Japan and the Japanese

310 JAPAN. A. D. 1C90 1(592.
raised about three feet above the ground, and built close to the wal'
of the bathing-place, on the outside, not quite six feet high, but
about nine feet long, and of the same breadth. The floor is'laid
with small planed laths or planks, some few inches distant from
each other, both for the easy passage of the rising vapors and the
convenient outlet of the water. You go, or rather creep in,
through a small door or shutter. There are two other shutters,
one on each side, to let out the superfluous vapor. The empty space
beneath, down to the ground, is enclosed with a wall to prevent the
vapors from getting out on the sides. Towards the yard, just boneath
the hot-hcuse, is a furnace, part of which stands out towards
the yard, where they put in the necessary water and plants. This
part is shut with a clapboard when the fire is burning, to make all
the vapors ascend through the inner and open part into the hot-
house. There are always two tubs, one of warm the other of cold
water, for such as have a mind to wash themselves.
" The garden is the only place in which we Dutchmen, being
treated in all respects little better than prisoners, have liberty to
walk. It is commonly square, with a back door, and walled in
very neatly. There are few good houses or inns without one. If
there be not room enough for a garden, they have at least an old
ingrafted plum, cherry or apricot tree ; and the older, the more
crooked and monstrous, the greater value they put upon it. Sometimes
they let the branches grow into the rooms. In order to make
it bear larger flowers and in greater quantity, they trim it to a few,
perhaps two or three branches. It cannot be denied but that the
great number of beautiful, incarnadine double flowers, are a curious
ornament to this back part of the house, but they have this dis-
advantage, that they bear no fruit. In some small houses and inns
of less note, where there is not room enough neither for a garden
nor trees, they have at least an opening or window, to let the light
fall into the back rooms, before which, for the amusement and diver-
sion of travellers, is put a small tub full of water, wherein they
commonly keep alive some gold or silver fish; and for further ornament
there is generally a flower-pot or two standing there. Some-
times they plant dwarf trees, which will grow easily upon pumico
or other porous stones, without any earth at all, provided the root
be put into the water, whence it will suck up sufficient nourish-