A WALK IN KIUSIU. 119 



on. The path now led directly into an extensive range 

 of hills covered with wood, ^Numerous species of fir, 

 oak of small size, maple of several kinds, alder, Spanish 

 chestnut, and birch, were the principal trees. The 

 Finus Massoniana, which is the most hardy of all 

 the coniferee that grow in Japan, flourishes as well 

 in the sand close to high-water mark, as it does 

 high up on the mountain-sides, or in the valleys where 

 the soil is deep. The forest here became so open under- 

 neath, and looked so tempting, I left the path and kept 

 ascending for some distance. I came upon a number of 

 the largest "mats," — the native name for the pine just 

 mentioned, — with notches cut in the bark, always on the 

 north side of the tree. A little box was suspended just 

 below the lower notch, and some of the boxes were half 

 full of resin, which had trickled down from notch to 

 notch, until it reached the box. On inquiring, I was 

 told it took about a fortnight to fill these receptacles. 

 As I stood by one of these trees, examining this simple 

 process of collecting the gum, a badger came shuffling 

 along, and got quite near before he observed me. When 

 he did, the beast appeared very little astonished, only 

 altering his course slightly as he passed by. In this 

 country animals are not persecuted, and are consequently 

 far less in fear of man than is generally the case. 



