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286 HONDA THE SAMURAI.
Townsend Harris, the American envoy, arrived at
Shimoda. The two years flew swiftly by, and at the
end of that time Honda Jiro went forth an accom-
plished scholar, and to a long, happy, and useful life.
Far different was it with the other two men im-
prisoned at the same time, Okuma Ei and Noge*
Toro, teacher and pupil, whom we met at Yedo in
the Inn of the Big Gold-fish, and at Yokohama,
when Perry's treaty-ships were anchored there.
Okuma Ei was released shortly afterward, only to be
imprisoned by his own clan, and ten years later to
fall a victim to assassins who murdered him because
he proposed to open Japan to foreign influences ;
while Nog Toro and Ban Saburo in the political
troubles of 1860 were condemned to death, and per-
formed hara-kiri in this same Yedo prison-yard.
It is time now to turn to a more sunny phase of
life in the " Country of Peaceful Shores," in another
part of the " Land ruled by a Slender Sword." We
shall see Honda Jiro again in the castle halls of the
lord of Echizen as the honored guest at a wedding-
feast.