78 
HILL OF THE GOD ATANGO. * 
attention. Soon, however, we arrived at a spot of 
great interest. This was a little hill, one of the 
highest of the many hills which are dotted about 
all over the city. Its name was Atango-yama, 
which means the “ Hill of the god Atango.” On 
its summit there is a temple erected to the idol, 
and a number of arbours where visitors, who come 
either for worship or for pleasure, can be supplied 
with cups of tea. 
Leaving our horses at the foot of the hill, we 
ascended it by a long flight of stone steps, which 
were, laid from the base to the summit. When we 
arrived at the top of the steps, we found ourselves 
in front of the temple and its surrounding arbours. 
Here we were waited upon by blooming damsels, 
and invited to partake of sundry cups of hot tea. 
But the temple, the arbours, and even our fair wait- 
ing-maids, were for the time disregarded as we 
gazed upon the vast and beautiful city which lay 
below us spread out like a vast panorama. Until 
now I had formed no adequate idea of the size of 
the capital of Japan. Before leaving China I had 
heard stories of its great size, and of its population 
of two millions ; but I confess I had great doubts 
as to the truth of these reports, and thought it not 
improbable that, both as to size and population, 
the accounts of Yedo might be much exaggerated. 
But now I looked upon the city with my own eyes, 
and they confirmed all that I had been previously 
told. 
Looking back to the south-west over the wooded 
