a small pair of
shafts and trot away with you, and go that way as long as you want him
to for ten cents an hour. The traveler can go anywhere he desires in one
of these vehicles. They do not use hacks and vehicles as Americans do. I
never saw but one horse in Nagasaki. It was working to a dray, and was
almost worked to death. The Jap's back seems to be his most convenient
method, and almost the only one he has, of carrying anything.

Another soldier and I walked through the city looking at everything we
could see. We soon discovered that almost every one was poking fun at
us, all because we were walking instead of riding in jinrikishas. It
seems that everybody there rides in them everywhere they go, and it
appears funny to them to see anyone walking the streets. Peddlers are
the exceptions, it seems, to this rule. A great many peddlers are seen
walking the streets to vend their wares, and they have a great many
articles that cannot be bought in America.

Every Japanese house has a rug or carpet on the floor--these are very
nice articles. The funniest thing of all is the custom of stopping
everybody at the door and have them take off their shoes before entering
the house. They will not allow any one to enter their houses without
pulling off his shoes. The reason of this, to my mind, is the fact that
the rugs and carpets are made from grass and are very heavy, and catch
dirt very easily.

CHAPTER XII.

The Japanese are industrious, good natured and friendly people. They
treat every one kindly, and every one invited us to go into his house
and chat awhile. Our greatest difficulty was to understand them. They
appeared to be anxious to do anything they could for us, and considering
everything as I could see it in our short stay, I believe I would like
to live among them.

A great many Europeans are residents of Nagasaki. It is a fine town, a
great deal of business is done there. The city is spread out along the
bay back of the city, and all around the bay, except the entrance to it,
are large hills, and on these a great many large guns are mounted. These
natural barriers enable the Japanese to make the city a strongly
fortified place. The government of Japan is good. Laws are rigid and
strictly enforced. Theft is regarded as a very grave crime, and is
punished with severe penalties.

Men with whom I talked in Nagasaki seemed to desire to leave the
impression that Japan was well prepared for war, in fact bette