JAPANESE TEA. 35 



whose palate has been spoilt by the strong black teas of China, 

 but after a short tune the peculiarly delicate flavour of the former 

 comes to be much appreciated, and the traveller would not 

 willingly exchange it for any other beverage he could name. It is 

 drunk, like coffee in Turkey, at any hour of the day or night, and 

 nearly as much attention is bestowed on its appearance, bouquet, 

 and "feelmg" as a glass of '47 port receives at the hands of a 

 connoisseur, or a tumbler of water when tasted by a critical Greek. 

 Its price varies to an extent unknown in Europe, and while it is 

 possible for the poorer classes to obtain it for as little as twopence 

 per pound, the Japanese of high rank wiU set before his guests a 

 carefully-selected leaf which has perhaps cost him from eighteen 

 to twenty shillings, or even more. 



Before calling on the Vice-Governor, we had informed Uyeno, 

 the Japanese doctor, that we particularly wished to visit Shiuri, 

 the capital ; at the same time explaining our position, and stating 

 that the tenor of our letters of introduction w^as to the effect that 

 every assistance should be afforded us in the event of our desirincr 

 to explore the island. This intelligence was apparently by no 

 means particularly agreeable to him, and he at once suggested that 

 we should visit Oonting — a port some forty miles to the northward — 

 instead. We pointed out that the capital being only a few miles 

 off, it appeared to us to be more easily accessible from ISTapha than 

 Oonting. This was received in silence for some time, but at length 

 he abruptly exclaimed, " I say, I hope you go to Oonting to-morrow." 

 We then told liim that we did not contemplate doing anything of 

 the kind, that we had come to ISTapha with the express purpose of 

 \dsiting Shiuri, and that we could not believe that the authorities 

 would act in opposition to the expressed wishes of the Minister 

 to the United States. With these remarks the conversation 

 concluded, and the discussion was deferred until our visit to the 

 Vice-Governor. Here we exchanged the usual civilities, and 

 ha\'ing drunk our tea, we again lirought the subject on the tajns. 

 We were then informed that it was against the law for any 



