patterns; the stockings are of white jean; sandals are worn upon the feet, but no covering upon the head, although most of the hair is shaven, and the little that remains behind, is tied tightly together; an umbrella or a fan is all that is used to keep off the sun;—­except on journeys, and then a large cap of oiled paper, or of plaited grass is worn.  The great mark by which a gentleman is known, is wearing two swords.

The Japanese houses are very pretty.  In the windows—­flower-pots are placed; and when real flowers cannot be had, artificial flowers are used.  In great houses, the ladies are shut up in one part; while in the other, company is received.  The house is divided into rooms by large screens, and as these can be moved, the rooms can be made larger, or smaller, as the master pleases.  There are no chairs, for the Japanese, though so much like the Chinese, do not sit like them on chairs, but on mats beautifully woven.  The emperor’s palace is called, “The Hall of the Thousand Mats.”  Every part of a Japanese house is covered with paper, and adorned with paintings, and gold, and silver flowers; even the doors, and the ceilings, are ornamented in this manner.  Beautiful boxes, and porcelain jars, add to the beauty of the rooms.

The climate is pleasant, for the winter is short, and the sun is not as hot as in China; so that the ladies, and gentlemen, are almost as fair as Europeans, though the laborers are very dark.

[Illustration:  JAPANESE GENTLEMAN.]

But Japan is exposed to many dangers, from wind, from water, and from fire—­three terrible enemies!  The waves dash with violence upon the rocky shores; the wind often blows in fearful hurricanes; while earthquakes and hot streams from the burning mountains, fill the people with terror.

But more terrible than any of these—­is wickedness; and very wicked customs are observed in Japan.  It is very wicked for a man to kill himself, yet in Japan it is the custom for all courtiers who have offended the emperor, to cut open their own bodies with a sword.  The little boys of five years old, begin to learn the dreadful art.  They do not really cut themselves, but they are shown how to do it, that when they are men, they may be able to kill themselves in an elegant manner.  How dreadful!  Every great man has a white dress, which he never wears, but keeps by him, that he may put it on when he is going to kill himself:  and he carries it about with him wherever he goes, for he cannot tell how suddenly he may want it.  When a courtier receives a letter sentencing him to die, he invites his friends to a feast; and at the end of it, his sentence is read aloud by the emperor’s officer; then he takes his sword, and makes a great gash across his own body; at the same moment, a servant who stands behind him, cuts off his head.

This way of dying is thought very fine, and as a reward, the emperor allows the son of the dead man to occupy his father’s place in the court.  But what a place to have, when at last there may be such a fearful scene!  Missionaries cannot come into Japan to teach the people a better way of dying, and to tell them of a happy place after death.