THE KlI COAST. 135 



seemed to tumble headlong down to a few wood- 

 men's huts built on a mere shelf of the mountain. 

 This wUd spot was 1500 feet above the sea. A river 

 of the clearest water rushed past just below this cluster 

 of houses. Excellent trout abounded in the pools, 

 affording sport as well as food to the natives. A 

 bamboo rod, silk line, and generally a white fly were 

 used by these people with skill and success. Here I 

 found for the first time in Japan the honey-bee. It 

 appeared smaller than our own, but otherwise identical. 

 The hives were square wooden boxes, placed in rows on 

 stands close to the cottages. The owners assured me . 

 they never destroyed the bee in taking the honey. An 

 instance of Japanese politeness is here worth mention- 

 ing. The headman of the village, on the coast from 

 where I had started, had begged me to wait three days 

 beyond the time I intended, alleging as a reason for 

 making this request that the best guide, in fact the 

 only man who had ever been up the mountain, was 

 away from home. This guide was to meet me at the 

 village I reached the first evening. The guide was 

 there in readiness ; but the object to be gained by my 

 delay of three days was really to give time for a new 

 bath and bath-house, to be built ready for my par- 

 ticular use on the one evening I remained there. 



