lsides covered with foliage, all sparkling in the morning light; on
our left, foothills, and beyond these the mountains. We stopped at a
Japanese tea-house to rest the jinrikisha men, and soon after, we came
to a point in the landscape said to be represented in the opera of
"Madame Butterfly." Reaching the Mogi, we found another tea-house, and
we all alighted and roamed around the point, where we had a magnificent,
far-reaching panorama. The descent was quite as enjoyable, and
altogether we voted the ride an entire success.

We next visited some bazars. The temples were omitted, but I later
visited them on my return trip to North China. Then we returned to the
steamer for a late luncheon, and the bevy of animated coal-heavers were
still at work. The day following was our last on the steamer, and our
way lay through one portion of the Inland Sea, meaning a narrow
waterway, the shores of which were visible on both sides.

[Illustration: _The main street in Kobe_]

* * * * *

KOBE: We arrived at Kobe on the evening of April 10th, and fell at once
into the grasp of the custom-house authorities, who proved, however,
very lenient. Our valued Director here left us to go on to Yokohama and
was succeeded by a Japanese guide, Mr. Macheeda, who took charge of four
of the party, small groups and native guides being the policy in
Japan.[6] Our abiding-place in Kobe was the Oriental Hotel.

The following morning we went out early in jinrikishas for a general
ride through Kobe, going first to the distant waterfall in the
mountains, which really proved a fine spectacle. Next we visited
temples, then some shops or bazars, and a Satsuma studio, where the
whole art process was explained to us by a most courteous Japanese, who
spoke English perfectly. All the appointments of the studio were truly
Japanese, including the sliding windows and doors, the hardwood floor
and the matting walls. Here tea and little cakes were served to us.

We then went to another studio with a different interior. This was
larger and more pretentious. Again the process was explained to us in
the same courteous way, and we realized that we were now in a land where
good manners prevailed. A heavy rain unfortunately set in, and we were
compelled to return to the hotel.

* * * * *

ONOMICHI: The following day we took the train for Onomichi, arriving at
our destination in the evening. Here we were to