

CHAPTEE Vr. 



THE KII COAST. 



The Kii coast, embracing 100 miles in a straight line, 

 is one of the most beautiful, as well as the wildest, in 

 Japan. It is very thinly peopled. Narrow valleys, 

 bounded by abrupt rugged mountains, afford the only 

 habitable localities. In most of these small villages 

 are scattered about, generally consisting of twenty or 

 thirty houses, the inhabitants being either fishermen or 

 woodsmen. A few larger villages there certainly are ; 

 Singo is one towards the south, which has nearly 4000 

 inhabitants. It is built on the banks of a large river. 



