and other forest
trees, eight inches high, besides diminutive ferns and creepers.

It being now half-past nine o'clock, we went to the hotel to meet the
rest of the party for breakfast, and at one o'clock we returned to the
yacht. At half-past one Lady Parkes and several other friends from
Tokio came on board to luncheon. They told of three disastrous fires
that had taken place in Tokio yesterday, by which the Home Office--one
of the finest old Tartar _yashgis_--and several smaller edifices had
been destroyed.

After the departure of our guests we paid another visit to the shore,
and saw the foxhounds. They are a nice pack, and have good kennels
outside the foreign settlement. They were out this morning at 6.30,
but unfortunately we did not know of it. There are plenty of foxes,
and some very fair country not far from here; so they expect to have
good sport.

We weighed anchor at 8.30 p.m. and proceeded under steam. At 11.30,
when off Touraya-saki, we set some of the head canvas. It was a cold
night, with sleet and snow, though it was not blowing as hard as
during the day.

CHAPTER XX.

KIOTO, LATE MIACO.

_Manners with fortunes, humours change with climes,_
_Tenets with books, and principles with times._

_Saturday, February 3rd_.--The occasional glimpses of the coast
scenery through the sleet and snow were very fine. We passed Rocky
Island, Lady Inglis rocks, and Matoya. But Mabelle and I spent most of
the day in bed; she suffering from a blow from the boom, which had
produced slight concussion of the brain, and I having a wretched cold,
which has been gradually getting worse the last few days, and which
has quite taken away my voice.

_Sunday, February 4th_.--It was blowing hard all day, raining,
snowing, and sleeting. The scenery appeared to be pretty, and we
passed through crowds of picturesque junks.

At 4.25 we rounded Tomamgai Smia, and at 9 p.m. anchored off the town
of Kobe, or Hiogo.

These constant changes of names are very puzzling. Miaco and Yeddo,
which we did know something about, are quite cut out, and replaced by
Kioto and Tokio. Oddly enough, the same syllables, reversed, mean
capital of the Western Empire and capital of the Eastern Empire
respectively.

_Monday, February 5th_.--By seven o'clock a boat was alongside with
letters from the Consul and Sir Harry Parkes, who had kindly made all
the necessary arrangements for us to see the opening of the railway
from Kobe to