CHAPTER XII.

Invitation from the American Minister to visit Yedo- Inland road Nanka-nobu tea-garden- Extraordinary Glycine - Pleasant lanes and hedges Civility of the people - Arrive at the American Legation - Guard and spies - Large tree - Unpleasant diplomatic correspondence - Nursery gardens in the country visited - Summer flowers and new plants - Return to Yedo- A ride in the country - Mr. Heuskin's tomb-"Temple of Twelve Altars"- Poets' Avenue - How a drunken Japanese makes himself sober Shoeing horses-Departure from Yedo-General remarks on the city and

suburbs.

HAVING ransacked the country in the vicinity of Yokuhama and Kanagawa, I was very desirous of paying another visit to the capital. The nurserygardens of Sumae-yah and Dang-o-zaka, in which I had found so many new plants during the previous winter, had no doubt many others of interest which could only be judged of in spring or early summer; but Yedo was a sealed city to all who were not officials, unless they were specially invited as guests by their minister at the Court of the Tycoon. Unfortunately his Excellency Mr. Alcock, to whom I had been indebted for much kindness and hospitality on a former occasion, was now absent in China, and it was generally reported that no Englishman would be allowed to visit the city until he returned. Under these circumstances I

188 INVITATION FROM AMERICAN MINISTER. CHAP. XII.

was unwilling to make an application to the gentleman who had been left in charge of the Legation, as he might not have the power to grant me my request, and at the same time it would be disagreeable, I thought, for him to refuse. What was then to be done? Mr. Alcock was not expected back until the end of June, and if I could not visit Yedo until that time all the spring-flowers would be past, and the opportunity of adding some plants of interest and value to my collection would be lost. Most anxious to accomplish the object I had in view, I wrote to Mr. Townsend Harris, the United States Minister, and asked him to receive me for a few days at the American Legation. Mr. Harris sent me a very kind reply, inviting me to his house in Yedo, and begging me to remain there as long as I pleased. Thus far everything went well, and I was delighted with the opportunity which I was likely to have of adding to the number of those useful and beautiful trees and other plants which I had discovered in Yedo the winter before; but the sequel will show that things were not destined to go on quite so smoothly as I had anticipated.

On the 20th of May Mr. Portman and a guard of yakoneens were sent down to meet me at the river Loga. I had frequently heard of a beautiful inland road from Kanagawa to Yedo; and as I had seen quite enough of the Imperial highway, it was determined that we should take the new route. Before striking into the country we paid a visit to the celebrated tea-house at Omora, which I have

formerly noticed. The large garden attached to this "Mansion of Plum-trees" was now in great beauty. The trees were in full leaf, forming shady walks and avenues where travellers or visitors could shelter themselves from the sun's rays, which were now becoming more powerful every day. The pretty waiting-maids brought us sundry cups of tea with different kinds of cake. Pleasant, very pleasant, was that "Mansion of Plum-trees," but it was necessary to move on."

66

Leaving the Tokaido behind us, we took a bridlepath which led us more inland, and soon afterwards we struck a broad country road, by which we journeyed onwards in the direction of the capital. On our way we called at a place called Nanka-nobu to see a large specimen of Glycine sinensis, which was one of the lions in this part of the country. It was evidently a tree of great age. It measured, at three feet from the ground, seven feet in circumference, and covered a space of trelliswork sixty feet by one hundred and two feet. The trellis was about eight feet in height, and many thousands of the long racemes of the glycine hung down nearly half-way to the ground. One of them, which I measured, was three feet length. The thousands of long, drooping, lilac racemes had a most extraordinary and beautiful appearance. People came from far and near to see the tree during the time it remained in bloom; and as it was in the garden of a public tea-house, it brought an extensive custom to the proprietor.

six inches in

190

PRETTY LANES AND HEDGES.

CHAP. XII.

Tables and benches were arranged under its shade, which at the time of our visit were well occupied with travellers and visitors, all sipping and apparently enjoying the grateful and invigorating beverage. As the day was cloudless, and the sun's rays powerful, we were not slow to imitate the example they set before us, so we sipped our tea, smoked a cigar, and admired this beautiful specimen of the vegetable kingdom.

Our road during the remainder of our journey was a very pleasant one, and led us through lanes fringed on each side with pretty hedges and tall trees, the latter affording a pleasing shade. Many little villages and comfortable-looking inns or teahouses were passed by the way. Most of these teahouses had gardens filled with pretty flowering plants for the enjoyment of their patrons, and in more than one of them we noticed a trellis covered with the Glycine sinensis in full bloom. This trailing tree is evidently a great favourite with the Japanese, and it well deserves to be so. Everywhere the people seemed most inoffensive and even friendly, showing a natural curiosity to see the Tojins (Chinamen or foreigners), as they called us, and now and then saluting us with the friendly "Anata, Ohio." Japan would be a pleasant place to live or travel in were it freed from those bands of two-sworded idlers which infest the capital, and render a residence there sometimes far from agreeable.

As we entered the suburbs of Yedo we met the

young gentlemen of the English Legation going out for a ride in the country, followed by a large number of yakoneens. This was rather an unlucky meeting, as it afterwards turned out, although I had no idea at the time that I had done anything wrong. A few words were exchanged with those of them whom I knew, and we parted apparently good friends. Some one told me afterwards that the only gentleman in the party unknown to me, and who it seems had been left in charge of Her Majesty's Legation, looked very indignant; but as I did not observe his countenance, I was left in blissful ignorance of the wrath which he was 'nursing to keep warm until some hours after

ward.

We arrived at the American Legation between five and six o'clock in the afternoon, where I was most kindly received by his Excellency. Like all the other foreign ministers in Yedo, Mr. Harris occupies a large and roomy temple. An avenue leads up from one of the streets of the town to the temple. Two noble trees of Salisburia adiantifolia guard the entrance, and one of them is the largest specimen of the kind I have yet met with. Its circumference, about six feet from the ground, is twenty-eight feet, and it is fully a hundred feet in height. On one of the sides of this temple there is the usual cemetery, and behind it is a hill covered with lofty trees. Then there are the usual guardhouses filled with armed yakoneens, and a small, quiet-looking place, which is said to be the