Theboathadathoroughly“native“look，withitsbronzedcrew，thatchedroof，andtheumbrellahatsofallitspassengershangingonthemast。Ienjoyedeveryhouroftheday。Itwasluxurytodropquietlydownthestream，theairwasdelicious，and，havingheardnothingofit，thebeautyoftheTsugawacameuponmeasapleasantsurprise，besidesthateverymilebroughtmenearerthehoped-forhomeletters。AlmostassoonasweleftTsugawathedownwardpassagewasapparentlybarredbyfantasticmountains，whichjustopenedtheirrockygateswideenoughtoletusthrough，andthenclosedagain。Pinnaclesandneedlesofbare，flushedrockroseoutofluxuriantvegetation——Quiraingwithoutitsbareness，theRhinewithoutitsruins，andmorebeautifulthanboth。Thereweremountainsconnectedbyridgesnobroaderthanahorse’sback，otherswithgreatgraybuttresses，deepchasmscleftbystreams，templeswithpagodaroofsonheights，sunnyvillageswithdeep-
thatchedroofshiddenawayamongblossomingtrees，andthroughriftsinthenearerrangesglimpsesofsnowymountains。
Afterarapidrunoftwelvemilesthroughthisenchantingscenery，theremainingcourseoftheTsugawaisthatofabroad，fullstreamwindingmarvellouslythroughawoodedandtolerablylevelcountry，partiallysurroundedbysnowymountains。Theriverlifewasverypretty。Canoesabounded，someloadedwithvegetables，somewithwheat，otherswithboysandgirlsreturningfromschool。Sampanswiththeirwhitepuckeredsailsinflotillasofadozenatatimecrawledupthedeepwater，orweretowedthroughtheshallowsbycrewsfrolickingandshouting。Thenthescenechangedtoabroadanddeepriver，withapeculiaralluvialsmellfromthequantityofvegetablematterheldinsuspension，flowingcalmlybetweendenselywooded，bamboo-fringedbanks，justhighenoughtoconcealthesurroundingcountry。Nohouses，ornearlynone，aretobeseen，butsignsofacontinuityofpopulationabound。Everyhundredyardsalmostthereisanarrowpathtotheriverthroughthejungle，withacanoemooredatitsfoot。Erectionslikegallows，withaswingingbamboo，withabucketatoneendandastoneattheother，occurringcontinually，showthevicinityofhouseholdsdependentupontheriverfortheirwatersupply。Whereverthebanksadmittedofit，horseswerebeingwashedbyhavingwaterpouredovertheirbackswithadipper，nakedchildrenwererollinginthemud，andcacklingofpoultry，humanvoices，andsoundsofindustry，wereeverfloatingtowardsusfromthedensegreeneryoftheshores，makingonefeelwithoutseeingthatthemarginwasverypopulous。Excepttheboatmenandmyself，noonewasawakeduringthehot，silentafternoon——itwasdreamyanddelicious。
Occasionally，aswefloateddown，vineyardswerevisiblewiththevinestrainedonhorizontaltrellises，orbamboorails，oftenfortyfeetlong，nailedhorizontallyoncryptomeriatoaheightoftwentyfeet，onwhichsmallsheavesofbarleywereplacedastridetodrytilltheframewasfullMoreforest，moredreams，thentheforestandtheabundantvegetationaltogetherdisappeared，theriveropenedoutamonglowlandsandbanksofshingleandsand，andbythreewewereontheoutskirtsofNiigata，whoselowhouses，——withrowsofstonesupontheirroofs，spreadoverastretchofsand，beyondwhichisasandyrollwithsomeclumpsoffirs。Tea-houseswithmanybalconiesstuddedtheriver-side，andpleasure-partieswereenjoyingthemselveswithgeishasandsake，but，onthewhole，thewater-sidestreetsareshabbyandtumbledown，andthelandwardsideofthegreatcityofwesternJapaniscertainlydisappointing；anditwasdifficulttobelieveitaTreatyPort，fortheseawasnotinsight，andtherewerenoconsularflagsflying。Wepoledalongoneofthenumerouscanals，whicharethecarriage-waysforproduceandgoods，amonghundredsofloadedboats，landedintheheartofthecity，and，astheresultofrepeatedinquiries，eventuallyreachedtheChurchMissionHouse，anunshadedwoodenbuildingwithoutverandahs，closetotheGovernmentBuildings，whereIwasmostkindlywelcomedbyMr。andMrs。Fyson。
Thehouseisplain，simple，andinconvenientlysmall；butdoorsandwallsaregreatluxuries，andyoucannotimaginehowpleasingthewaysofarefinedEuropeanhouseholdareaftertheeternalbabblementandindecorumoftheJapanese。