1 40 THE KII COAST. 



However poor the Japanese may be, their houses are 

 always neat, clean, and comfortable, and I invariably 

 found the country people most willing and pleased to put 

 me up, turning out of the best room, and placing their 

 clean store of mats for my use, cooking, preparing and 

 makiQg ready the bath on my returning in the even- 

 ing. The daughters of the family always attended, 

 making tea, taking off one's boots and washing one's 

 feet, bringing in the evening meal, talking and joking 

 in their exceedingly pretty manner during the time, 

 and on their taking leave later on, always wishing one 

 goodnight, and pleasant repose. 



The children are full of fun, and have innumer- 

 able games of play. The girls have their dolls and 

 dolls' houses ; the boys every conceivable kind of top, 

 and kites of all shapes and sizes. They all go to school 

 at the age of six, according to Japanese reckoning, but 

 five of ours, and very soon learn to read and write.'^ 

 The girls take charge of the babies when, in fact, they 

 are but babies themselves, the smaller of the two 

 being strapped on the back of the other. I have often 

 seen the feet of the one being carried only just clear of 



^ The Japanese count the age of their children from nearly a 

 year previous to their actual appearance "into this breathing 

 world." 



