ad come
to land him and his son, who had been shipwrecked. He had come to give
notice of the loss of the junk, but that he purposed proceeding on in
the ship to Japan.

His first care was to send on shore for proper clothes for Chin Chi, who
looked a very different person when dressed in bright-coloured robes and
a gay cap. He had got a similar dress for Jerry and me. He told
Captain Frankland that he could not venture to invite him on shore, but
that, as we were mere boys, he might take us under his escort.

Highly delighted, we accordingly pulled on shore. We found conveyances
waiting for us, kagos they were called. They were the funniest little
machines I ever saw--a sort of litter; suppose a box open in front and
the sides, with a low seat inside, and the lid shut down. Even Jerry
and I, though not very big, had great difficulty in coiling ourselves
away in ours; and how our portly old friend contrived it, was indeed a
puzzle. We had to sit cross-legged, with our arms folded and our backs
bent double, and were borne jogging along by two native porters, our
heads every now and then bumping up against the roof, till we couldn't
help laughing and shouting out to each other to ascertain if our skulls
were cracked. I suppose the natives have a mode of glueing themselves
down to the seats.

We passed over several well-made bridges, and along a paved causeway,
having on either side a succession of beautiful gardens and fertile
rice-fields, while before us rose a hill covered with trees, out of
which peeped a number of very pretty-looking villas. When we reached
the top of the hill we had a fine view over a large portion of the
island--several towns and numerous villages were seen, with
country-houses and farms scattered about. Altogether, we formed a very
favourable opinion of the island and the advanced state of civilisation
among the people of Loo-Choo.

The house to which our friend took us was built of wood, and covered
with earthen tiles. It had bamboo verandas, and a court-yard in front
surrounded by a wall of coral. The interior was plain and neat,--the
rafters appearing overhead were painted red, and the floor was covered
with matting. The owner of the house, an old gentleman very like
Hatchie Katsie, received us very courteously, and after we had sat some
time, ordered food to be brought in. Some long-robed attendants
prepared a table in the chief hall, on which they placed a number of
dishes, c