YESSO. 29 



trouble and hard work that she can possibly do or 

 undergo herself. Occasionally two wives are kept, and 

 concubines are allowed. Neither of these luxuries, 

 however, is often taken advantage of. The meeting of 

 two friends after the absence of either is to a stranger 

 certainly funny. The one who has remained at home 

 takes the other's hands in his, and rubs them, weeps if 

 possible, and asks after his health. This ceremony 

 completed, business can be entered on. 



Feasts are common. The guests, after being seated 

 on mats, are regaled with saki by the host, salutations 

 by rubbing hands going on at the same time. A little 

 of the saki is thrown over the head as an offering to 

 the spirits, before any is drunk. 



The Japanese law is publicly read every 15th of 

 November, on which day the girls in the settlement per- 

 form a dance, called the " crane dance." Owls are looked 

 upon as very wise creatures. It is considered that only 

 through the great wisdom of this bird was it ascer- 

 tained how to obtain children. Eagles are kept in 

 cages, in the same way as they keep bears. The 

 Japanese, as I have mentioned, endeavour to keep 

 these people in utter ignorance. They speak of them 

 as beings of a very inferior description to themselves, 

 and place their origin on a very low platform indeed. 



