6 THE CALL OF THE RED GODS 



boat sailed, so she was given carte blanche to go 

 round Victoria and order what she wanted. Seizing 

 her opportunity, the C.P.R. subsequently received 

 a bill for six dozen pairs of necessary silk under- 

 wear, six dozen pairs of silk stockings, and the rest 

 of her equipment to match. 



The name of the Pacific calls to mind a vision of 

 blue, glittering waves, in which roll shoals of fish, 

 oily and black; of sun-kissed coral beaches, and 

 islands set with waving palms. Such dreams, 

 stimulating to the imagination, do exist, but we 

 saw none of them. Cold wet days again, a grey 

 sea beneath our keel and a grey sky overhead. 

 The passengers could be counted on one's hands, 

 and it was with a sense of relief, despite the 

 skipper's geniality, that we drew near the end of 

 our voyage. 



So I come once more to Japan, left four years 

 before with such regret. Japan, the land of cherry 

 blossom and of almond trees ; of the God of little 

 children and of fairyland romance ! Its very names 

 set the mind running on stirring acts of love and 

 war, on great deeds of patriotism and devotion ! 

 They linger softly on the air like the echoes of an 

 old song. Kyoto, with its great bell set in a green 

 amphitheatre of hills ; Kamakura, where the 

 Buddha stares serenely out across the pine set bay; 

 Nikko, with its peerless glories and stupendous 

 avenue ; Fujiyama, most beautiful of mountains ; 

 Nagoya, with its castle and golden dolphins ; the 

 shaded groves of Nara ; Nagasaki ; Shimonoseki. 

 They are but names, you say ? Yet such names. 

 No other country save my own rings such soul- 

 stirring syllables upon the ear, and there is much 



