hand and the other on the left hand of the condemned.  The kaishaku on the left side, announcing his name and surname, says, bowing, “I have the honour to act as kaishaku to you; have you any last wishes to confide to me?” The condemned man thanks him and accepts the offer or not, as the case may be.  He then bows to the sheriff, and a wooden dirk nine and a half inches long is placed before him at a distance of three feet, wrapped in paper, and lying on a stand such as is used for offerings in temples.  As he reaches forward to take the wooden sword, and stretches out his neck, the kaifihaku on his left-hand side draws his sword and strikes off his head.  The kaishaku on the right-hand side takes up the head and shows it to the sheriff.  The body is given to the relations of the deceased for burial.  His property is confiscated.

2nd. The ceremonies observed at the “hara-kiri” of a Daimio’s retainer.—­When the retainer of a Daimio is condemned to perform the hara-kiri, four mats are placed in the yard of the yashiki or palace.  The condemned man, dressed in his robes of ceremony and wearing his wings of hempen cloth, sits in the centre.  An officer acts as chief witness, with a second witness under him.  Two officers, who act as kaishaku, are on the right and left of the condemned man; four officers are placed at the corners of the mats.  The kaishaku, as in the former case, offers to execute the last wishes of the condemned.  A dirk nine and a half inches long is placed before him on a stand.  In this case the dirk is a real dirk, which the man takes and stabs himself with on the left side, below the navel, drawing it across to the right side.  At this moment, when he leans forward in pain, the kaishaku on the left-hand side cuts off the head.  The kaishaku on the right-hand side takes up the head, and shows it to the sheriff.  The body is given to the relations for burial.  In most cases the property of the deceased is confiscated.

3rd. Self-immolation of a Daimio on account of disgrace.—­When a Daimio had been guilty of treason or offended against the Tycoon, inasmuch as the family was disgraced, and an apology could neither be offered nor accepted, the offending Daimio was condemned to hara-kiri.  Calling his councillors around him, he confided to them his last will and testament for transmission to the Tycoon.  Then, clothing himself in his court dress, he disembowelled himself, and cut his own throat.  His councillors then reported the matter to the Government, and a coroner was sent to investigate it.  To him the retainers handed the last will and testament of their lord, and be took it to the Gorojiu (first council), who transmitted it to the Tycoon.  If the offence was heinous, such as would involve the ruin of the whole family, by the clemency of the Tycoon, half the property might be confiscated, and half returned to the heir; if the offence was trivial, the property was inherited intact by the heir, and the family did not suffer.