VISIT SHIBA. 
279 
cultivated valley at intervals, which render the 
place so beautiful that they might he transplanted to 
England without any violence to the harmony of our 
own scenery ; for here many of our familiar plants 
flourish, and everywhere our common fern may be 
seen, and ivy covering the walls, while by the way- 
side the thistle is not wanting to complete the 
picture. 
The visit to the capital, Tokio, was a most interest- 
ing treat. The progress already made by the 
Japanese in establishing railways removes all diffi- 
culties in reaching our destintion. The seventeen 
miles between Yokohama and Shinbashi are run over 
in somewhat less than an hour, although we stop at 
three or four stations on our way; passing some pretty 
scenery through garden-bordered streets, and the 
open country, with rice and wheat fields everywhere, 
indicating, unmistakably, signs of skilled and careful 
agriculture. After reaching the city I made my way 
to Shiba, travelling in the new vehicle of Japan (the 
jinirikisha) to the residence of Mr. Harding, B.N., 
instructor in steam at the Imperial Haval University, 
with whom I was to stay for a few days. Merely 
telling my conductor, “ Shiba ni iki nasai,” off he ran 
along handsome roads, passing continuous rows of 
shops, which are open to the streets like stalls at 
a fancy fair, and which contained all those articles 
seemingly in common request among the people. 
Umbrella, fan, and shoe stores abound, also eatables 
