1889.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 85 



The evening session was held at 7.30 o'clock, when, owing 

 to the illness of Mr. Wheeler, who was to have spoken, 

 President H. H Goodell gave his lecture advertised for 

 Wednesday evening. It is thought best, however, to print 

 the lecture of Mr. Wheeler in the place assigned to it in the 

 programme of the meeting. 



LIFE IN JAPAN. 



BY WILLIAM WHEELER, LATE OF THE AGRICULTrjRAL COLLEGE, SAPPORO, JAPAN. 



In one of those curious and delightful legends of the 

 fabulous age of Japan, a mythical forecast of her recent his- 

 tory has been traced. 



Amaierasu, the sun goddess, was the eldest heir of the 

 mythical pair by whom Japan was created and peopled. 

 Her younger brother, Susanoo, the god of the sea, was brave 

 and powerful, but turbulent; and, being fond of hunting, he 

 wantonly cast over her and into her sacred abode the reek- 

 ing products of his chase, and otherwise defiled her dwelling. 

 Angered by his rudeness, she indignantly withdrew, hid 

 herself in a cave, and closed the mouth by means of a huge 

 rock called the " stone gate of heaven ; " and, her fape being 

 hid, night and day were the same ; darkness and distress 

 prevailed. 



To entice her forth, the eight million gods or genii met in 

 counsel on the banks of the " river of heaven " (the milky 

 way), and, consulting together, devised a plot. Some 

 piped before the mouth of the cave, others danced, and still 

 others played fanciful antics to tempt her forth, while Taji- 

 karo ("great strength"), the god of strength, was posted 

 in ambush hard by. The sounds of revelry touched her 

 curiosity ; and, tempted to see the sight, she pushed the 

 massive stone ajar and peeped out. 



The stratas^em succeeded. "Great Strength" at once 

 clapped his hands, stamped his feet, braced himself for a 

 mighty effort, and seized and threw down the massive door, 

 while the gods drew her forth, and passed a slight but 

 effectual barrier behind her to prevent her return. Naturally 

 enough, it does not appear that she resented the audacity of 

 the gods ; on the contrary, she resumed her place among 

 them with evident satisfaction. 



