TIGER-HUNTING IN CHINA 251 



With the coming of western innovations it is to 

 be hoped that the inherent politeness of the people, 

 above all, will suffer no detraction. When you are 

 presented to a Japanese, he bows to the ground and 

 continues bowing at every remark you address to 

 him ; a conversation opens with several compliments 

 on each side, with accompanying bows. The waiter 

 bows when he hands you the menu, bows when he 

 takes your order, and again when he sets the dish 

 before you ; and when you leave the room the last 

 glimpse you get gives you the impression that he 

 has been wound up like a mechanical toy and will 

 continue bowing until he runs down. When I left 

 the Japanese hotel at which I was stopping in 

 Tokyo, not only the proprietor and the clerks, but 

 all the chambermaids as well, were prostrated 

 on the threshold; and not with the usual idea of 

 begging a present but in thanks for the very small 

 tip I had given a polite country, indeed. 



The imperial chrysanthemum garden-party, for 

 which our Minister had, among many other cour- 

 tesies, obtained invitations for us, was an event of 

 the greatest interest. With a stream of people we 

 entered the big Osaka Park, where the path wound 

 through the woods, all turned to brilliant autumnal 

 colors, past miniature lakes and over bridges, with 

 little summer-houses here and there, till it opened 



