Japan and the Japanese

JOURNEY TO COURT. 28 1.
horse's neck, as he finds it most convenient. Particular care must
be taken to sit in the middle, and not to lean too much on either
side, which would either make the horse fall, or else the side trunks
and rider. In going up and down hills the footmen and stable
grooms hold the two side trunks fast, for fear of such an accident.
The traveller mounts the horse, and alights again, not on one side,
as we Europeans do, but by the horse's breast, which is very trouble-
some for stiff legs. The horses are unsaddled and unladen in an
instant ; for having taken the bed-clothes away, which they do
first of all, they need but untie a latchet or two, which they are
very dexterous at, and the whole baggage falls down at once. The
latchets, thongs and girths, made use of for these several purposes,
are broad and strong, made of cotton, and withal very neatly
worked, with small, oblong, cylindrical pieces of wood at both
ends, which are of great use to strain the latchets, and to tie
things hard.
" The saddle is made of wood, very plain, with a cushion underneath
and a caparison behind, lying upon the horse's back, with
the traveller's mark, or arms, stitched upon it. Another piece of
coarse cloth hangs clown on each side as a safeguard to the horse,
to keep him from being daubed with dirt. These two pieces are
tied together loosely under the horse's belly. His head is covered
with a net-work of small but strong strings, to defend it, and particularly
the eyes, from flies, which are very troublesome. The
neck, breast and other parts, are hung with small bells.
" The side portmantles, which are filled only with light stuff, and
sometimes only with straw, are a sort of square trunk, made of
stiff horse leather, mostly four feet long, a foot and a half broad,
and as many deep. The cover is made somewhat larger, and so
deep as to cover the lower part down to the bottom. Though they
hold out rain very well, yet, for a greater security, they are wrapt
up in mats, with strong ropes tied about them ; for which reason,
and because it requires some time to pack them up, they are seldom
unpacked till you are come to the journey's end, and the things
which are the most wanted upon the road are kept in the Adofski.
This is a small, thin trunk or case, about four feet and a half in
length, nine inches broad, and as many deep. It contains ono
single drawer, much of the same length, breadth and depth. Ii
24*