A JAPANESE PUBLICAN. 
217 
cushion-like mats with which the floors of their houses 
arc aliDoys spread. There are wayside taverns in Japan 
as well as in the rest of the world, reader, and the pub- 
lican of this particular one was a flnc-looking old man, 
with an upright frame, an expansive forehead, a mild 
blue eye, and a general cast of features that partook as 
much of the Caucasian as of the Mongolian race. lie 
received us without the slightest hesitation of manner, — 
in fact, with polite self-possession, [he had evidently been 
thrown in contact with foreigners before, possibly with 
members of Perry’s squadron at Si-mo-da,)— and drew us 
oS several cups of saki from one of his numerous hogs- 
heads. He also called his wife and daughters to see the 
“Amelikins,” and they approached without the usual 
signs of distrust, smiling good-humouredly, and giving 
utterance to sevex’al connected words, which, judging 
from the morning compliments usually indulged in by 
the ladies of our own land, we concluded had some bear- 
ing upon the “general state of the weather and upon the 
heat of our walk in particular;” but of this we were 
never fully satisfied. 
In the mean time, the old gentleman began spitting 
several fine specimens of mountain-trout and sticking 
them upright before the fire, intimating, by signs, that 
they would soon be done, and that they would agree well 
with the saki. We very shortly proved the truth of his 
signs, to our entire satisfaction. 
We then, in turn, produced ou7' lunch, of which they 
all partook sparingly, tasting each different article, such 
as cold ham, sardines, loaf-bread, claret, &c., and then 
passing it to their next neighbour. They seemed pleased 
