Pleasant Pathways Round the World [pp. 21-23]

of her fine black pony as I took a seat by her
si(le in the trap (a low carriage used in the East).
We were preceded by two other carriages, in
which were our escort, Mr. Seppard, United
States Consul of Tient-sin, China; Captain
Batchelder, of Yeddo; Mr. Jones, of California;
Minister Dr. Long's charming children, Lillie
and Bertie; and the bettos who dashed along at
our side.
After leaving the city, we soon reached the
Tokaido, the imperial highway stretching from
one end of Niphlon, the great island of Japan, to
the other, and shaded as an avenue by grand old(
trees. The air was exhilarating, and the country seemed to bud and blossom as the rose,
diversified with groves of trees and winding
streams; the soil rich, and covered by a variety
of productions-millet, rice, cotton, tobacco,
sweet potatoes, beans, and lotus; orchards of
peach and cherry trees, the latter prized not for
the fruit but for the blossoms, which are the
great admiration of the Japanese in Spring-time;
snug little houses and hamlets, inclosed by
hedges of twisted trees or feathery bamboo.
Many of the children were nude, and the men
and women nearly undressed, but appeared industi-ious and kind, and as we passed greeted
us with the cheerful Ohio, andi the polite Sianiora on leaving. Fugesawa is about sixteen
miles from Yokohama, where we left our carriages and horses, and rode a distance of two
or three miles in gin-rick-a-shas along a narrow
road in the midst of rice-fieldis, until we reached
Kamakutira, which was once the grand city of
the tycoons; but now, like Nineveh or Babylon,
it is an ivy-grown desolation. Situated on the
sea, the approach is that of a great city amid
the grandeur of decay, over which nature is
making vigorous efforts to throw her green
mantle.
There still exists here a collection of sacred
edifices which constitutes Kamakura the Panthlieon of the East, or the ancient glory of Japan.
The vine-tangled avenue that once led to the
palace of the tycoons is pointed out; but as
the buildings were of wood, scarcely a trace of
them remains. But we did not come to see
these; we came to see the great Buddhist divi nity, Daiboots, which has defied the devastating
hand of time for over six hundred years, as it
did the tidal wave or the earthquake that swept
away the temple that at one time inclosed its
grand form. Here, in this mysterious, solitary retreat, it rose before us in calm majesty, with only
the vaulted skies as a canopy. This gigantic
image is sixty-five feet high, including the base.
I t is seated on a lotus, in Oriental attitude, and in
form and expression combines the embodiment
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of genuine Japanese art and religious sentiment.
Instead of being awed by its immense proportions, there is a real charm in the calm, perfect
repose and simplicity that few can resist. At
its base there is a little altar sending up a small
column of incense-a flower-garden in the rear,
with green hills and trees as a background.
There is a tradition that this grand bronze figure
was once small copper coins thrown as votive
offerings by pilgrims into the temple, and cast
in plates or sections a few feet square and
about an inch thlick, and so nicely fitted together
that it is impossible for the joints to be seen
unless the work is closely examined. The interior is hollow, and entered at one side by a
few steps where the sections can be traced by
an aperture which admits the light. As a
heathen image to be worshiped, we took no interest in it; but as a work of art, and particularly as to its size, we could but exclaim, as we
left, Great is Daiboots of Kamakuira! and woindered how it would rank with the sphinx of
Egyptian renown. On the left of titis figure we
ascended a flighit of stone steps, and entered a
temple. There was an altar in the center near
the door, and on eithler side the most grotesque
idols cut out of wood and painted a lighlt vermilion; their gross bodies and ugly visages
covered with bits of paper, which are written
prayers, chiewed, and while wet, thl)rown at the
id(ol god with the belief that, if they adhere, the
prayers will reach their destination. Tlhe
priests knew we did not enter the temple to
see these disguistinig objects, but were slow to
show us what we were in search of, and which
few travelers see unless there is some indication
of a forthcoming fee. The golden key, which
unlocks hearts in Japan as well as at home, was
shown; and at once we were led along a side
passage-way to the rear, where, in a dark cagelike tower, was what one of our party designated
Mrs. Daiboots. It was a full-length female
figure thiirty-five feet high, known as the goddess of the sun. The attendants hoisted lanterns, arranged on pulleys, so that we could see
the gilded formn, who held in one hand a scepter,
in the other tile sacredi lotus, and on her head a
triple tiara composed of many lesser gods or
goddesses. To reach Inosima, where is the
cave of the sea-god, who is chained and guarded
by an army of priests, we followed a charming
curved beacl, the surf breaking like a white
fiiil at our feet, and the sound on our ears "like
the close of an angel's psalm." On reaching
our carriages we drove along the imperial highlway as the sun was setting, and, throough the
gloaming, reached our temporary home in thle
city of Yokoham?a.
PLEASANrT PATHWAYS ROUND THE WORLD.
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