Japan and the Japanese

282 JAPAN. A. D. 1690 -16 #.
hath a little door or opening on one side, which can be lacked up,
and by which you can come conveniently at the drawer, without
untying the Adofski. What things are daily wanted upon the
road must be kept in this trunk. It serves likewise to fasten the
two portmantles, or side trunks, which would otherwise require a
stick. It is made of thick, strong, gray paper, and, further to
secure it against all accidents of a long journey, strings are tied
about it in form of a net, very neatly.
" To complete our traveller's equipage, some other things are
requisite, which are commonly tied to the portmantles. Such are,
1. A string with Sent, a brass money with a hole in the middle,
they being more proper to buy what necessaries are wanted on the
road than silver money, which must be weighed. People that travel
on horseback tie this string behind them to one of the sashes of
their seats. Foot travellers carry it in a basket upon their back.*
2. A lantern, of varnished and folded paper, with the possessor's
arms painted upon its middle. This is carried before travellers by
It is tied
their footmen, upon their shoulder, in travelling by night.
behind one of the portmantles, put up in a net or bag. which again
hath the possessor's arms, or marks, printed upon it, as have in general
the clothes and all other movables travellers of all ranks and
qualities carry along with them upon their journeys. 3. A brush
made of horse's hairs, or black cock feathers, to dust your seat and
clothes. It is put behind }-our seat, on one side, more for show
than use. 4. A water-pail, which is put on the other side of the
seat, opposite to the brush, or anywhere else. 5. Shoes, or slippers,
for horses and footmen. These are twisted of straw, with ropes
likewise of straw, hanging down from them, whereby they are tied
about the horse's feet, instead of our European iron horse-shoes,
which are not used in this country. They are soon worn out in
stony, slippery roads, and must be often changed for new ones.
For this purpose, the men that look after the horses always carry
a competent stock along with them, tied to the portmanteaus, though
* These seni were of various values, a thousand of them being worth, ac-
cording to Caron, from eight to twenty-six mas, that is, from a dollar tc
three dollars and a quarter; the seni varying, therefore, from a mill to three
mills and a quarter. Of the existing copper coinage we shall speak
hereafter. See p. 531.