SHOEING 
Chap. XH. 
the same results, I am not informed. It is to he 
hoped, however, that it is more beneficial to the 
literature of the country than it can be to the con- 
stitutions of those who thus enjoy themselves at the 
“ Temple of the Twelve Altars.” 
After visiting the waterfall, Poets’ Avenue, and 
other places of interest, we sat down in one of the 
little sheds on the banks of the lake, and refreshed 
ourselves with sundry cups of hot tea. We 
returned home by a different road, but the same 
kinds of beautiful lanes, valleys, country houses, 
and gardens were passed as on our way out. A 
ride of some six miles brought us again to the 
great city, and we were soon threading our way 
amongst crowds of human beings, packhorses, and 
dust — a striking contrast to that sylvan scenery 
which we had just been enjoying, 
Mr. Harris related an amusing circumstance 
connected with the shoeing of horses in Japan, 
which illustrates the ready way in which the 
people of the country adopt foreign customs when 
seen to be improvements on their own. I have 
already had occasion to mention the marked 
difference which exists between the Chinese and 
the Japanese in this respect. “Oula custom” — 
old custom — is the barrier to every foreign intro- 
duction in China, while the Japanese adopt with 
promptness every improvement which is set before 
them. When Mr. Harris first went to reside in 
Yedo, his horse was shod with iron shoes in the 
usual way. Up to this time the horses of the 
