as I 

 have experienced either within or beyond the tropics, and in the 

 course of our rambles came suddenly upon the market-place. We 

 had seen but few women pre\dously, but here we had abundant 

 opportunities of satisfying our curiosity, for the whole business of 

 stall-keeping devolved upon the fair sex. Our appearance at first 

 created some alarm, and many deserted their posts and took to 

 flight ; but after a time they became reassured, and we were able to 

 walk about and inspect their wares without creating a panic. The 

 scene was a curious and interesting one, but it lacked the busy life 

 and movement that in other parts of the world are the chief 

 features of a market-place. Beneath the shade of some scores of 

 umbrellas sat, or rather squatted, a like number of women, each 

 with an oblong box about the size of a small portmanteau in 

 front of her. The contents we found, to our disappointment, to be 

 of a very uninteresting character. Common crockery, apparently 

 imitated from Japanese designs, and not of particularly good shape, 

 was abundant, the chief articles being cups and small tea-pots. 

 There were also pipes and pipe-cases, cotton, hair-pins, coarse cloth, 

 cheap fans, and common lacquer trays and plates ; but these seemed 

 to comprise the collective stock-in-trade of the whole market, and 

 with the exception of the hair-pins, to which I shall have to allude 

 presently, there was nothing whatever to tempt us. Neither was 

 there any temptation to essay a lesson in Liu-kiuan from the fair 

 stall-keepers, who were for the most part of a certain age, and 

 singularly unattractive ; so, on the arrival of a message from the 

 Vice-Governor, we at once proceeded to his house. 



We were received with some ceremony, and accommodated with 

 chairs. Tea and pipes were then handed, the former of excellent 

 quality. Japanese tea is at first much despised by Europeans, 



