SHIPWRECKED ON YETORUP 
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or nothing to occupy them at that time of year except 
the cutting of firewood. A great deal of drinking 
was indulged in. Japanese sake was plentiful, and 
the coolies and others had no difficulty in getting 
all they wanted on credit, payment being deducted 
from their earnings later on when the fishing season 
commenced. 
About Christmas-time the people were busy 
making mochi for the New Year. The making of this 
stuff formed quite a ceremony. Into several large 
wooden mortars made out of tree-stumps boiled rice 
was put, and six men stood around each mortar, 
pounding the rice with heavy wooden mallets, while 
one man turned and wetted the mass. This turning 
and wetting job is a dangerous one for the man’s 
hand, as the mallets follow each other with great 
rapidity in the pounding process. Time was kept 
by a drum, a fife, bells, and a hollow muffin-shaped 
metal instrument. The drummer was an old blind 
man, who plied his drumstick with intense vim, 
and in his excitement gave vent, every now and 
then, to a yell like that of a Scottish reel-dancer, 
whilst the fifer would stop playing and go through 
a dancing performance, keeping time with the 
pounders. The scene was a most animated one, 
thoroughly enjoyed by everybody. It went on all 
night and part of the next day, as they were making 
mochi for all. 
Christmas Day we celebrated by having a special 
dinner. We had saved a joint of fresh beef, taken 
on board the schooner in Yokohama seven weeks 
before, and it had been frozen and was in prime 
condition. The mate had been fortunate enough 
to shoot a duck, so, with some potatoes, cakes, rolls, 
