themselves. The children said they looked 'like fans walking about;'
and it was not difficult to understand their meaning. The dress of the
lower orders has remained precisely the same for hundreds of years;
and before I had been ashore five minutes I realised more fully than I
had ever done before the truthfulness of the representations of native
artists, with which the fans, screens, and vases one sees in England
are ornamented.

While we were going about, a letter was brought me, containing the sad
news (received here by telegram) of the death of Tom's mother. It was
a terrible shock, coming, too, just as we were rejoicing in the good
accounts from home which our letters contained. I went on board at
once to break the bad news to Tom. This sad intelligence realised a
certain vague dread of something, we knew not what, which has seemed
to haunt us both on our way hither.

[Illustration: Japanese Boats.]




CHAPTER XIX.

YOKOHAMA.

_Heavily plunged the breaking wave,_
_And foam flew up the lea,_
_Morning and evening the drifted snow_
_Fell into the dark grey sea._