248 THE BATH-KEEPER REFUSES A DIME. 
vessel, into which a constant stream of cold water emptied 
through a bamboo joint that kept it in an overflowing 
state unless the bathers were unusually plentiful. From 
this they dipped bucketsful of water, which they carried 
into the next room to have poured over their heads after 
the hot part of the bathing was ended. They would 
hand their two buckets of water to the nearest friend, 
and stoop down on the concave stone flooring, while said 
nearest friend would get as great an elevation as possible 
and pour the contents over them; then the water ran 
through a two or three inch hole in the centre of the 
floor. 
As we concluded our examination of the inner apart- 
ment, and again stooped under the chimneyplace-like 
passage-way into the outer room, we came upon several 
persons of all ages and sexes, who had entered since our 
andval, and who w^ere then engaged in the process of 
disrobing preparatory to taking a dip in the inner tub. 
Our appearance did not seem to cause them either sur- 
prise or confusion ; but, on the contrary, as we tried to 
prevail on the woman of the house to accept a dime in 
return fur what we had seen, they crowded around in 
their primitive costume to see what the dispute was about. 
And here was another demonstration of the despotic 
manner in which the masses are there ruled: that old 
woman made signs to us that wci'e she to accept a single 
cash from us her head would be in danger. And it is 
more than probable that half of those who crowded around 
U8 were spies, who would liave reported her to the Govern- 
ment, had she done so. 
Japan is worse than Jesuitical Rome or iron-heeled 
