PSES OF JAPAN.

CHAPTER TWO.

But for all our devices to while away the time, the thirty-two days of
ship life was to all of us the longest month of our lives. The Pacific,
as Mr. Peggotty says, is "a mort of water," a vast, desolate waste of
waters from Honolulu to our first landing place, Yokohama. We had a
wonderful glimpse of the sacred mountain, Fujiyama. The snow-capped
peak stood transfigured as it caught full the rays of the descending
sun. Cone-shaped, triangular, perhaps; what was it like, this gleaming
silhouette against the deep blue sky? Was it a mighty altar, symbol
of earth's need of sacrifice, or emblem of the unity of the ever
present triune God? 'Tis little wonder that it is, to the people
over whom it stands guard, an object of reverence, of worship; that
pilgrimages are made to its sacred heights; that yearly many lives
are sacrificed in the toilsome ascent on bare feet, on bare knees.

As we went through Japan's inland sea, one of the most beautiful bodies
of water on the globe, it seemed, at times, as if we might reach out
and shake hands with the natives in their curious houses, we passed
so near to them--the odd little houses, unlike any we had ever seen;
while about us was every known kind of Japanese craft with curious
sails of every conceivable kind and shape. On the overloaded boats
the curious little Japanese sailors, oddly dressed in thick padded
coverings and bowl caps on their heads, with nothing on limbs and
feet save small straw sandals, strapped to the feet between great
and second toes, looked top-heavy.

While I watched all these new things, I was eagerly on the lookout for
the wreck of the Morgan City, on which my son had sailed. Nothing was
visible of the ill-fated ship but a single spar, one long finger of
warning held aloft. As we passed on, watching the busy boats plying
from shore to shore, the Chinese on the boat chattered and jabbered
faster with each other than before; we fancied they were making fun of
their little Japanese brethren. We arrived at Yokohama about 9 P. M.,
and were immediately placed in quarantine. The next morning a dozen
Japanese quarantine officers appeared, covered all over with straps
and bands of gold lace. They looked so insignificant and put on such
an air of austere authority that one did not know whether to laugh or
cry at their pomposity. They checked us off by squads and dozens, and
by 12 o'clock we were ready to land. It was our first touch