230 PAST AND PRESENT. 



which abutted against one side of the enclosure. A 

 tame white heron walked about the garden in front of 

 my verandah, and a lovely half-wild kingfisher kept 

 coming and going to and fro, diving after the small fish 

 in the pond, then watching me most intently from a 

 rock half-a-dozen yards off. I have no doubt the 

 beautiful little bird wondered at the strange-looking 

 biped. 



I have already spoken about the two national re- 

 ligions — Buddhism and Shintoism. My remarks were 

 more properly applicable to olden days, for since all 

 prohibition of Christianity or any other belief has been 

 removed, there is very Little religion of any kind. 

 The upper classes despise their old ideas, and don't feel 

 sure about the new ones. Many different sects of 

 missionaries have entered the field, but none with any 

 success excepting the Eoman Catholics. These have 

 received very little encouragement, but still, in my 

 opinion. Protestantism has little chance against them. 

 The Christians I found in considerable numbers on the 

 different western islands, were all from the old stock, 

 from those who were persecuted generations ago, the 

 relics of former times. When the early Christians, some 

 three hundred years ago, became so numerous, the 

 followers of Buddha feared the consequences, and sad 



