ounding of the deep-toned gong of
the sanctuary. The great bell in the court-yard was struck by the
priest's boy at sundown. The priest kept the old rule against meat. He
and his wife would not eat even cake or biscuits because they feared
that there might be milk and butter in them. The couple were very kind
to us and we enjoyed a delightfully quiet life in the lofty sunny
temple rooms. I should judge that _Otera San_ (Mr. Temple) was
respected in the village. His wife was a bustling woman of such
sweetness and simplicity of nature as can only be found in a far
valley.

I have mentioned that the total incomings of the priest are probably
about 250 yen. He receives no salary but has his house free. He must
"discuss about anything wanted in the temple." I do not suppose he had
to ask anybody whether he might lodge us or not. He receives
considerable gifts of rice, perhaps to the value of 120 yen, at any
rate enough for the whole year. He has also the rent of the "glebe,"
which consists of 12 _tan_ of paddy, 2 _tan_ of dry field and 10 _tan_
of woodland. Then there are the gifts which are made to him at
funerals and for the services he conducts at the villagers' houses on
the days of the dead. One day during the _Bon_ season every household
sent a little girl or boy with a present to the priest. In return
these small visitors were given sweets. During the _Bon_ season some
very old men of the village came and worshipped at the Shinto shrine
and were entertained with _sake_ by the priest on the _engawa_ of his
temple. The amount in the collecting box in front of the little Shinto
shrine in the temple yard, largely in _rin_, would not be more than 10
or 15 sen in the year. Most of the contributions are in the form of
pinches of rice. The priest may give 10 yen a year to his man who
works about the temple and his house and accompanies him to funerals
and to the memorial services at the villagers' dwellings; but this
servitor, like his master, no doubt receives presents.

The Shinto priest is probably not so well off as the Buddhist priest.
The village makes a small payment to him twice a year. At New Year 3
yen in all may be flung in the collecting box at the shrine, but the
priest has presents made to him when he goes to see ailing folk and
when he officiates at the building of a new house. Most people when
they are ill seem to send for the Shinto priest. But he explained to
me that he does not expect a sick man to "worsh