s wear a similar dress of a
light fawn or dove tint. A person of the rank of a gentleman invariably
wears two swords stuck in his girdle. On sitting down he removes the
longest, and places it against some piece of furniture at his side; but
he never parts with the smaller one, which is kept sharp, and in
readiness to kill himself should any accusation of a crime, false or
true, be brought against him. The questions put to the captain having
been satisfactorily answered, we were informed that we might discharge
our cargo. The officers were then invited down into the cabin to
partake of cake and wine, which they seemed greatly to enjoy. They
then, bowing politely, took their departure, leaving one of their number
on board, who was to remain while the ship was anchored in the harbour.

Mr Hooker had a friend here, a merchant, who came on board to see him.
Emily and I were introduced; and he invited us, and Grace also, to come
and stay at his house with Mr Hooker, while the ship remained off the
place. The residence of the merchant was situated on a platform on the
side of a hill surrounded by trees, at a little distance from the town.
The house had broad verandahs, every door sliding backwards and forwards
in grooves, instead of opening and shutting in the ordinary fashion. In
the garden were quantities of lovely flowers, and it had a pond in the
centre. The pond was full of wonderfully large gold and silver fish,
which were always ready to exhibit their lovely tints when bits of bread
were thrown in to them. The girls especially were delighted with the
beauty of the wild flowers in the surrounding woods, many of them such
as would be valued in a garden in England. Surpassing all others,
however, were the camelia trees, some fully thirty feet high, their
lovely flowers shining out amid their dark-green foliage. We were told
that the camelia is so called in honour of a Spanish Jesuit--Camel--who
brought it to Europe, where it is known as the Camelia japonica. From
one kind, the oleifera, a large amount of oil is extracted, used in
Japan for domestic purposes. The beautiful _lotus_ also is common; the
Japanese using the root when young for food. When thoroughly boiled, it
is very palatable. Mr Hooker was well pleased with the cleanliness of
the streets; so superior in that respect to those of China. They are
nearly all paved in the centre, which is slightly raised, and have
drains running down close to the hou