on
pounds of tea, three million pounds of raw silk, and thirty-five
million pounds of rice exported annually. The population must constantly
be on the increase. All along this finely shaded road neat farm-houses
were to be seen, but no domestic cattle. Rows of tea-houses were
frequently in sight, extending occasionally into a village or town of
considerable dimensions, and filled with an active population. The
tea-houses, as well as the shops and dwelling-houses, were all open,
exposing each domestic arrangement to the public. The floors of these
country houses are slightly raised from the ground, say one step, and
covered with neat straw carpeting, upon which the family and visitors
"squat" and take their refreshments.

The people in the places through which we passed were a little curious
at our appearance, but offered no real annoyance. Many were engaged in
mechanical pursuits, but were working after what appeared a most awkward
fashion, their tools being simple and of little variety; while as to
machinery wherewith to facilitate hand-labor, the Japanese seem to have
no more idea of it than does a South Sea Islander. Many of the people
make the raising of silk-worms and silk winding a source of livelihood.
In the rear of some houses were seen little mulberry orchards, and
spread out by the roadside, upon mats, were thousands of cocoons in the
warm sunshine. Women were frequently seen outside the houses spinning
the silk and winding the thread. Though silk raising is so large and
important an industry in Japan, the winding of the material is still
performed in the most laborious and primitive manner. Grain was being
winnowed, as we drove along, by the simple process of passing it from
hand to hand, this being done by the women, who also separated the rice
from the stalks, drawing it by the handful through fixed upright wooden
teeth, placed close together. Nothing could be more primitive.

We had read of Japanese intemperance in the use of saki, a spirit
distilled from rice; but during the time we were in the country, one
person only was seen under the influence of intoxication, and who was
observed on the road during this trip inland. Intemperance cannot be
common among the populace, or it would be more obvious. One may see more
drunkenness among the common people of American cities in ten minutes
than in ten weeks in Japan. Grapes are raised to some extent, but no
wine is made from them, or at least not in any large