HOSPITABLE ENTERTAINERS. 
293 
trasting very unfavourably witli a bonny English 
maiden in a dark riding-habit, which sets off her 
slender supple form as she sits with easy grace her 
beautiful Arab mare ! 
A wealthy man of Tomo, our guide through the 
toAvn, now invited us to his house. The rooms 
were bare of furniture, but exquisitely neat and 
clean. The floors were covered \vith soft thick mats, 
and the o^cn windows looked out into trim little 
gardens abounding in rockwork, ponds of gold-fish, 
dwarf trees of fantastic shapes, and some mag- 
nificent Japanese lilies in full bloom. His wife 
entered with grapes and slices of melon, and his 
daughter followed with pipes and tobacco, ^which 
she offered on her knee to the unlooked-for visitors. 
As Araki gave them our history, both matron and 
maid regarded us with looks of lively interest, and, 
judging from their ‘‘nods and becks, and wreathed 
smiles,” were well pleased with our appearance. 
On bidding farewell to our kind entertainers, we 
wended our way through streets and lanes lined 
with silent orderly spectators, -to the famous saki 
