BAY OF YEDDO. 331 



the upper ridge of the neck which distinctly proved 

 that the mane had been dyed. 



The best view of the Bay of Yeddo and the country 

 around is from a plateau called Taigoyama, which one 

 reaches after the laborious ascent of 107 granite steps. 

 Here there are several rest-houses of simple con- 

 struction, and, nolens volens, you soon find yourself 

 sipping a cup of highly-flavoured tea, handed by some 

 pretty damsel, at the same time curtseying almost to 

 the ground, — the Japanese are very ceremonious, and 

 never fail in offering a most respectful salute. The 

 Grecian bend, so well known in England some years 

 ago, is their usual mode of bowing to each other, 

 where we should probably pass on with a nod. 

 Frequently a small cup, containing hot water, and a 

 few cherry blossoms in it, is presented along with the 

 tea. Its scent is very pleasant, but I cannot say that 

 r admired the flavour of this infusion, which requires 

 the palate of a native to appreciate. I, how^ever, 

 thoroughly enjoyed the distant landscape surrounding 

 this elevated spot ; fbi- the town at your feet offers 

 no charms to the searching eye ;— an enormous mass 

 of brown roofs, the thickly-cemented ridges giving 

 them rather a greyish appearance, amongst which the 

 lofty Yeddo Hotel stands out conspicuously ; but the 



